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Park in the car park of the Orbrie community hall (opposite the school).
(S/E) Head to the top right at the far end of the car park towards the park information board and take the path lined with lime trees. At the end, turn right then cross the road, pass through the zigzag barriers, and climb a few steps to reach the small car park to the right of the hairdresser’s. Walk back up through the car park, head to the right and cross Rue du Centre to reach Route de Puy Chabot opposite the doctor’s surgery. There, turn left, walk past the street leading to the church and continue uphill to the next bend.
(1) Take the Chemin de la Pierrière which descends to the right, initially tarmac then a grassy dirt track. Ignore the first path branching off to the right. At the three-way junction, head right, ignoring the yellow markings which indicate a left turn. Continue along this path, bordered by a small stream, which runs alongside the steep meadows on the right.
(2) Turn left onto the GRP® de Mélusine (red and yellow markings).
(3) Turn left onto the road. Pass in front of the Puy Chabot driveway and continue straight ahead at the three-way junction on the one-way road.
(4) Just before La Jolette, turn right onto the path that runs alongside the fields; after a right-hand bend, it begins to descend into the forest. Caution: the wet rocks protruding from the path on the descent are very slippery!
(5) Head right, along the Vendée. Cross the footbridge.
(6) Leave the GRP® and turn right, going round the barbed wire fence. Follow the path running alongside this fence to the river (not shown on the IGN map), then continue between the cliff and the river to the water treatment plant near the Mervent Dam.
(7) You can make a round trip to the dam, about 300 m away, from here. (Crossing is currently prohibited due to works; reopening scheduled for late July 2018).
Continue straight on along the road and immediately turn left onto the path that runs alongside the road and climbs into the forest. Please note that this path, which is not shown on the IGN map, is very uneven and climbs steeply! You can stay on the road and rejoin the path once you reach the top.
Join the GR® de Pays de Mélusine (forest track marked with a scallop shell) and follow it to the left. After 600 m, cross a small clearing and continue straight on along the marked path to immediately reach a cycle path (not shown on the IGN map).
(8) Take the track to the left and continue, negotiating several bends on a steep downhill slope.
Stay on the track, ignoring all the paths branching off to the left or right (note some magnificent oak trees, several hundred years old).
(9) At the bottom of the descent, turn right onto a new track that runs along the right bank of the river.
After a picnic area with a car park on the right, the track becomes a small road. Pass the restaurant “Le Pot Bleu” and arrive at the D104 road.
(10) Turn left, cross the bridge and climb carefully up to L’Orbrie, ignoring the two paths on the left and, further up on the right, the Chemin des Gachets. (see practical information)
(11) 50m after the Chemin des Gachets, turn right onto the Chemin du Rouget. After about 500m, turn left. A little further on, leave the Rue du Lotissement de la Noue on your left and continue along the path.
(12) About 100m past a vegetable garden, turn left onto the Sentier des Facteurs, which leads into the hedge (be careful, it’s well hidden!). Lined with hedges, it then continues between two fences until it joins the road (Chemin de la Noue). There, turn right to reach the car park 200m away (S/E).
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