Le Bois des Touches

Park in the car park near the church.

(S/E) Return to Rue Saint-Louis (D1) and head left towards the south. Take the second street on the left (Rue du Moulin) then left again onto Rue du Prioulet.

(1) Turn right onto Rue de la Perotte, which immediately becomes a footpath leading towards the fields. Ignore the first path on the left and continue until you reach another path, where you should turn left.

(2) Turn right onto Rue de la Fontaine. Cross Le Petit Village (right-hand bend). Pass the small fountain and continue along the path to the left. Join the road and turn left. Pass under the high-voltage power line, then turn left and stay on the road, ignoring the two paths branching off to the right.
From here, the route follows the^GR®36, marked in red and white. Pass under the high-voltage power line again.

(3) Stay on the^GR®36by taking the path on the right before Allerit Castle.
You can make a 200-metre detour to the château. As it is private, it is not open to visitors, but you can catch a glimpse of its magnificent dovecote.
You’ll come to a small road; follow it for 50 m then continue straight on along the path.

(4) Leave the^GR®36by turning left, then ignore the road branching off to the left. Walk alongside a market garden, cross the bridge over the Courance, pass the Moulin de Chasserat, then turn left onto Rue du Chasserat towards Fougerit.

(5) Turn left onto Chemin des Aurès, then at the bottom of the village, take the path on the left and arrive at Bois des Touches. Cross the Courance again.

(6) Continue to the right to reach the village of Les Touches. Turn right in the village onto Rue de l’Huilerie and join Rue du Leat du Lac.

(7) Cross the junction and take the dirt track opposite. The track runs alongside the Leat du Lac (often dry in summer), then heads up to the left across the fields to join a road.

(8) Turn right onto Rue des Villages, then right again onto Rue du Lavoir. After the wash house, turn right.

(9) Turn left into Rue Saint-Louis and head for the church car park on the left, just after the path leading to the church (S/E).

This walk requires no special equipment other than the usual gear. With little elevation gain, the paths are passable but can sometimes be muddy in wet weather.
Despite the few fountains dotted along the route, it is best to bring something to drink.

The route follows part of the route known as ‘Le charme d’un village-source’ (The charm of a spring village). Route published by the Deux-Sèvres General Council (7 km), marked in yellow from (S) to (3) and from (7) to (E)

During this route, you will discover:

• the village of Vallans and its 11th- and 19th-century Notre-Dame church;
• the hamlets: Le Petit Village, Allerit, Fougerit, Les Touches;
• the Bois des Touches;
• the Courance or La Mère, the leats and streams, the wash houses and fountains;
• Allerit Castle (private) and its dovecote (near the ‘3 ’)