The Bois de la Folie, starting from Pouzauges

Park in one of the two car parks at Bois de la Folie.

(S/E) Follow the main path through the woods to the four-way junction.

(1) Continue straight ahead along the path to reach the viewpoint, which offers a lovely view of the Vendée countryside. Turn right and follow the path to a small road. Cross at the pedestrian crossings by the traffic lights, then follow the Pouzauges^{GRP® trail}. You’ll reach a junction at Les Soriettes.

(2) Turn left onto Rue des Soriettes, then immediately right onto a picturesque footpath leading to Rue des Écluses. Walk down this street, then turn right onto a woodland path that leads to a road. Turn left and walk downhill to Lac de l’Espérance.

(3) Walk round the lake clockwise and, back on the small road, turn left onto Route du Val Rétif. Continue to the junction with the track leading to this hamlet.

(4) Take a path on the right that winds through the fields. At a junction of paths, keep to the right onto the one that climbs back up to a road. Cross the road carefully as it is on a bend. Here you’ll rejoin the^GRP®; continue climbing towards the Terrier Marteau mills, which can be visited but only by appointment.

(5) After the mills, there are two options:
- either continue along the road via a protected footpath,
- or keep to the right on the^GRP® (the option shown on the map). Walk alongside the forest for a while and make sure you don’t miss the start of a path on the left leading up into the forest (follow the signposts carefully).
In both cases, you’ll return to the original junction.

(1) Turn left to reach the Bois de la Folie car park.

(S/E) Continue straight ahead on the abbey route, following the roadside path at Terrier Marteau. Then take the road on the left, followed by the^first right towards La Bréjonnerie and Rambaud Abbey, then continue to the right to reach the hamlet of Champorté.

(6) Turn left after passing some old houses and follow the signposts along the sunken lane to La Cacaudière, turning right twice. Continue to the D43.

(7) Turn right onto the D43 and follow it along the verge until you reach the junction at the Château de la Cacaudière. Turn onto the small road on the left and continue to L’Angerie.

(8) After L’Angerie, leave the main road and turn right onto a very pretty sunken path leading to the D43; cross the road and, almost directly opposite, take the footpath which continues to climb. At the top of the hill, on the right near a large water tank, turn right to visit the Marchais dolmen.

(9) Return to the track and continue to the right.

(10) On reaching Pouzauges, turn right and follow the pavement, then turn left onto Rue Fortuné Parenteau, then right onto Rue du Bournigal and walk round the castle (you can visit the keep). Head back towards the Bois de la Folie by turning right onto Rue de la Ragoille.

(11) Turn left, following the pavement, and take a lane between the houses. Climb the steps and turn left to rejoin the^first junction.

(1) Turn right back onto the original route to return to the Bois de la Folie car park (S/E).

(S/E) Bois de la Folie: picnic tables, toilets and a drinking fountain.
Sturdy footwear is required as 75 per cent of the routes consist of footpaths.
You can stop off at: Lac de l’Espérance, the mills, the dolmen and in the grounds of Pouzauges Castle.

The Bois de la Folie and its viewpoint.
Lac de l’Espérance, the Terrier Marteau mills, the Château de la Cacaudière (hotel and restaurant), the Marchais dolmen, the wash house on Rue de la Folie, the^12th-century feudal castle with its keep, and the recently restored Terrier Marteau windmills.
In Pouzauges, you can follow a ‘Green Trail’ which takes you from the castle car park to explore Old Pouzauges and its charming narrow streets.
You can visit the Church of Notre Dame in Old Pouzauges (^11th and^12th centuries), which features magnificent murals highlighted by a sound-and-light show lasting around ten minutes.