La Glaise and the ponds

Follow the yellow signs.

Park on Place du Général de Gaulle opposite Château de Vezin (barely visible between the gates of the entrance).

(S/E) Go down Rue de Cheveneau (Route de Cholet) towards the south-west. Pass in front of Parc de la Coulée des Douves (where you can spend some time).

(1) Just after the Bouvet garage and before the veterinary clinic, leave the road and turn left onto the fairly wide path that leads into the forest.

(2) After passing La Moutinerie, you will come to a crossroad.

(2) Cross it carefully, even though it is not very busy. Walk along the first pond on your left. Then continue along this road for 500 m.

(3) At the bend in the road, continue straight ahead on the path that leads into the forest and, after 400 m, you will come to a three-way junction.

(4) Take the path furthest to the right and walk for about a kilometre in a southerly direction, crossing a road.

(5) At this point, altitude 170, take the path on the left before the right-hand bend, then continue for about 200 m, heading south, until you reach the road.

(6) Turn left, then continue to the stop sign. Turn right onto the road and continue for about 100 metres.

(7) Before the first house, turn right and continue straight ahead. Opposite, you will see a beautiful stretch of water on private property.

(8) Turn left (the road is private anyway). Follow this road, which may be muddy, until you leave the woods. Pass the houses in the hamlet of Les Bourneaux.

(9) Turn left, heading north, onto a sunken lane until you reach the road and continue straight ahead until you reach another road.

(10) At the stop sign, take the road that goes straight ahead. Pass the sewage treatment plant, then follow a new pond on your left, where you may see sheep.

(11) Continue along the road on the right until the end of the tarmac (see possible alternative in the Practical Information section).

(12) Follow the route, turning right, heading south. Continue along the path for about a kilometre until you reach a road.

(13) Follow it to the left for 600 m.

(14) Continue down the road. Before the bend, take the path on the right for about 1 km until you reach a road.

(15) Turn left, drive past the houses in Chez Blanche, and ignore the road that branches off to the right. After 300 m, the road becomes a track, and 500 m further on, you will arrive at the Chez Blanche crossroads.

(16) At this point, altitude 180, take the path on the left for a good kilometre to reach La Gaudechère.

(17) At the first house in La Gaudechère, turn left and, 100 m further on, turn left onto the road and continue for 300 m until you reach the crossroads.

(18) At the stop sign, turn right and drive carefully along the very quiet road for about 1 km.

(19) Just after the large house on the right, at the crossroads with the cross (visible if you turn around), turn right onto the path that leads into the forest and continue until you reach the D65.

(20) Turn left here and continue for about 20 metres, then follow the road on the left for about 1 km until you reach another road.

(21) Turn right and continue until you reach Vezin and the D147. Follow it to the right to return to Place du Général de Gaulle (S/E).

(11) Alternative: At this point, you can turn left to rejoin the path you took on the way there and turn right towards the car park.

(12) Alternative: At this point, you can continue along the road and turn left to rejoin the path you took on the way there and turn right towards the car park.

(14) Alternative: At this point, you can continue straight ahead on the road to rejoin the route at the hamlet of La Crassère.

There are toilets at the start (and therefore at the finish - 2025).

There are not many places to picnic along the route, only in the Coulée des Douves park.

Wear good shoes as the path is often wet.

You can stroll through the pretty Coulée des Douves park, which is located on the path not far from the start.

It's a great place to have a picnic or rest a bit after this long hike!

The Château de Vezin is now a luxury hotel and is not open to visitors. See https://chateauvezins.com/