Frace Lake in Aigrefeuille-d'Aunis

Description

Park in the Frace Lake car park in Aigrefeuille-d'Aunis.

(D/A) Follow the path between the lake and the canal (south-southwest).

(1) Take a wooden footbridge over a channel (the 3rd bridge), then continue along beside the canal. You will go through two cattle gates. At the end of the path, turn right onto the track signed as no through road (Voie sans issue): the grass track of Square du Bois Gaillard. Go through a gate and then carry on down to the end of the track.

(2) Turn left onto Impasse du Bois Gaillard (tarmacked lane). At the end of the lane, go past a tall pine tree, and then turn right onto Rue du Bois Gaillard. Go past the housing development with the same name and carry on past the campsite.

(3) At the roundabout by the public swimming pool, go straight on, taking Rue de l’Angle, and then take the first left onto Rue des Mouettes. Turn right onto Rue des Courlis and then left onto Rue des Herons and keep going until you reach the stop sign. Turn right onto Rue des Tilleuls and then take the first left onto Rue du Cormier.

(4) At the end of the road, turn right onto Rue du Godinet. At the stop sign, cross the road and go down Rue de la Folie du Godinet opposite you. About 250m before reaching the D939 (Route de Surgères), turn right onto an old tarmacked road surrounded by fields.

(5) Enter Aigrefeuille by Chemin Rochelais then at the stop sign turn right down the footpath that runs alongside Avenue du Grand Chemin. Just before the water reserve, turn down a small lane on your left, and then immediately take a right. At the end of the lane, turn left onto Rue des Ormes and carry on for about 150m. Take the road on your right, Route de Foirouse, which is signed as no through road, and follow it round the 90° turn to the left and onto a dirt track that bears right after a few dozen metres.

(6) Cross over the stream on the small wooden bridge. On the right, you will see some beautiful pollarded plane trees. The path comes out onto Rue de la Rivière, which you will need to take to the right, followed by an immediate left into Chemin des Ecoliers. Opposite the police station, turn right onto Avenue des Maronniers and carry on as far as the Village Hall (Salle des Fêtes).

(7) Fork left and go past the village hall, in the direction of the supermarket. Opposite the water tower, turn left and go past the metal market building alongside the car park. At the stop sign, cross Rue Saint-Christophe and take Rue du 19 March 1962 opposite you, which leads you past the edge of the cemetery.

(8) At the end of the cemetery, take the grassy path opposite you between the two hedges and carry on into the fields. At the end of the path, at the top of the hill, turn right onto a tarmacked track, and then left onto a small road until you reach a sharp bend to the left. At this point, leave the road, and go straight on down the dirt track.

(9) At the following crossroads, take the path on the right, Chemin des Grands Champs. In the hamlet of Panonnière, follow the road round to the right, cross over Route de Virson, and carry on down Chemin des Ardillaux until you reach the end. Turn right and cross the D113 leading to Le Péré (be careful of traffic) and take Rue de Frace opposite you.

(10) After 150m, at the sign for "Chaumeau", take the dirt track on your right, then at the fork bear left.

(11) You will go past the farm, which you will see on your left, and then the track turns into a small tarmacked road and comes out on a corner of Chemin des Ouchettes, which you then need to take to the left in the direction of Frace. At the stop sign, continue straight on down Route aux Moines until you reach the lake car park about 300 metres further on to your left (D/A).