Foulques Nerra in Montfaucon-Montigné

Park in the car park behind the church (Rue Sainte-Catherine). You can go and see the feudal motte to the north-east of the starting point, in the adjacent street.

Yellow-marked route

(S/E) Turn right onto Rue Chassiac, head straight on to Place des Halles and turn left down Rue de la Motte Rétive.

(1) Turn left before the bridge and look out for the scent garden. Cross the Moine via the bridge and continue straight on along Rue Louis Monier, then Rue Saint-Maurice for about 300m.

(2) Turn right onto Chemin de la Guerche. Just before the housing estates, leave the road and take the path on the left. Head towards the four-way junction.

(3) Turn left and follow Chemin des Justices to the RD64.
At this point, turn right, then left 100m further on towards La Ménardière, which you’ll leave on your right.

(4) Pass in front of the Château de Doré-les-Tours before crossing the fields and heading down towards the Moulin de Robat. At this point, cross the Moine.

(5) A few metres further on, take the path on the right. Cross the road and continue to a road near the village of La Davière.

(6) Turn right, then 150m further on turn left, and 100m further on turn right again to join the path running alongside the farm buildings. Follow the path uphill, passing close to the Moulin de Davière, until you reach a junction.

(7) Turn left to follow the path. Continue straight on for 900m until you reach the hamlet of Marquet, which you’ll leave on your left, then enter the housing estates. Follow Allée des Fougères to the end.

(8) Turn right onto Allée des Lys towards the D762. Cross the road and turn right onto Rue du Bon Secours.

(9) Pass the Chapelle du Bon Secours and continue straight ahead along the road opposite. Pass under a power line and, at the next junction, turn left and continue for about 200m.

(10) Turn right and continue straight on until you reach Rue de la Barbottinière, which you follow until you reach the D67.
Cross the main road (with care) and continue straight on along Rue des Acacias. At this point, take the path that descends via steps towards the Aiguefou stream. Turn left and follow the stream to a small bridge.

(11) Cross the stream and take the path that continues to follow the stream. At the junction with the road, turn left and follow it to Bourg Hardy (with caution). Follow Rue Saint-Lazare, then turn right onto Rue du Grand Logis.

(12) At the end of the street, turn right and follow the path to the village of La Blinière, which crosses the Ruisseau de l’Aiguefou via a bridge.

(13) Turn left and follow this path to the Verdrie farm. Cross the stream and take Rue d’Aiguefou.
At the top of the street, turn left into Rue Saint-Jacques, then right onto Place du Général Leclerc to continue along Rue du Donjon (Feudal Mound and Chapel of Mercy) before returning to the starting car park located behind Saint-Jacques Church (S/E).

Alternative route:

(6) You can continue along the road to the right to see the Pierres de la Davière (or Menhir de la Haute Borne), which are 600m away. Then retrace your steps to the junction. Turn right to continue the route.

- Feudal motte: Towards the end of^{the 10th} century, the Count of Anjou, Foulques III, known as Foulques Nerra, built a wooden castle on a motte formed from the earth excavated to dig the moat, in order to protect the boundaries of his territory. He built a monastery there which housed 12 monks from Espetva (Saint-Macaire). The fortress comprised a circular enclosure and a keep at its centre. Later, a second enclosure surrounded the town, featuring wide dry moats, except to the west, where the Aiguefou stream, which formed the boundary, partly fed them.

-The Stones of La Davière or Menhir of La Haute Borne: Where does this enormous stone resting on a large rock come from? This stone is said to be the keystone of a bridge that the devil had begun building to steal the cows grazing on the other side of the Moine. As he was about to complete his work, he was carrying the enormous Davière stone on his shoulder when he came face to face with the parish priest of Roussay, who was leading a procession. As soon as he saw him, the priest made the sign of the cross. The effect was immediate: Satan fled at once, abandoning his load, which has remained there ever since.

- Saint-Jean Chapel
- Château de Doré-les-Tours
- Château de la Jarrie