Country:
District:
If you are travelling by car, you can easily park on the quays of the old port of Tonnay-Charente in front of the beautiful late 19th-century buildings. Walk along the Charente towards the bridge.
If you are on foot under the bridge, inside one of the piers, you will find a staircase. Climb up onto the bridge deck.
If you are on a bicycle, take the street on the left that goes up onto the bridge deck. It is a steep but short climb.
(S/E) The trail begins on the bridge deck. You are on the right bank. Cross the bridge to reach the left bank. As you cross, admire the landscape and you will see the Rochefort transporter bridge more than 8 km away as the crow flies. Information panels provide details about the history of the bridge.
At the end of the bridge, you can take a small path on the right to make a short detour and admire the masonry architecture (double ogive) of the bridge abutments.
Continue straight ahead on the tarmac road, which has little traffic (only fishermen and walkers). Cross a canal.
(1) Just after the sign for the town of Saint-Hippolyte, turn right onto Rue des Robins, then follow Rue des Jaguenauds. Continue to the end of the street, passing a riding club on your left. At the end of the street, turn left onto a tarmac road and continue for just 50 metres.
(2) Take the dirt track that branches off to the right next to the electricity transformer. After about 300 metres, you will come to a small tarmac road. Cross it and continue straight ahead. Walk along the wall of the horse riding club to reach another tarmac road.
(3) Turn left onto this quiet road to reach a larger road at a place called Les Nouzillauds. Continue straight ahead on this road towards the south for about 200 metres. Caution: there may be traffic on this road. You can walk on the side of the road, but if you are cycling, keep an eye on the children.
(4) After the last house, a dirt track begins on the left. Take this track and follow it for about 1.2 km.
(5) You will come to a narrow tarmac road, bordered by a stony path which is an old railway line. You are now on the "Vélodyssée" cycle route. Follow this route to the left and continue straight ahead. At each road junction, you will see the old gatekeeper's houses. Continue straight ahead at each junction.
(6) You will come to an underpass that crosses the D137, a busy road between Rochefort and Saintes. The crossing is easy. Continue straight ahead to the Pont de la Cèpe, an old railway bridge that crosses the Charente. Cross the river. Note the stone quay on the right bank, a former landing and embarkation point for river traffic.
(7) Just after the bridge, turn right onto the tarmac road. Follow the Vélodyssée cycle route below for about 300 metres, then pass under this old railway line via the bridge on your left. You will then take a little-used marsh access road for about 2 kilometres.
(8) Before a level crossing, turn left onto a gravel path that runs alongside the railway line below (active railway line, Rochefort to Saintes). At the Saint-Clément bridge, pass under the D137 again and continue straight ahead.
(9) You will arrive at the entrance to Tonnay-Charente. Take care. Turn left, pass in front of the old dairy and descend to the banks of the Charente on the Quai des Capucins. Follow the footpath along the Charente and you will arrive under the suspension bridge where you started (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
Association / Club / Walk leader
