The Polissoir of the Saint-Martin Well

Start from Corancez church. Park in the car park behind the church (as seen from the D28), near a small football pitch and a children’s playground.

(S/E) From the car park, facing the church, follow Rue de la Baguetterie straight ahead, keeping the church on your left.

(1) At the roundabout, take the second left onto Rue de la Mairie. The street passes in front of the town hall and curves to the right. When it turns sharply right and becomes Rue du Général Bouvart, leave it and go straight on (south) along a track that runs between the fields (fire hydrant on the right-hand side). Turn right along the track and you’ll come out onto the D150.

(2) Follow the road to the left for about a hundred metres. In a slight left-hand bend, leave the road and turn right onto a wide track between the fields. Walk past a ‘crib’ (a structure for drying maize cobs in the open air) on your right-hand side until you reach the edge of a wood.

(3) Then turn left onto the path and veer right to cross the woodland quickly. At the far end, turn left and, on a grassy path, walk alongside the woodland on your left. At the end (with livestock buildings opposite), turn left.

(4) Join the D150 and follow it to the right for about 150 m. When you reach the first livestock buildings, take the grassy track on the left which leads to the polishing mill (sign).

(5) Retrace your steps and follow the road to the right.

(4) Continue along the road, which has very little traffic, ignoring the paths on the left that you took on the way there.

(2) At the junction, carry on straight ahead along the road and enter the village of Corancez. At the crossroads, go straight on into Rue du Polissoir (note a pond on the right-hand side). At the next crossroads, turn right into Rue Saint-Laurent (D28 towards Sours).

(1) At the roundabout, take the first left, Rue de la Baguetterie, and return to the car park (S/E).

A good pair of trainers is sufficient for this walk along small tarmac roads or good footpaths.

Water source between Corancez church and the crossroads (1). No shops in Corancez.

A detailed map is required (at the very least the one accompanying this description).

Alternative return route:
If you prefer to avoid tarmac, at point (5) you can always return to Corancez via the same route as on the way out, i.e. via point (3).

Walk undertaken by the author on 11 July 2018.

The Polissoir du Puits de Saint-Martin (5) is the destination of this walk. It is a large slab of sandstone (5.3 m x 2.2 m) covered with numerous deep grooves, which bear witness to the stone’s use during the Neolithic period (5000–2500 BC) for polishing and sharpening weapons and tools. The stone features a central depression that collects rainwater, which is how the polishing stone got its name.

The Church of Saint-Laurent (12th–18th centuries) (S/E) is well worth a visit. In particular, you can take a walk around the small adjoining cemetery.