Melusine's bathtub, in the secret of the Chizé Forest

Parking is available at the stadium in the north-west of Chizé.

(S/E) Leave the car park and head towards the football stadium, following the road known as Route de l'Hôtel de Ville. Join the road via one of the existing crossings and follow it on the left-hand side, heading north towards the RD1.

(1) At the junction with an old road blocked on the left, take it and then cross the grassy area via a path that leads straight to the D1, at the edge of which is a signpost put up by Rando Deux Sèvres. Turn left and carefully follow the D1 on the left-hand side for about 500 metres.

(2) Enter the woods by turning left onto a forest path. Follow the main path, which winds slightly across plot 165. The path joins the^GR® 36, which you should follow northwards, turning right to arrive shortly afterwards at a junction with a forest lane at a bend.

(3) At this point, continue straight ahead on the^GR® 36. This path passes near a place called Les Sept Chênes (The Seven Oaks), which are remarkable trees in the forest. Continue straight ahead until you reach the forest lane at altitude 91. Turn right onto this forest lane, which leads straight to the Carrefour de l'Empereur.

(4) Cross the D1 carefully and continue along forest lane no. 4, which branches off to the right.
After about 200 metres, turn right onto a forest path heading south-east, between plots 108 on the left and 109 on the right. Further on, the path turns east and eventually leads to a north-south forest lane. Turn left and follow this forest lane for about 150 metres.

(5) Turn right onto a path heading east, with plot 104 on your left and plot 105 on your right. Continue to a T-junction. Turn left and follow the path heading north. After about 300 metres, you will come to another T-junction. Turn right onto the path heading east-southeast, keeping plot 100, known as Le Chêne la Javasse, on your left.
Continue straight ahead until you reach a sharp right-hand bend in the path, which remains in the woods and runs along the edge with a cultivated area on the left. Follow this path to forest road no. 1 near the D106 road.

(6) Turn right onto this forest road, which climbs gently towards the south-west. After about 350 metres, near the top of the hill, take the path on the left which heads south-east towards the D106 road.
Shortly before reaching the road, after crossing a small ditch and an embankment, the path arrives at a T-junction. Turn right into a fairly open area for about ten metres. After crossing a small gully, the path climbs slightly for about 200 metres.

(7) Take the path on the left which crosses straight through the Bécassy area. When you reach a T-junction, turn right onto a good path which curves widely and eventually joins the D1. Turn left and follow the road for about 50 metres , taking care. Then cross with the same caution to reach the hiking signpost seen at the start.

(1) Cross the grassy area along the path, then turn left onto the blocked road and shortly afterwards carefully follow the road known as the Hôtel de Ville. At the building near the stadium, turn right to cross the embankment, then turn left to reach the car park (S/E).

The car park is located near the stadium in the north-west of Chizé. There are several picnic tables in the shade, which are a pleasant place to take a break during the hike.

This hike covers varied terrain and requires sturdy footwear.

This route is marked in yellow (from the D1 road) and in white and red at the GR®36. It does not present any orientation difficulties. In addition, it is advisable to follow the directions in the description and on the map, while also reading the landscape. Distance indications from the starting point and even the GPS coordinates of the waypoints (including the starting point) can also help hikers find their way.

In 2022-2023, this route was in a no-hunting zone. However, please check the hunting days on the ONF website.

This route is inspired by the "La baignoire de Mélusine, dans le secret de la forêt de Chizé" route published by the Deux-Sèvres Department, the Deux-Sèvres Hiking Association and the Chizé Town Hall.
Please note that there is a shorter variant known as the 'small circular', which is 4.6 km long and shares part of this route.

Hike completed by the author on Thursday 7 September 2023.

Chizé
History.
Chizé, the domain of the Gallo-Roman Catus, is mentioned under the name "Dominium de Chezaco" in a charter dated 960 granting the viguerie (administrative district) of Saintes to Hugues de Tezac by Guillaume, Count of Étampes.
With the advent of feudalism, the hill overlooking a vast forest horizon was equipped with a defence tower (later replaced by a powerful castle). The village was surrounded by a wall where the inhabitants of the plain often took refuge.
Domain of the Counts of Poitou.

Availles-sur-Chizé:
The commune of Availles-sur-Chizé is one of the oldest localities in the canton of Brioux-sur-Boutonne.
There were two burial mounds there: the Mothe de la Glorriette and the Planti.
Several burials were discovered there, along with arrowheads, scrapers, ceramic fragments and schist pendants, etc.
"Availles-sur-Chizé," writes prehistorian Georges Germond in his Inventory of Megaliths in Deux-Sèvres, "is the only place in the department where we have definitely encountered the Peu-Richard civilisation."
Settled in Saintonge around 2500 BC, the Peu-Richardians were skilled potters.
The chaplaincy of Availles-sur-Chizé was merged with the hospital of Chizé in 1695.
In 1621, Louis XIII, passing through Chizé, visited Availles-sur-Chizé where, at the foot of the cross later nicknamed the "cross of disease", he touched scrofula (cold abscesses of tubercular origin). The kings of France were supposed to cure this disease by pronouncing the ritual formula "The king touches you, God heals you."
Source: official website of the municipality.