Between the lake and Grande Maine

Park near the church in Treize-Septiers.

(S/E) Take the small lane to the left of the roundabout towards Rue Principale. Turn left onto it, heading west towards Montaigu. At^{the second} roundabout, turn right into the Papinière neighbourhood. Keep to the right to go round the neighbourhood. You’ll come to a right-angled junction.

(1) Here, rejoin the small road, turn right and pass the above-ground tanks, then turn left onto the small path
From here, follow the yellow signposts for the footpath. Continue generally southwards to reach the Bonninière crossroads.

(2) Turn right onto the path that runs alongside the house and, 300 metres further on, the path passes between two posts just before the pond at the edge of the hedge. You’ll reach the Guyonnière sports centre.

(3) Leave the Yellow trail here to cross the village heading south towards the lake. Join Rue du Lac, follow it due south, go past the roundabout and you’ll soon reach the Chemin des Morts junction.

(4) Turn left onto it, passing between the houses. Make your way to the campsite, taking great care when crossing the D23 road.
At the entrance to the campsite, take the path that goes round it on the left, then walk round the lake.

(5) After the small bar by the car parks, head back towards La Friborgère and then La Caffinière; enter the village and follow the mountain bike trail marked in yellow which leads to La Maine.

(6) Cross the river via a small footbridge: please note that this is impassable during high water.
As you leave the footbridge, follow the yellow trail, which soon joins the Sèvre et Maine^GRP®. Turn left onto this^GRP®, marked in red and yellow. At a place called Gros Buisson, take a detour to the right then left to rejoin the^GRP® at the entrance to La Dragonnière.
Return to the^GRP®, cross La Dragonnière and you’ll soon reach a pond.

(7) Turn left to cross the Maine again and head back up into the village. Stay on the^GRP®, which gradually moves away from the Maine. Cross the Route du Logis de la Fortécuyère. Pass the^first junction to reach a^second one.

(8) Turn right, still following the red and yellow-marked^GRP® trail. Reach the car park on the edge of the Retenue de la Bultière. Turn right onto the path here, leaving the^GRP® trail to go round the reservoir. Cross the Maine at the Moulin de Corbeau. Stay on the left bank of the lake to reach the Preuilly bridge.

(9) Cross the lake and head back to the car park. Stay on the path to the left; at the next bay^, rejoin the GRP^®. Turn left onto it and head back to the junction you passed earlier.

(8) Turn right, heading due north, until you reach the hamlet of La Tardaudière.

(10) Take the road on the left, then the one on the right – this is a path lined with rows of pine trees. Continue on, crossing the Ruisseau de la Lignée before coming out onto the D62 road.

(11) Follow the road on the right towards La Boissière de Montaigu. At^{the second} junction, turn left onto the small road leading to the hamlet of Cléon Gautret. Continue to the right to reach the hamlet of La Chunelière.

(12) Follow the path opposite, running alongside the houses, then turn right at the junction marked by an abandoned house in a field on the left. You’ll come out onto the D23 road.

(13) Cross it, pass through the hamlet of Bordage de la Rondardière, and at the next crossroads turn slightly right. Pass the houses of La Rondardière and then the small stream feeding a pond. You will then come to another crossroads.

(14) Turn left onto this road. You’ll reach the hamlet of L’Étang. Pass through it and then continue almost due west to reach the hamlet of La Grillière.

(15) Change direction by 90°, heading due north. Discover the hamlet of La Ronde, then, turning another 90° to the right, the hamlet of La Bremière.

(16) Turn left to enter the Treize Septiers industrial estate after crossing the Ruisseau d’Asson.

(17) Follow the sign for the sewage treatment works on the left and continue along the path, passing to the left of the works to enter the woodland, which emerges near the care home, and head towards the church car park (S/E).

The route can be extended at Lac de la Bultière by heading to the far end of the lake (a steeper section), adding about 10 km.
This is a mountain bike route featuring plenty of paths and small roads, but with a few more challenging sections, including steep climbs and descents over roots and rocks.

On Sunday afternoons in the summer, a bar is open at Lac de la Chausselière, and during July and August a water sports centre is also open at Lac de la Bultière.