The Poets’ Trail in Sainte-Christine

In the heart of the bocage countryside, let yourself be carried away on this literary stroll. Along the way, you’ll discover the splendid park and château of Martreil!

Details

3478282
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.02 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 207 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 207 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 394 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 256 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the church car park and look for the starting signpost. Follow the white markings.

(S/E) Walk down the alleyway to the left of the town hall. Pass the wash house, continue straight on along the stony path to emerge onto Rue de Bellevue.

(1) Follow this street to the right, which joins Rue de la Fontaine, and continue to the D762.
Turn left onto it and walk to the outskirts of Sainte-Christine to discover a replica of the Grotto of Lourdes.

(2) Retrace your steps and take thefirst path on your right, walk alongside the housing estate, turn left and continue straight on. Cross a road and follow the Chemin des Marronniers to reach La Petite Dube.

(3) Continue towards La Grande Dube and join the D149. Turn right and follow this road on your right, towards Neuvy-en-Mauges.

(4) Before the bridge, turn left onto the path that climbs up to the Croix de Combat. Continue straight on along the road to the Croix de Justice crossroads.

(5) Turn left (view of the Château du Planty) and continue to the village, where you’ll join the D149.

(6) At the entrance, take Rue du Planty on the right and walk alongside the cemetery. After the woods, turn left and head towards the stadium (view of Martreil Castle).

(7) Turn left just before the football pitches and head back towards the village to join the D762.

(8) When you reach the D762, turn right then left at the wayside cross. Pass through the hamlet of La Bénivière and, before the pond, turn right onto the path leading to the Chapel of Saint Joseph, situated in the middle of the woods.

(9) Retrace your steps back to the hamlet and turn right onto the wooded path at the bend. Cross the main road and the park. Turn right to return to the starting point at the church (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 341 ft - Church Square
  2. 1 : mi 0.2 - alt. 351 ft - Rue de Bellevue
  3. 2 : mi 0.52 - alt. 289 ft - Replica of the Grotto of Lourdes
  4. 3 : mi 1.14 - alt. 384 ft - La Petite Dube
  5. 4 : mi 2.04 - alt. 256 ft - Turn left. Near the - Jeu (rivière)
  6. 5 : mi 2.73 - alt. 381 ft - The Cross of Justice
  7. 6 : mi 3.62 - alt. 354 ft - Turn-off near the cemetery
  8. 7 : mi 4.41 - alt. 377 ft - Football pitch
  9. 8 : mi 4.89 - alt. 358 ft - Junction D762
  10. 9 : mi 5.28 - alt. 354 ft - Saint Joseph’s Chapel
  11. S/E : mi 6.02 - alt. 341 ft - Church Square

Worth a visit

The Martreil Park and Château:
Old, rare or exotic, the park’s remarkable trees are sure to inspire you. Plum trees in bloom, four-hundred-year-old oaks, three-hundred-year-old service trees, sweetgums, persimmons and Virginia tulip trees.
With over a hundred species of trees spread across an area of 35 hectares, this beautiful English-style park will also charm romantic souls with its lovely pond and the woods that surround it.

Reviews and comments

3.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
3.1 / 5
User 16045929

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

50/50 path and road – a shame
A large section of the route – which used to run through a pleasant woodland along the grounds of the Château du Plessis – has been badly deforested, making the ride feel more like a road trip

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User 10637251

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The only downside to visiting the chapel was that we met the owner, who was more willing to let us onto her property than the town hall. The issue was liability in the event of an accident.
She let us see the chapel as there were only three of us.
So perhaps the route needs to be reviewed, or the town hall needs to find a safe passageway that satisfies everyone.

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Lucine55
Lucine55

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The start is difficult to find and the white markings are not always visible, as they can be confused with other white markings. In addition, vegetation hides some of the markings.

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mvaban
mvaban

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Too much asphalt. Not very interesting.
The initial update of the route does not take into account the installation of a private road by its owner.
four poems along the route is a bit limited.
At the stadium, barriers and a tree make it difficult to access the path
In short, this route is of no interest unless you want to rack up the miles.

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BONNEAU_Jean_Pierre
BONNEAU_Jean_Pierre

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

The few footpaths are pleasant, featuring excerpts from poems or songs, but there are far too few of them compared to the tarmac roads: over 50% of the route involves walking on tarmac, with stretches of more than 2 km at times...
The path leading into Sainte-Christine, which is meant to avoid part of the road, is poorly signposted after the statue.
I’m a bit disappointed with this hike; we need to find more paths, but is that even possible?

Jean-Pierre BONNEAU, hiking coordinator at UATL Angers (Angers University of Leisure)
0607252423
jeanpierre.isabelle.bonneau@orange.fr

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duprog
duprog

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The walk could be lovely, but unfortunately there’s too much tarmac. At one point along the route, you walk alongside the grounds of Planty Castle; perhaps a footpath could be created to avoid the road.

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Jamo
Jamo

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As described!!

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claper01
claper01

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

This route is strongly discouraged, as it follows busy roads with heavy traffic travelling at high speeds.
Only a small section of the route, off the tarmac, is of any interest.

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DELLA LIBERA
DELLA LIBERA

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The markings are not visible; they need to be redone.

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Annie Baudouin
Annie Baudouin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A very easy walk, suitable for everyone.

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mllfopa
mllfopa

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting and pleasant route, although it does involve a bit too much tarmac (however, the map clearly indicates this, so hikers are forewarned)

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