Long circular loop east of Sainte-Croix Abbey

de fr

A walk around Sainte-Croix Abbey, near Poitiers, along roads, tracks and paths, through woodland, countryside, fields and meadows, following the Miosson stream. A whole idyllic world to discover on your own, with family or with friends.
Moderator’s update as at 21/09/2020: Parking at the start of this walk is now prohibited

Details

n°934078
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.38 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 210 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 210 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 436 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 266 ft
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Photos

Lush forest with moss on all the trees

Description of the walk

(Park in the car park at Sainte-Croix Abbey). Moderator’s update as at 21/09/2020: The car park at the start of this walk is now off-limits due to the abbey’s regulations. The walk is still possible provided you can find another car park along the route

(S/E) From the car park, return to the entrance to the access road to the abbey, near the D741.

(1) Turn left as you leave, following the Route de la Cadoullière towards Flée.

(2) At the entrance to the hamlet, at No. 21, turn right towards the south-west. Immediately leave the tarmac road on your left and take the marked path 1-5A on the right. Keep left at the next two junctions and you will come out onto a tarmac road.

(3) Turn left onto this tarmac road as it descends, cross the Miosson stream and head back uphill.

(4) On leaving the hamlet of La Minière, turn right onto the path running alongside a field. Ignore a path on the right and continue to a T-junction.

(5) Underneath the power line, take the path at right angles to the left, towards the railway line, which you cross.

(6) When you reach the road, cross it and continue along the path opposite.

(7) At the junction of several paths, leave the “Jean le Bon” path on your right and continue straight ahead along the path marked 1-5A. Carry on to La Braudière.

(8) Do not cross through the hamlet but turn right. Go straight on at the next junction, then turn right (north) along the path to reach the hamlet of Mouchedune.

(9) Follow the tarmac road to the left and, at the bend, take the cul-de-sac on the right. Walk down to the wooden gate, then turn left towards the Miosson stream.

(10) Cross the small bridge, then follow the path on the left which climbs upwards alongside a wire-mesh fence.

(11) At the three-way junction, take the path on the left alongside the wire mesh fence; continue for 200 metres, then turn left again onto the forest path which winds its way to the old road (site for travellers). Leave the large boulders on your right, turn left, pass between the boulders, then cross the railway bridge.

(1) Turn left to return to the abbey car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 371 ft - Car park - Abbaye Sainte Croix (bénédictines)
  2. 1 : mi 0.26 - alt. 390 ft - Junction of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 0.8 - alt. 371 ft - La Cadoullière, on the right
  4. 3 : mi 1.27 - alt. 318 ft - Tarmac road, on the left
  5. 4 : mi 2.03 - alt. 407 ft - La Minière, on the right
  6. 5 : mi 2.71 - alt. 420 ft - Power line; turn left towards the railway line
  7. 6 : mi 3.42 - alt. 433 ft - Junction with the road; path opposite
  8. 7 : mi 3.85 - alt. 381 ft - Crossroads, opposite
  9. 8 : mi 4.14 - alt. 384 ft - La Braudière, on the right
  10. 9 : mi 4.83 - alt. 404 ft - Mouchedune, on the left
  11. 10 : mi 5.25 - alt. 269 ft - Bridge over the Miosson
  12. 11 : mi 5.72 - alt. 351 ft - Three-way junction – take the path on the left along the fence
  13. S/E : mi 6.38 - alt. 371 ft - Car park - Abbaye Sainte Croix (bénédictines)

Notes

Shop, toilets and drinking water point at Sainte-Croix Abbey
Talitha Koum Meditation Centre
Saint-Benoît Tourist Office

Possible alternative route that shortens the circular route to just under 5 km in total.
At La Cadoullière, carry on straight ahead. 10 metres after the railway underpass, take the small path that descends to the left and then climbs again. After 170 metres, turn left onto the stony path that climbs (route marked 1-5A) and then, under the electricity pylon, take the farm track on the left leading to Mouchedune at (9). Rejoin the short route: Circular route around the Benedictine Abbey of Sainte-Croix

Worth a visit

Information about the village of Saint-Benoît

Information onthe Benedictine Abbey of Sainte-Croix

Every first Sunday of the month between 4.00 pm and 5.30 pm, a medieval reliquary said to contain a fragment of the Cross of Christ is on public display in the Benedictine church of Sainte-Croix Abbey. See Wikipedia: Staurotheque and Wikipedia: Sainte-Croix Abbey, Poitiers

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 17 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
AYRAULT DANIELLE
AYRAULT DANIELLE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This isn’t the first time I’ve done this route – and I’m still just as keen as ever!!! For me, there’s just one little problem, which I mentioned last time: there aren’t any benches to rest on (what a shame!!!). Next time, I’ll take a walking stick with a seat attached (ha ha!!!)

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Jerry-Jean
Jerry-Jean

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very interesting walk for the most part, apart from the tarmac sections (which are a bit long) that could certainly be avoided.
Plenty of shade (ideal for the hottest part of the day), and the proximity to the Miosson river is very welcome.
An idea (which would extend the route by a few kilometres): start from the centre of St Benoit (the town hall, for example).

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AYRAULT DANIELLE
AYRAULT DANIELLE

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This is the second time I've made this journey. It's a shame there's nowhere to sit down. Apart from that, everything is perfect

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mariv
mariv

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We didn't find La Braudière and returned to our car to stay on schedule. Too bad about the cute little bridge in Moisson . Next time!

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jesuisthomas
jesuisthomas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, some fairly short sections were very muddy or even flooded due to the recent bad weather, but that's all part of the adventure..
The scenery is beautiful, and the Miosson bridge is really cute.
For my first time using this site, I'm sold!

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nicole.l
nicole.l

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route, pleasant paths, often wooded.

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Marc Boisson
Marc Boisson

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk in the forest with lovely paths.

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Viv16
Viv16

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Not sure if parking at the abbey is prohibited. There are no signs indicating this.
This is not a circular route of the Jean le Bon route. We take it at one point, but we also leave it for another marked trail, 1-5A (No. 7).
The arrival at the little bridge over the Miosson is a must!
A lovely walk. Thank you, Visorando.

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grandin
grandin ★

Abbaye Sainte-Croix, thank you for this clarification. I have added to the information sheet for this hike that your car park is now off-limits

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Abbaye Sainte-Croix
Abbaye Sainte-Croix

Due to disrespectful behaviour, the Abbey will no longer be used as a car park... Thank you!

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Smarvois
Smarvois

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike, well explained in the written description.

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Nathalie Dion
Nathalie Dion

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

My husband and I are beginners when it comes to hiking.
We followed the directions on our mobile phone. It's very well marked.

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barussaud
barussaud

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

very pleasant hike.
The only slight downside was the significant inaccuracy of our location on the smartphone.

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envento
envento

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a pleasant hike on beautiful, well-maintained and marked trails. This trail is part of a 16 km route called "Jean le Bon" created by the town of St Benoit, which I would like to congratulate here for the quality of its trails.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to give your opinion.

The only problem is that we got lost on level 7 of the description: we couldn't find La Braudière

Who has never got lost?

Finding your way while hiking is not easy. If you are not familiar with reading maps and terrain, I recommend using the Visorando GPS app in addition to the description and map.

The aim is not to be glued to your smartphone, but to have a tool that allows you to validate waypoints and thus remove any doubts about your direction.

See you soon!

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