The American camp at Paudy

This walk through the Champagne plains offers a chance to explore the area around the village of Paudy. The paths through the fields and past the wind turbines take you close to the Volvault estate, where the world’s first flying school was established by the American Allies in 1917. You will then reach the hamlet of Vœu. The return journey to Paudy takes you past the village pond. Finally, you can admire the tower overlooking Paudy – one of the remains of the 12th-century castle – and Saint-Martin’s Church.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.02 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 112 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 112 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 607 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 492 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Paudy (36260)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.038592° / E 1.919888°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2224SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

The start is at the town hall car park. Follow the yellow signposts for the “Le camp des Américains (1917–1919)” route.

(S/E) Take the D16 towards Les Bordes and Issoudun, heading south-southeast, and leave Paudy.

(1) At the entrance to the hamlet of Montbougrand, turn right (signposted) onto a tarmac lane which then becomes a wide, grassy farm track.
At the next junction, turn left onto a stony track, then take a grassy path on the right. Then turn left onto a track.

(2) Follow a gravel track to the right, which takes you past the foot of a wind turbine and into the Bois de Volvault. At the junction of paths, continue straight on along a grassy track at the edge of the woods.

(3) At the junction, turn left and carefully cross the D 960 to continue straight ahead along a grassy track. Then turn right.

(4) Follow the small road to the right leading to the village of Vœu. Walk through the village, keeping the various streets to your right and left, and cross the D 960 again. At the Fork in the road, turn left, cross the D 27 carefully and continue along the Route des Vouets towards Giroux.

(5) 700 m further on, take the track on the right, which then turns into a grassy path as you approach the village pond. A short path followed by a footbridge takes you to the edge of the pond, which you walk round to the left.

(6) When you reach the entrance to the site, follow the D 27 to the left for 700 m, then turn left onto a grassy track which runs alongside another private pond and then crosses the fields. At the end of the track, turn right.

(7) Carry on straight ahead until you pass a farmhouse in the hamlet of Villetroche. Continue along the grassy track to the cemetery.

(8) At the entrance to the cemetery, take the D16 to the right, cross the Herbon stream via the bridge and continue straight on at the first junction, then turn left at the second. Leave the main road and the yellow signposting on your right to continue straight on along Rue de la Basse Cour.

(9) Turn left to admire the keep 100 metres ahead. Retrace your steps.

(9) Turn left to reach the church; walk alongside it on the left until you reach a gravel path. At the pétanque court, turn right, walking alongside the school wall to return to the town hall car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 495 ft - Town hall car park - Église Saint-Martin (Paudy)
  2. 1 : mi 0.41 - alt. 571 ft - Montbougrand
  3. 2 : mi 2.17 - alt. 545 ft - Turn right towards the wind turbine
  4. 3 : mi 3.28 - alt. 587 ft - Junction after the Volvault woods
  5. 4 : mi 3.87 - alt. 607 ft - Small road on the right
  6. 5 : mi 4.62 - alt. 554 ft - Road suitable for vehicles
  7. 6 : mi 5.38 - alt. 538 ft - Communal pond – Route D27
  8. 7 : mi 6.98 - alt. 528 ft - The hamlet of Villetroche
  9. 8 : mi 7.62 - alt. 492 ft - Cemetery – D16 road
  10. 9 : mi 7.8 - alt. 499 ft - Access to the - Donjon de Paudy
  11. S/E : mi 8.02 - alt. 495 ft - Town hall car park - Église Saint-Martin (Paudy)

Notes

No difficulties, but depending on the season, some grassy paths may not have been mown, making them less passable.
No water points apart from in Paudy.

Worth a visit

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