Combrée Forest and Lake

Park in the car park by the lake.

(S/E) Set off to the left to walk round the lake.

(1) Turn left onto the path before the Olympic Games photo sign and join the D81. Head right to reach the roundabout.

(2) Go round the roundabout on the right and continue straight ahead along Rue Eugène Chauvière, with a view of the former Hôtel Charbonneau on your right and the former town hall on your left.

(3) Turn left atthe former vicarage and head along the grassy lane to the Salle Marcel Vaslin. Turn right, cross the car park to reach Rue de la Planche and turn right again.

(4) Walk past the Chapelle Saint-Joseph on your left and continue on to the Église Saint-Pierre.

(5) Turn left onto the Montée des Hommeaux and walk past the château of the same name on your left.

(6) At the junction, carry straight on along the road and the sandy path until you reach the roundabout on the D81, near which you’ll find the cemetery car park.

(7) Turn left and take the stony path which runs alongside the cemetery and then past a telecoms mast before rejoining the D81 at La Chevraie.

(8) Turn left to follow the road along the verge, go round both roundabouts on the left and continue to the Voie Verte car park.

(9) Turn right to follow the Voie Verte towards Segré: take a look at the photo exhibition.

(10) Cross the Bel Air roundabout and continue along the Voie Verte towards Segré. Leave the Voie Verte at level crossing no. 31, turn right onto the Route de Bouzeille and cross the bridge over the four-lane road. After the bridge, turn right onto the tarmac track until you reach a gate, then turn left onto the grassy path running alongside the lagoons. Follow this sunken track, turn left towards the Malaunay farm and cross the farm to reach the D203.

(11) Turn right, follow the road carefully for about 800 metres, then turn right onto the track that leads straight to one of the entrances to the Château du Plessis.

(13) Turn left onto the stony track and head straight on to the hamlet of La Vaslinerie. Turn left again to follow the tarmac road to the hamlet of La Croix. Walk left along the verge in the bend to reach the avenue of umbrella pines on the left.

(14) Follow this avenue to the end to reach the Route des Jardins (D203). Cross carefully and head to the right to walk alongside this road until you reach the junction with the path leading to the lake.

(15) Turn left. Note the old school gardeners’ greenhouse below the tennis courts before returning to the car park (S/E).

(S/E) At the lake, there are tables and children’s play equipment, as well as toilet facilities. Bar and restaurant open at weekends