The monks' path in Vicq-Exemplet

The starting point is at the church square. Follow the green signs.

(S/E) Walk along the right-hand side of the church, heading east, and join the D951B. Follow it to the left for 100 m, then turn right onto Route de la Croix Chaillat. Leave a road on your right, walk along the cemetery on your right, then the silos on your left.

(1) Continue along the road at the cross and, 100 m further on, turn right onto a grassy path. At the private ponds, the path becomes passable by car.

(2) At the crossroads, follow the small road opposite towards Les Varennes. At the crossroads after the hamlet, take the grassy path opposite which descends through the woods and joins the small road to Beddes.

(3) Follow it to the right, passing the hamlets of Bugeron and La Grande Alphare.

(4) Leave the access road to Gué Poisson on your left and a path on your right. Continue straight ahead and, 100 m further on, turn right, heading south, onto a grassy path.

(5) Then follow the path on the right that runs alongside a field hedge until you reach a crossroads.

(6) Turn right onto the farm track and continue straight ahead until you reach the Champ Caillat estate.

(7) Continue straight ahead and descend to the vicinity of the Grisonnerie farm. Continue straight ahead along a grassy, tree-lined path and cross the Ruisseau de Fonteneau stream. Take the small road that leads to Bois l'Abbé (an old tower in a courtyard on the right).

(8) At the next two crossroads, turn left and follow the track south-west. Pass Le Romond and follow the small access road to a crossroads.

(9) At the stop sign, turn right onto the D71 and follow it carefully for 500 m. Turn left towards Clairfont.

(10) At the estate, turn right onto the gravel road, then follow the small road to the left.

(11) At the crossroads, take the road on the right and continue to Les Bergeries. Continue straight ahead north-northwest on a path that is initially grassy and then stony until you reach Boulaise.

(12) Turn right onto the D73 for 500 m, then turn left onto a farm track through the fields. At the next intersection, at the edge of the forest, climb slightly to the right to cross the Bois de Boulaise. The forest lane ends at a paved road, which takes you to the Loges du Bois de la Boulaise crossroads.

(13) Turn right towards Les Issarts. 200 m after the last house, just before the stop sign, turn right onto a grassy path that leads to a small paved road parallel to the D951B. Follow it for 500 m until you reach the departmental road at the entrance to Vicq-Exemplet. Turn right and stay on the main road until you reach the church car park (S/E).

No water source.

Wear good walking shoes and trousers: varied terrain, paths can be very grassy and sometimes wet depending on the season.

Circuit proposed by the Pays de George Sand, no. 80

Pays de George Sand:

https://www.pays-george-sand.com/

Châteaumeillant:

https://chateaumeillant.fr/index.php/accueil/