Legé (Loire-Atlantique) walks

This is an uneventful trail, with a bit of road, often wooded paths and the forest nearby. At the start, enjoy the magnificent lakes and their beautiful reflections. The return path offers a bird’s-eye view of the site.

Enjoyable walk in the countryside along the La Vie river.

This hike allows you to discover the Machecoul forest with its characteristic flora and rich forest birdlife, not to mention numerous rare or endangered insects.

The Breton marsh... a magnificently wild and little-known land for walkers. This route will take you through its vast expanses, among herons and little egrets! The croaking of frogs will accompany you in summer and you will be surprised by the transformation of the landscape in winter. In spring, life is reborn and explodes in this particularly rich aquatic environment.

Passing through charming villages and pretty little hamlets, you will also walk alongside the Grand Étang, which has been developed for leisure and fishing, as well as market gardens where lamb's lettuce is grown in such large quantities that Machecoul-Saint-Même is one of the leading producers in Europe. Gadwall ducks, mallards and swans await you on this hike, which will take you to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking Machecoul-Saint-Même.

A circular loop through the bocage and the town's parks, combining the great outdoors with an urban environment and preserved biodiversity. Along this route, you can admire the château in Beaupuy Park, the sunken paths lined with pollarded trees, and the park with its ponds and leisure facilities. The trail markings have been reversed, so start at point 15.

Path starting from the Îlot des Arts. The route is largely shaded. You will follow a path that seems timeless; the origins of this route are certainly very ancient. A special feature of this route is the tranquillity and the feeling of being in a wild place amidst areas shaped by human activity.

Walk through landscaped and natural areas, along ponds, pools and rivers, enjoying remarkable diversity in the middle of a peaceful village. Along the route, you may spot grey herons, kingfishers, great spotted woodpeckers and more.

A circular route for walkers using the bus to explore the La Roche-sur-Yon area. Starting from the “Berthelière” stop on route 10 between La Roche-sur-Yon and Dompierre-sur-Yon. You’ll visit the old village before completing the loop around the lake. Access: bus route 10 – Berthelière stop

Tour of the northern part of Lake Moulin Papon, which is wilder and more rugged than the southern part. It is not uncommon to see kingfishers, a few mallards, coots and, more rarely, geese. A detour to the hamlet of La Berthelière allows you to admire the renovated old houses, which are truly wonderful. The tour starts in the commune of La Ferrière and continues throughout the commune of Dompierre-sur-Yon.

This easy trail takes you along a country path from Saint-Hilaire to Montaigu, passing by the old Moulin de l'Écornerie (dating from the 18th century) and its recreation area.

During this walk, you’ll pass meadows, vineyards and forests lined with pollarded trees. Halfway along the route, you’ll pass through Bois Joli, which certainly lives up to its name. The icing on the cake is the finale in the marshes, on the edge of Lac de Grand-Lieu. Wildlife, flora and landscapes to discover: a complete change of scenery is guaranteed. Depending on the season, you’ll walk along sandy paths lined with ditches and meadows grazed by cattle in summer and much loved by birds all year round.

A walk through the countryside south and east of Coëx towards Saint-Julien-des-Landes and Martinet. Of particular interest is the path leading from the Garaud chapel to the D6. There are a few muddy sections from autumn to spring, particularly on this path.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the seaside, the peaceful Lac du Gué Gorand is perfect for a lovely stroll along the water's edge. The dam, which was filled in 1990, is used to irrigate 400 hectares of farmland and the Fontenelles golf course.

This hike is best done in dry weather, as the trail becomes muddy in the forest area in winter. This route takes you along a sunken path, alternating between open and wooded areas, making for a pleasant hike. The different biotopes encountered promote a rich biodiversity, and it is not uncommon to see squirrels darting about, the entrance to a woodpecker's nest, deer and wild boar tracks, and hear the song of chickadees.

A tour around the artificial lake of Moulin Papon, on foot or by bike.

In the middle of the Pâtis, a hike that can be done in all seasons. The name of this hike came from my imagination as I took the "grand Pâtis" path, which is outside the route. The routes are created by hikers. A pâtis is an uncultivated meadow or cattle pasture.

From La Roche-sur-Yon to Venansault, along shaded paths through meadows, woods and streams. From town to countryside in just a few steps...

Until the 10th century, the sea bordered the village of Fresnay, then gradually receded, leaving behind a marsh that you can explore on this walk.

This circuit follows the Ognon, which feeds into the Lac de Grand Lieu, located a few kilometres to the west. You can find more information on the Pont Saint-Martin hiking website.

A varied route, with some beautiful residences in the Vendée countryside. Starting from La Roche-sur-Yon, discover a route with small hamlets, a few beautiful residences, small roads and paths shaded by hedges. But also Venansault with its lakes and secret passages, far from noisy, busy roads. This short route allows you to stroll without being disturbed by traffic on the main roads.

This loop follows a historic path and takes you past some extraordinary plants in the vegetable garden of the same name. A loop through the bocage, surrounded by meadows and hedges, this route does not present any particular difficulties. However, be careful at roundabouts and on main roads with heavy traffic.

A route to discover the large Rivoli Urban Park (5), in the shade of the trees, in a preserved biodiversity, and the Moulin Papon Lake dam (10). This lake is used to supply drinking water to the town of La Roche-sur-Yon. The water treatment plant can be seen from the dam. Seagulls and cormorants can be seen on the lake, and from the shore it is not uncommon to spot kingfishers, swallows and swifts in flight. In summer, leisure facilities are available for young and old alike.

A cycle route to discover the countryside around La Roche-sur-Yon, among hedgerows, ponds and rivers.

A beautiful hike around Lac du Jaunay, an unmissable destination in the Pays des Achards. It is a preserved and protected natural area covering 114 hectares. The starting point is at La Baudrière. The route runs along both banks and crosses the dam next to the water plant near La Savarière.

Check out this beautiful trail completes a circuit around "Lac du Jaunay”. It is a quiet and wonderful place for nature lovers.

The section that follows the Maine valley is absolutely superb. The rest of the route consists of a few small roads, mostly paths, vineyards and woods. Practical information: two variants are available, which, when combined, reduce the route from 21 km to approximately 16.5 km.

This is a pleasant hike that will take you through the Bois des Girondins and the outskirts of Moulin Papon. There are two more challenging sections: after crossing the bridge at Bertheliére and crossing the ford at Ruisseau des Coux. See Practical Information.

A short walk for non-motorised walkers, starting from bus stop 11, around the Étang du Plessis, classified as a Sensitive Natural Area. This route has no specific signposting but is relatively easy to follow as it is well-maintained. Numerous information boards can be seen around the pond.

A small corner of the valley that is still wild! The Yon, still modest, is mostly only visible through the trees, but what vegetation! It is a visual and auditory delight, with birds accompanying us all the way.