The Gallo-Roman Sylvanois at Fief-Sauvin

From Beaupréau-en-Mauges, take the D80 to reach Le Fief-Sauvin. Park your car in the car park on Rue de l’Èvre, next to the Church of Notre-Dame.

White signposts

(S/E) Take Allée de l’Avenir on the right, then turn left immediately, walking alongside the primary school to the car park on Allée des Chênes.

(1) Turn right onto this road, then turn right again. At the T-junction, head left onto Allée des Érables, then right to follow Allée des Hêtres to its end at La Gabardière.

(2) First turn right then left, then keep left until you reach the Grotte de Lourdes at La Gabardière, in the parish of Notre-Dame-d’Èvre. Continue to the end of the path.

(3) Continue along the River Èvre, which is circular, until you reach the next crossroads.

(4) Carry on straight ahead towards the Bréau Menhir.

(5) After admiring the menhir, turn round and return to the previous junction.

(4) Turn right, then left, and carry on until you rejoin the road. At the next junction, turn right and follow the road uphill through the hamlet of Chevrie. Go up a hill until you reach a crossroads.

(6) Turn right onto Route la Tournerie, then turn left onto the wooded path. Walk alongside the field on your left.

(7) Cross the Abriard and rejoin the banks of the Èvre.

(8) Turn sharply left, continue along the track through the hamlet of Le Pointreau before leaving the village.

(9) Then turn right and continue to the end of the track at La Roussière.

(10) Turn left to re-enter the village. Leave the village on the right, then take the first left to join the D146, Route du Fief-Sauvin.

(11) First turn right then left onto Chemin de la Bretêche, then turn right onto a tree-lined path.

(12) Continue along the track, then turn left towards Les Coteaux (elevation 76).

(13) Continue along the track towards Carrefour Saint-Dard (marker 100). Turn right at the junction.

(14) At Carrefour Saint-Dard, first turn right then left. Carry on until you reach the road and the forest.

(15) Carry on straight ahead, crossing the road with care. Enter the forest and continue to the junction.

(16) Turn left and carry on straight ahead for 2 km through the Forêt de Leppo. (Ignore the roads branching off to the left or right.) Leave the forest at a road and a crossroads.

(17) Cross the D80 carefully to reach the opposite side, then take the first left towards Le Cornier.

(18) Continue towards La Guèrivière. Carry on along the road until you reach the junction.

(19) Turn left, walk past the lake and, ignoring a path on the left, carry on to the next junction.

(20) First turn right then left, and carry on to the first path on the left.

(21) Turn left, then left again.

(22) Leave the return path on your right. Carry on straight ahead until you reach the road. Pass to the left of the buildings and follow the road as it climbs. Go round the hamlet of Saint-Vincent until you reach the next junction.

(23) Turn right. On leaving the village, take the bend to the right and follow this road down to where it ends at the Landes.

(24) Turn right and follow this road to its end.

(22) Back on the road you took on the way there, carry straight on towards Sainte-Catherine.

(25) After passing through this village, continue until you reach the ‘Give Way’ sign.

(26) Turn right towards Chêne Garreau, then, just before you reach it, turn left and follow the Ruisseau de la Planche to the first junction.

(27) Turn left, then turn right onto Chemin de la Trouère. Follow this road to its end.

(28) First turn right then left and carry on to the D146. Cross with care and take the path opposite towards Les Granges, then follow the D146. You’ll rejoin the D146 further on.

(29) Back on the D146, go round the bend to the left then slightly to the right, and take the path on the left to reach the junction between the two roads.

(30) From there, turn carefully right onto the D146 and head downhill to the first footpath.

(31) Turn left to catch a glimpse of the protohistoric and Gallo-Roman oppidum (Caesar’s Camp, archaeological site).

(32) Turn round and head back to the junction of the two paths.

(30) Head straight ahead along a path, then, at La Croix, turn right onto La Petrodière and continue to the junction. Turn right, then left towards Le Grand Nombault.

(33) On leaving the hamlet of Le Grand Nombault, continue through the vineyards, with the lake on your right, until you rejoin the D146.

(34) Carefully make your way up the D146 towards the centre of Le Fief-Sauvin, then cross a stream and arrive at a cross.

(35) Take the first right, turning onto a path once more. Continue along this path, taking the left-hand track that runs alongside the River Èvre as far as the Moulinard farm.

(36) Follow Rue du Moulinard into the town centre, as far as the town hall.

(37) First turn left then right, cross the car park to reach Rue de l’Èvre and return to the car park (S/E).

Le Grand-Nombault: a former Roman military centre, it measured 180 m by 75 m. ‘Umbo’ refers to the shield of the mercenaries tasked with ensuring security.

Segora: refers to a stopover lodge on the major ancient road between Nantes and Poitiers, at the junction with the road from Angers. This made Le Fief-Sauvin the main crossroads linking the three major cities.

(5) The Bréau Menhir: A greenish schist stone interlaced with quartz filaments, 3.5 metres high, situated on the Carroueil plot. The number and variety of tools discovered in the vicinity indicate the existence of a civilisation predating that of the Celts and Gauls.

(31) Gallic Oppidum: In 1871, a dry-stone wall marked with 90 metal pegs was discovered on the crest of the hill. Large quantities of bronze coins, along with several gold and silver coins, were found; these indicate the presence of a fortification serving as a refuge and a meeting place: an oppidum.

The Point ford: paved with quartz, it provided access to the Saint-Pierre Montlimart gold mine. The abundance of metals may have been the reason for the Gallo-Roman occupation of Fief-Sauvin.