The Sèvre Niortaise in Damvix

Most of the route is on wide paths, except for a section on a small wilderness trail, then a return along the banks of the Sèvre Niortaise.

Details

n°1101729
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.71 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 10 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 10 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 16 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 7 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

André Audouin car park in front of the village hall.

(S/E) With your back to the bridge, head straight ahead along Rue des Petites Cabanes, keeping the river on your right. After the last house, carry on for a further 300 metres until you reach a junction.

(1) Turn left onto the tarmac road which winds its way to a junction (hunting car park); keep to the right on the tarmac. Further on, after a small bridge, the tarmac ends (Conche de Vernusson). Continue for about 350m, then the path veers to the right and reaches a junction (the path on the right is not shown on the map).

(2) Turn left onto the main track, which becomes a footpath 400 metres further on. At the end of the footpath, turn right onto the track, which soon emerges from the forest. Continue straight on until you reach the tarmac road.

(3) Turn right and walk alongside the Sèvre Niortaise for 500 metres. Look out on the left, near a 50 km/h speed limit sign, for a chain ferry which allows you to cross the river.

(4) Continue along the banks of the Sèvre Niortaise; where the grassy verge has been maintained, you can sometimes walk on it.
Pass a lock bridge and carry on to the junction you passed on the way out.

(1) Carry on straight ahead along the road to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 16 ft - André Audouin Car Park
  2. 1 : mi 0.76 - alt. 13 ft - Junction at the end of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 1.99 - alt. 10 ft - Turn left onto the main path
  4. 3 : mi 3.46 - alt. 13 ft - Turn right onto the tarmac
  5. 4 : mi 3.78 - alt. 13 ft - Chain ferry - Sèvre Niortaise (fleuve)
  6. S/E : mi 6.71 - alt. 16 ft - André Audouin Car Park

Notes

Much of this route is tarmac, but on quiet country lanes.
Don’t forget your mosquito repellent.

Worth a visit

The chain ferry: an ingenious and simple system devised to cross certain canals. Don’t forget to bring a handkerchief to wipe your hands!

Boat trips from the car park.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
User 27933369

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The start is lovely, but I think it’s a shame we can’t carry on along the path.

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User 22970822

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike. One small downside at the end of the trail, as you follow the canal in a straight line, which makes it a bit monotonous. The wooded section is more interesting.

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jlfaure
jlfaure

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike done on Tuesday 25th and Friday 28th January (in opposite directions) with the Benet hiking club. Everyone enjoyed it! It's always nice when the weather is good.

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digudi
digudi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk, especially in the wooded area. The return journey along the Sèvre is a bit long, despite the few pretty, well-maintained cottages lining the river. Saw a deer and a few cyclists.

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claude.boursiquot
claude.boursiquot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Part of the route is along the road between Damvix and the village of La Sevre, but there are few cars and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Sevre valley.
The other part is through the marshes and woods. These are not the most typical landscapes, but you will have a good time. You will not regret your walk, and there is no one else on the route apart from the road mentioned above.
A route with good diversity.

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PIN liliane
PIN liliane

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did it yesterday (10 October)
and only encountered a few walkers.

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fitness
fitness

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We left the village of La Sèvre in Le Mazeau, taking the route in reverse. We liked the part along the Sèvre less than the rest of the route because it runs along a small tarmac road with some traffic, but it is still interesting.
Leaving the Sèvre, we were still on tarmac but in a wilder setting. The unpaved section was very pleasant and we enjoyed it a lot.
In addition to cows grazing with their calves, we saw pheasants, deer, green woodpeckers, grey herons and nutria, not to mention more common birds.
We had no trouble following the route. Our two GPS devices recorded 10.6 km in 2 hours 54 minutes, including stops for observation and photos.

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Sneg
Sneg
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Avoid during hunting season.

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