The Bois Riveau and Grands Bois route

Merger of two very well-marked routes, marked in two colours: yellow-orange and yellow-blue.

The route is mostly shaded and very pleasant in the Poitevin marshes!

Details

1331195
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.17 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 5 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 5 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 10 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the Bouillé-Courdault leisure centre (D24).

(S/E) When leaving the car park, turn right onto the road, then immediately left.
At the end of the road, turn right and follow the yellow and orange markings. After about 400 metres, leave the road and take a path on the left. Cross a canal via a footbridge, join a road and follow it to the right for a few metres.

(1) Leave the road and take the straight path on the right marked with yellow and blue signs.
At the end of this straight line, turn left, still following the markings.

(2) At the crossroads, turn left and you will come to a picnic area. Take the footbridge on the left just before the fountain, then continue to a crossroads.

(3) Take this road on the left and return to the initial crossroads.

(1) Turn right and you will see yellow and orange markings. You will soon reach a trail junction.

(4) Turn left to cross the Bois Riveau. When you reach a canal, follow it on the right to come out onto the D104c road.

(5) Turn left towards the village of Bouillé Courdault. Pass the cemetery and arrive at the junction of Rue Jacques de Fouilloux and Rue Pré Maillet.

(6) Turn left onto Rue du Pré Maillet, then turn right at the next crossroads onto Rue du Poue qui Bouille. When you reach a shelter, take the path on the left, follow the signs, cross a private property and return to the car park where you started (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 5 m - Bouillé-Courdault leisure park car park
  2. 1 : km 1.32 - alt. 3 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 2.95 - alt. 3 m - Turn left onto the path
  4. 3 : km 3.57 - alt. 4 m - On the left
  5. 4 : km 4.71 - alt. 5 m - On the left
  6. 5 : km 5.2 - alt. 4 m - D104c crossroads. Turn left.
  7. 6 : km 5.59 - alt. 9 m - Bouillé Courdault turn left
  8. S/E : km 6.17 - alt. 5 m - Bouillé-Courdault leisure park car park

Notes

There are public toilets and shelters at the Bouillé-Courdault leisure park car park.

Worth a visit

(5) Nearby on the right, you can access the port of Courdault.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 18 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
User 23528355

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Well-maintained circuit.
Lovely family outing

Mrs. Rousseau

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User 23051861

And yet....

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Ericochets
Ericochets

However, it has already proven to be very reliable in notifications, and this route is very well marked!

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User 23051861
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello, I'm sure this hike is beautiful. Unfortunately, even with the written instructions, we got lost because the signposting is very poor or even non-existent. It's a shame.

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Oupsy
Oupsy

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk through the woods and copses of the Vendée marshes, which I enjoyed at a leisurely pace today with my dog (1 hour 15 minutes). The route was very easy to follow until the picnic area where the fountain is located, but then I didn't understand point 3 ("reach a crossroads" ; i hadn't taken the map, just the written description!!!, so everything went wrong I joined the D104c road and finished the hike by following the departmental road to the village (deadly!). But I will do this route again, and the others that can be combined to make the most of this area.

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nycauxlas
nycauxlas

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It is a short, very easy hike.
The landscape is beautiful: marsh plains, small patches of grassland, and great bird watching (storks, black kites, cattle egrets)
We enjoyed the mostly shaded route.
The only downside is the end of the trail, which is on tarmac in the village, but this does not detract from the melancholic poetry of this walk.
We took our time and completed the route in 2 hours

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Kayakman
Kayakman
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great walk in the marshes. Highly recommended

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fitness
fitness

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Comprising two routes, one marked in blue and the other in orange; the combination of the two is marked in yellow, which explains the double marking. It is a beautiful route, offering a good overview of the marshland. In this area, it is difficult to avoid a few tarmac sections, which fortunately are not very busy.
Potentially hazardous areas, such as nutria burrows, are clearly marked.
For those who enjoy longer distances, it is possible to combine all or part of the route with the Nattes route (Aziré)

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rymary
rymary

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful little trail. We only did the first part, but the signage is very well done and easy to follow. We walked along the marsh canals and saw lots of animals: cows, horses and even a nutria!

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ptk
ptk

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We really enjoyed this walk, which was very easy to follow on the app (and marked in yellow/orange on the ground), shaded, peaceful and without difficulty.
We were really delighted!

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GASTON 52
GASTON 52

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Very poorly signposted
signposting almost non-existent, it's easy to get lost
we only enjoyed the part through the marsh, otherwise it was just a walk through the village with nothing of interest

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Ericochets
Ericochets

I do it regularly and I don't see anyone, and most of the route is near small coves!
You've been unlucky...

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PasLys
PasLys

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route in the shade, it was hot. At the start, in the car park, there is a map of the route with signposts. The route takes you close to the cows, but it's a shame to be in the Poitevin marshes and not see any canals...

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randonneurs.DS
randonneurs.DS

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this route in intense heat and blazing sunshine. It was very pleasant because it was almost always shaded, on small paths along the coves.
No difficulty. Well marked.
A very good little walk.

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Gîte Auclairdusoleil
Gîte Auclairdusoleil
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk to combine with the Aziré circular, which perfectly complements the view of these unique landscapes.

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