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Park near the forecourt of the Comic Strip Museum.
(S/E) Follow the Coulée Verte towards the sports grounds on the left. Cross the Charente river branch on the right via the bridge and cross Bourgines island to the footbridge.
(1) Turn right three times in succession, leaving Port l'Houmeau behind you, and walk carefully along the riverbank.
There you will find beautiful views of the river and its pier, a remnant of the Petit Rouillac railway bridge.
Be careful, as there are some tricky sections along the Charente.
(2) Cross the boules court and then the Vars road at the protected crossing and continue opposite, walking alongside the cemetery. Further on, cross Rue de l'Égalité and take the white path opposite, which follows the old railway line. Once you reach Route de Paris, turn right until you reach the roundabout.
(3) Cross over to take Avenue de la République on the left, then go over two railway tracks to follow Rue du 8 Mai 1945 to Rue de la Madeleine at Étang Prolongée.
(4) Follow it to the left. Go up the stairs leading to the bus stop and continue to the left until you reach the pedestrian crossing, which you cross. Continue to the roundabout, cross in two stages, then turn right and follow Boulevard des 7 Moines de Tibhirine.
(5) After about 450 metres, turn left into a cul-de-sac. At the end, turn left and then right onto Rue Condorcet. Follow Rue de l'Épargne to the left until you reach the entrance to the Bois des Mérigots opposite. "This park is home to a venerable 500-year-old oak tree." The circular route through the woods leads back to Rue de l'Épargne, which you reach through the gate in the old surrounding wall. Turn left and walk up Avenue de la République, turning left again.
(6) Cross over to Chemin de Lunesse and continue to Rue Denis Papin, where you turn left and walk for 200 metres.
(7) Take the path on the right leading to Font Chauvin, an old medieval fountain reserved for lepers. Pass the wash house and go up Avenue Jean Jaurès.
Cross and climb up the embankment to follow the path under the holm oaks. Turn left at the top.
(8) Turn right and continue straight ahead until you reach the intersection, where you turn right. Leave the path before the houses and walk along the left-hand side, descending towards Chemin d'Entreroches, which you follow on the left.
Leave the path and cross before the bend, pass along the houses and continue straight ahead into the woods. Take the second lane on the right in the woods.
(9) Turn left at the Bois du Lac crossroads and continue south until you reach Espace Matisse.
This theatre, nestled in a green setting, is located a stone's throw from the Champ de Manœuvres buildings, which were built in the 1960s on a former military site.
Go around it on the left and join Avenue du Général de Gaulle. Cross and follow it on the left.
(10) Take the dead-end road on the right at Résidence du Verger, which leads to Avenue du Pétureau.
Turn left here and walk back to discover the Merovingian cemetery 50 metres away.
Retrace your steps and turn right onto Rue de la Belle Aude, which joins Rue de la Fontaine Charlemagne. Go through the gate on the right, go down to the Charlemagne fountain and follow the path through the garden.
(11) Take the path in the valley. Go up to the right; at the top, turn left, follow the ridge and go down the path on the left towards the Fontaine du Cerisier fountain. Then take Rue de la Vreloppe on the right.
(12) Turn left onto a small steep path that descends and leads to a dead end, which you descend on the left. At the bend, walk along the Cueillette Fabulette on the right. Continue carefully along Rue de Saint Marc for 500 metres.
After the intersection with Rue Aristide Briand, turn left onto Chemin de la Folie.
(13) Before the bend, take the dyke on the right and follow the stream. Continue to Rue du Pont de Vinson, turn left, then right and follow the Anguienne along the lawn with several tennis courts on your right. Cross the road and enter the Petit Fresquet site. Cross the Anguienne and turn right to follow the stream. The remains of numerous mills can still be found on this site.
(14) Leave the valley via the path on the left which climbs steeply towards the Ma Campagne plateau. After crossing the Anguienne, turn right a little further on and continue climbing towards the Grelet mill. Follow the hillside, which offers magnificent views of the town.
Come out onto Impasse du Moulin de Grelet and continue to the left. Turn right quickly onto Rue des Platins, then right again to reach Rue des Falaises. Then turn left.
(15) Go down the path on the right into the valley and, once on the tarmac, continue straight ahead to Rue de Montmoreau, which you follow up to the left.
(16) Cross over and climb the stairs on the right, then turn right onto Allée Noël Simard, which leads to the square and joins Rue Montcalm. Follow this road to the right for about 30 metres, then leave it to enter the clearing.
You will still be able to enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the Angoulême plateau.
(17) Turn right to descend into the Bois de Saint-Martin. Follow the path to the left to reach Rue Pierre Grenet, which you follow to the right to pass under the Voie de l'Europe.
(18) Cross the orchard on the left and walk alongside the stadium. At the park exit, turn right to reach Rue de Clérac in Sillac. First turn right then left to enter Chemin du Soleil-Levant.
(19) Turn left onto Chemin des Cressonnières. At the end, turn right then left at the crossroads to pass under the railway line. Cross Rue Émilien Jarreton to continue diagonally opposite and go straight ahead to pass under Route de Bordeaux, formerly the RN10. Follow a grassy path to the right, turn left onto Rue Bourbonnaise and cross the Maintenon residence.
On your right, you will see the Church of Saint-Ausone, which dominates the neighbourhood of the same name.
Cross Rue de Basseau, then take the path opposite, slightly to the right, which leads to the Charente.
(20) Turn right towards Île aux Vaches.
Nearby, visit the Frégeneuil leisure park, with children's games, a merry-go-round, picnic areas and a refreshment bar.
Walk under the shade of remarkable plane and sequoia trees to the footbridge where the statue of Corto Maltese gazes out to sea. Pass under the Saint-Cybard bridge, walk alongside the museum, then turn left to cross the two arms of the Carente and return to the starting point at the Bande Dessinée forecourt (S/E).
Tourist office
Easy 
Moderate 
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