The Chanzeaux bocage

Follow the red markings.

(S/E) After setting off from the church square, head down Rue du Val d’Hyrôme, then turn left onto Route du Moulin du Chapitre, which runs alongside the castle grounds.

(1) Just before you reach the mill (private), take the path leading uphill to the left. At the crossroads, carry on straight ahead

(2) Walk past the Peltier mill and, 300 metres further on, turn onto the^first path on the right. Cross the Ruisseau de la Planchette and continue due south. Carry on along the road (cross) then turn towards Saint-Amroise.

(3) Carry on along the track heading east, cross a road and continue to Le Délin and its pond.

(4) Carry on along the road, cross the D121 carefully by making a first turn right then left, and continue, veering slightly to the left towards the Pâtis de la Lande.

(5) Go round the farm, pass under a power line and past an aerial. Cross a road and, shortly afterwards, turn left onto the path leading to La Beltière.

(6) As you leave the hamlet, follow the road that passes under a power line. At the next junction, head towards Villeblanche but carry straight on along the track for 1 km, passing to the left of a lake, then turn left towards the Chapelle du Plessis.

(7) Turn right onto the D199, then, at La Brouarderie, take the D204 towards Beaulieu. At the bend (Croix de la Percerie), turn left towards Les Croix de la Camarde.

(8) Continue along the path towards the village and you’ll reach Rue des Fontaines.

(9) Follow this street, then turn into Rue Saint-Pierre to reach the church at Chanzeaux (S/E)

The Church of Saint-Pierre in Chanzeaux.
The square bell tower is all that remains of the old church, which was largely burnt down during the Revolution and rebuilt in 1898–1899 in the Neo-Romanesque style. It was deliberately preserved at that time in memory of the ‘martyrdom’ of its 28 defenders who faced 2,000 ‘blue’ soldiers on 9 April 1795. Don’t miss the stained-glass window depicting the Communion at La Coulée de Fruchaud – the largest of the 75 stained-glass windows in the rebuilt church – as well as the remarkable murals that bring colour to this bright and airy church and illustrate the events that took place in Chanzeaux during the Wars of the Vendée.

The mills and bridges.
The Hyrôme rises at Saint-Georges-des-Gardes and flows into the Layon 28 km further on. It once powered 29 mills, the remains of which you’ll come across along the route: La Roche-Jeannette, Girôme, Sénéchaux, Argogne, Drapras…
You’ll also have the chance to cross some very old bridges, including the one at Couton – a very photogenic structure with its three arches – which marks the furthest point of the walk.