The Two Fountains Route

Starting point at La Martinière: easy parking at the four-way junction north of the hamlet, near the cemetery. Part of the route follows one of the Camino de Santiago routes (^GR®®655).

(S/E) Take the road to the right of the cemetery, then, before La Grimaudière, take the path on the right and follow this farm track. After a gentle climb, the path descends and makes a right-angle bend.

(1) Immediately afterwards, take the path on the left and follow the Champs du Pissot. At the end of the path, turn left and walk for about two hundred metres towards the Ruisseau de la Fontaine de Triangle (you are between two fields in a very open coppice area with no clear path). At the corner of the field, turn right onto the farm track, which climbs slightly. After about three hundred metres, the Fontaine du Triangle wash house appears on the left.

(2) Continue along the farm track until you reach the junction with a tarmac road and turn left.

(3) After walking for about four to five hundred metres, turn sharply right onto a farm track.

(4) At the junction, continue straight ahead, veering slightly to the right, along the farm track.

(5) At the next crossroads of farm tracks, take the farm track on the left which passes near the Trou de la Grenouille (a pond on the left of the track). Continue along this track until you reach the junction with a road (elevation 178). Turn left onto this road, which connects Beaussais and Sepvret (a fairly busy road, so take care).

(6) Ignore the road on the right, which leads to the source of the Sèvre Niortaise (signpost). Continue towards the entrance to Pillac for about a hundred metres until you reach the next junction (elevation 189). Then take the road on the left towards the Sèvre et Belle silo. About 500m past the silo, pass by the Fontaine de l’Anguillère (the path is bordered by a low wall on the right-hand side at this point). Continue along the path to the next junction of farm tracks.

(7) Turn left towards Le Petit Grand Champ. This hamlet is a farm nestled between two farm tracks.
Take the track opposite that runs alongside the farm, which is on the left-hand side of the track. Follow the farm track, which makes its first turn right then left a little further on. You will come out onto a road; follow it to the right. Shortly afterwards, you will pass the crossroads you passed on the way out.

(4) Continue straight on along the road towards Sepvret.

(8) At the next crossroads, just before the village of Sepvret, turn sharply right towards Le Châtelier (a beautiful avenue of pollarded oak trees).

(9) At Le Châtelier, turn left onto the road which continues as a farm track (^GR®®655, red and white markings). Shortly after the hamlet, you’ll come to a Fork in the road: take the right-hand branch. At the junction of the farm tracks (elevation 166), just before the hamlet of Le Coudray, go straight on.

(10) At the entrance to Le Coudray, at the first crossroads, turn right and walk alongside a development of new houses. At the crossroads on leaving Le Coudray, continue straight on along the farm track, which climbs very gently.

This track leads to the entrance to the hamlet of La Martinière.

(11) Then turn right onto the road and, shortly afterwards, you will reach the starting point (S/E).

A walking route, slightly undulating, with no particular difficulty.

The hamlet of La Martinière is accessible from Melle by heading towards Poitiers: approximately 4 km after leaving Saint-Léger-de-la-Martinière and passing the road to Lezay on your right, you will reach a crossroads (shortly after the top of a hill): turn left towards La Martinière, which is signposted. Walk through the hamlet; the cemetery is at the exit (towards the north).

Alternative route: Near Pillac (6), you can visit the source of the Sèvre Niortaise: this alternative adds approximately 2 km on the road

Melle is a charming little town with three Romanesque churches, well worth a visit if you have a little time to spare.