The little bee around Renage

Park in the car park at Renage church.

(S/E) Walk between the church apse and the cemetery. At the corner of the cemetery, turn left and cross the town hall car park. Then turn right and cross the multi-purpose hall car park. You will come out onto Boulevard Docteur Valois, opposite No. 140. Turn left, cross Rue Michel Créminési, then turn left onto Impasse la Charrière. When the boulevard turns right, continue straight on along Chemin Montessuy.

(1) At the fork, take the path on the left and head downhill. Cross Route de Criel and take the Pont de la Guillonnière over the Fure. On the other side, a flight of steps on the left allows you to cut across a bend in the road and reach the start of the Sentier de la Roche.

(2) Take the Sentier de la Roche, which heads south-east (wet and slippery sections after rain). Climb up and, at the fork (not shown on the 1:25,000 map), keep left (ignore the Chemin du Crocodile on the right). Continue climbing until you rejoin the Route de Criel.

(3) Follow it to the right for about 500 m.

(4) Immediately after a walnut grove and just before house no. 125, turn right onto the Chemin des Allières. After about 500 m, the path turns left, near a picnic table and a tourist information sign. Continue straight on until you reach a junction.

(5) Turn right onto a farm track which descends steeply for about 400 m.

(6) As the path curves to the left, take the path leading down to the right. After about 300 m, you’ll reach the end of the Chemin du Séphora photo exhibition: a bench on the left offers a view of an ‘Archimedes screw’ and an information panel on local wildlife. Turn right (north) and follow the path and its exhibition of around twenty photos. At the junction (not shown on the 1:25,000 map), ignore the Chemin du Crocodile on the right and turn left. Pass the Chapelle de la Grande Fabrique on your right and cross a footbridge over an old canal that carried water from the River Fure to a waterwheel which, in its day, powered several dozen looms. Cross the bridge over the River Fure. Turn left, then take a hairpin bend to the right.

(7) Go round a gate and immediately take the path leading uphill on the left. Cross a road and continue along the path. Cross another road at a hairpin bend to the left and continue up the steep tarmac slope opposite to reach the junction you passed at the start of the walk.

(1) Turn left and follow the route back in the opposite direction to return to the car park (S/E).

The descent towards Sophora can be muddy and slippery in wet weather.

Hiking on our trails is an outdoor activity and involves some risks: you may slip and fall, be in the path of a mountain bike or a falling branch… Please be careful. Warning: global warming is affecting the vegetation. Trees are weakened and may uproot unexpectedly. Do not venture into the undergrowth in windy or stormy weather. Walking with poles is recommended. Keep an eye on your children and stay on the path. Enjoy your walk.

The tufa formation, as you climb the Chemin de la Roche, and the photo exhibition along the Sentier du Sophora.