The Sainte-Reine Chapel in Villiers-Saint-Benoît

Marked hike No. 102.
This little path, which smells of hazelnuts as Mireille sang, has more of a scent of hornbeam and humus in the undergrowth. It is very pleasant to discover the beautiful landscape with its pollarded trees and hedges that shade much of the route.

Details

2910959
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.78 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 75 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 67 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 224 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 167 m

Description of the walk

The starting and finishing point is located at the Pâtis leisure area at the exit of the village in the direction of Mézilles.

(S/E) Go to the level crossing. Opposite it, turn left onto the path towards the Sainte-Reine Chapel. Pass the first path on the left. At the chapel, continue straight ahead and after a 90° bend, cross the railway line (be careful, tourist train passes).

Go up the path between the hedge on the left and a field on the right. Continue through a wooded area until you reach a crossroads with four paths.

(1) Go down to the left, carefully cross the railway line again and then the Ouanne river on the Passerelle Cheval footbridge.

(2) Carefully cross the D950 and go up the path opposite. Ignore the paths on the right (not shown on the IGN map, but they are there). You will reach a three-way crossroads.

(3) Turn left. Ignore the path on the left (a chain bars access to this private path).

(4) At the crossroads and in front of the market garden, cross and turn left, walking along the property and keeping to the right-hand side. Leave the road at the start of the bend and continue along the path on the right, which leads to a tarmac road.

(5) Turn right, then left onto the path about a hundred metres away. Continue along the hedges on either side. When you reach a road, turn left. At the cemetery crossroads, go down to the left and then immediately right into Rue des Trois Croix.

(6) Cross Rue Augustin Boyer with caution and continue straight ahead. Turn right onto Rue des Ferriers and, after crossing one of the branches of the Ouanne, you will reach the Ferriers wash house. After visiting, return to Rue Augustin Boyer.

(6) Take this street without crossing it, turning left. Walk about 50 metres, keeping to the left-hand pavement, and go down the alleyway that leads to the back of the church. Keep the church on your left and you will come out in front of the castle.
When you reach Rue Augustin Boyer, stay on the left-hand pavement. At the crossroads, turn left.

(7) Walk past the museum entrance, then cross the Ouanne river and head for the Pâtis leisure area (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 168 m - Pâtis leisure area
  2. 1 : km 1.6 - alt. 178 m - Crossroads of 4 paths
  3. 2 : km 2.19 - alt. 176 m - Exit onto the RD 950 (Toucy road). - L'Ouanne (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 3.62 - alt. 215 m - Crossroads of 4 paths
  5. 4 : km 4.13 - alt. 191 m - Leading to a crossroads
  6. 5 : km 4.84 - alt. 202 m - Leads to a small tarmac road.
  7. 6 : km 5.7 - alt. 177 m - Rue Augustin Boyer - Église Saint-Benoît
  8. 7 : km 6.46 - alt. 168 m - Musée de Villiers-Saint-Benoît
  9. S/E : km 6.78 - alt. 168 m - Pâtis leisure area

Notes

The paths are very pleasant but become difficult in heavy rain (mainly between (1 and 2)).
At the start: car park, picnic area, water and toilets at the playground.
This route is marked in accordance with the signage charter of the Communauté de Communes de Puisaye-Forterre and is numbered 102 on yellow signs.
The signage was installed by the association À chacun son chemin en Puisaye-Forterre in May 2021.
If you have any concerns, please fill in this questionnaire (only takes 1 to 2 minutes).
Please take care when crossing roads.
However, the fact that the route is marked means that you should set off with at least this description and the accompanying IGN map or the Visorando app.

Worth a visit

Visit the church and the Puisaye Art and History Museum.
The nearby town of Toucy is well worth a visit. Its Saturday morning market is always a good bet.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Wanderung89
Wanderung89

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike. Some sections where the ground remains very wet.
Signage missing near the market gardener.

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Titus89
Titus89

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike, but some sections were poorly cleared. There were no signs at the crossroads in front of the market gardener's, but fortunately the description was reliable.

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anat
anat

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with beautiful paths through the woods.
Best done during the dry season due to a very wet section
in the valley

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Azimut71
Azimut71

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

After point 1, the trail becomes difficult (fallen trees, mud) between the railway line and the river. The trail is well marked throughout, but poorly maintained.
At 5, I went straight down the small road (why take a detour to find more tarmac?). At the Ferriers wash house, you can take a chicane and cross the meadow following the trail, ending up at a ford and a footbridge, 50 metres from the chapel path. This avoids crossing the village and the traffic.

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kadrine
kadrine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, varied walk with clearly visible signposting.
(We saw a grey heron and wild boar tracks )

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virginiepaule
virginiepaule

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
Nice hike, but be careful with description "2" "reach a crossroads with four paths"; there are actually three paths (the one on the right is no longer marked). At this point, take the path on the left that goes downhill.
Very good description overall.

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