The Vanne Hills circular route

From Chigy (Les Vallées de la Vanne) to Pont-sur-Vanne, this trail passes through natural sites included in the European Natura 2000 network, which recognises the richness of their flora and fauna.
The dry grasslands on chalk offer significant and unique floral diversity. The view over the Vanne valley is breathtaking.
Information boards along the route explain the site’s natural riches.

Details

473509
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.09 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 146 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 145 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 212 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 94 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Chigy (89190)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.203995° / E 3.469711°
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the Grenouillère car park.

(S/E) Turn left, cross the RD660 and take Rue des Clérimois opposite for about 200m. At the crossroads, take the path that climbs to the left for 100m.

(1) Turn right and follow this path for 750m until you rejoin Rue des Clérimois.

(2) Sign: La gent ailée; turn left and continue along the road towards the first wind turbine.
At the hamlet of Belle Vue (water tower), take the path on the left, pass under the wind turbine and, after 220m, continue to the left.

(3) Sign: Au fil des eaux de la Vanne; continue for about 200m and turn onto the path on the right. Follow this ridge path for 2km.

(4) Walk past the signs about our crop companions. Continue.

(5) Sign about animals of all kinds.

(6) Sign about flying and crawling insects.
At the right-hand bend, turn left onto the long 500m descent (dangerous in wet weather).

(7) Pass the sign about chalk.

(8) Sign about the flora of dry grasslands.
At the bottom of the descent, turn right and walk there and back to the Arcades de Pont-sur-Vanne.

(9) Return to the crossroads and continue along the Aqueduc de la Vanne for 500m.

(10) Continue for 2.5 km, keeping the D660 at a distance, and rejoin the path you took at the start.

(1) Continue straight ahead, turn right onto Rue des Clérimois and return to the Grenouillère car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 94 m - La Grenouillère car park
  2. 1 : km 0.41 - alt. 116 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 0.92 - alt. 187 m - Sign: The winged ones
  4. 3 : km 1.89 - alt. 203 m - Sign: Along the waters of the - La Vanne (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 2.41 - alt. 191 m - Sign: The companions of our crops
  6. 5 : km 3.16 - alt. 181 m - Sign: Animals of all kinds
  7. 6 : km 3.87 - alt. 169 m - Sign: Steep and winding
  8. 7 : km 4.28 - alt. 131 m - Sign: La Craie
  9. 8 : km 4.33 - alt. 125 m - Sign: The flora of dry grasslands
  10. 9 : km 5.09 - alt. 106 m - Arcades of Pont-sur-Vanne. Aqueduct of the - La Vanne (rivière)
  11. 10 : km 6.18 - alt. 113 m - Sign: Juniper heaths
  12. S/E : km 9.09 - alt. 94 m - La Grenouillère car park

Notes

Toilets in Chigy at the Grenouillère car park.

The route described here is fully signposted in yellow and starts from the Grenouillère car park in Chigy (Les Vallées de la Vanne).
Another starting point is also available from Pont-sur-Vanne (9).

In Chigy (Les Vallées de la Vanne), the café-restaurant "Le bar du Moulin" at 24 rue du Moulin (Tel. 03-86-86-82-06) is closed on Wednesday afternoons and Sundays.

Worth a visit

In addition to the information boards, you will pass beneath a wind turbine over 100 metres high.

Improve your English: via QR code, you can access an audio version of the information boards in English.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Marmaite
Marmaite

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The first half of the route is very pleasant and enjoyable, running along the hills.
A detour towards the aqueduct is not signposted. The path that appears to lead there is marked by a St Andrew’s cross!
The second part of the route (return to Chigy) is of no interest: poor signposting, a path overgrown with grass and therefore difficult to follow over the underground aqueduct, noise pollution from the D 606...
Avoid returning via this route.

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GARLE FRANCE
GARLE FRANCE

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Hello
The route on the map is more accurate than the description
See you later

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hukan89
hukan89

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a wonderful walk to discover the flora and fauna ... of the Vanne Valley

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Leuviile
Leuviile

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Beautiful views over the villages of the Vanne Valley and, to the north, towards Les Clérimois and Villiers-Louis. Ideal for those who love sweeping views and wide open spaces. Not recommended in foggy weather and/or in the rain, as the ground is soft.

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canalmichel
canalmichel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We did it on mountain bikes; it was a bit tough at first, and the climb was a bit of a struggle, but the scenery was well worth the effort. On the way back, there were even a few cornflowers growing at the edges of the still-green wheat fields.

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