The 300-year-old oak tree in Vendat

Park at the War Memorial, opposite the church.

(S/E) Take Rue Marx Dormoy opposite the church. Continue to the junction with Rue de la Croix.

(1) Turn left onto a steep, sunken track – an old cart track leading to Le Rozet. At the bottom of the track, join a tarmac road and follow it to the pumping station, ignoring the Chemin du Bois de Grange which branches off to the right.

(2) Cross the bridge over the Guêle and turn immediately left onto the Chemin des Parrois.

(3) Turn right onto an uphill track leading to the hamlet of l’Allemagne. Walk past an old house, then keep to the right of a first shed, followed by a second one adjoining an old house.

(4) After the second shed, a three-way junction forms with two tracks. Ignore the track on the right and take the one on the left, which enters the undergrowth 50 metres further on, widens and then narrows again.

You’ll come to a dyke protected by wire fencing. Turn left, cross the ditch with the culverts (the pond’s outlet) and continue for about 100 metres to reach a small earthen clearing with four oak trees in the centre: could these be the descendants of our remarkable oak?
Just as you leave the path and before entering the clearing, look out for the 300-year-old oak on your right.

(5) Turn back and follow the route in the opposite direction to return to the car park (S/E).

(5) Alternative route: leave the square via the path leading to the lake park, go under the railway bridge and join the D279 (Espinasse – Vendat). Turn left towards Vendat, and at Les Parrois go under the railway bridge to rejoin (3). Then follow the original route.