The banks of the Cher in Tours

Park in the Lac Park-and-Ride car park between the Cher river and the railway line.

Please note: this route is not signposted

(S/E) Head west to take the underpass that goes under the boulevard to reach the swimming pool. At the exit of the underpass, turn left to cross the car park and go up to a small roundabout. Follow the first road on the right to cross the Petit Cher. Then take the first lane on the right that goes down to the allotments.

(1) At the "Impasse" sign, turn right onto Allée du Phénix, then take the second lane on the left, Allée des Palmiers. At the next junction, turn left onto Allée des Pâquerettes and continue straight ahead to leave the allotments and come out onto Rue de l'Auberdière.

(2) Cross over and continue straight ahead on the tarmac path that passes under the railway bridge and climbs up into the Vallon de la Bergeonnerie. Stay on the tarmac path and, further on, ignore a bridge on the right. You will reach a football pitch. Leave the tarmac path and take a path on the right that runs alongside the football pitch, then veers right to descend. Stay on this path, ignoring the paths on the left and right, until you reach the main path under the railway bridge. Cross Rue de l'Auberdière again to return to the crossroads at the entrance to the allotments.

(2) Continue along the lane opposite. Turn onto the second lane on the left, Allée des Pavots, then, before reaching the end of this lane, take a path on the right between two plots of land that joins Allée des Myosotis. Turn left, then at the end of this lane, turn right onto Allée du Muguet and right again onto the next lane, Allée des Dahlias, and continue to the next crossroads.

(3) Turn left to leave the allotment gardens, cross the Petit Cher and enter the Parc du Lac de la Bergeonnerie. Facing the lake, head left to walk along the lake on the gravel path. Continue along the lake until you reach the small port of the Cercle de Voile de Touraine. Leave the path as it turns right and turn left to reach a staircase. Take this staircase to climb onto the dyke and discover the Cher at the Pont Tramway.

(4) Turn your back on the Cher and follow the tram line south. Continue along the tram line until you reach the "Fac Deux Lions" stop. Walk past the Faculty of Law and, as the tram line turns east, continue straight on along Avenue Portalis to reach a roundabout. Continue straight ahead on Route des Deux Lions until you reach the bridge over the Petit Cher.

(5) Do not take the bridge, but turn right downhill to join the path that runs alongside the Petit Cher (Loire à Vélo cycle route). Continue westwards, following the river. Where possible, leave the tarmac path and take the paths on the left that run closest to the river. Return to the main path one last time just before passing under a bridge. On the other side, continue along the Petit Cher to the entrance of the Jardin Pédagogique de la Gloriette on the right.

(6) Wind your way through the vegetable garden, then head north towards the wooden hut belonging to the association that manages the site. Cross the terrace, then turn right and immediately left onto a small footbridge. Follow the path northwards, passing close to the giant beehive and the sensory ponds. When you reach a small grove (toilets), turn left and follow the path, which soon heads south towards the vegetable garden. Continue along this path until it joins the path along the banks of the Petit Cher. Turn left to reach the entrance to the Educational Garden.

(6) Continue straight ahead on the outward route, following the banks of the Petit Cher again, this time heading east. Pass under the bridge and continue, this time staying on the main tarmac path. Further on, leave this path and take a path on the left that climbs past insect hotels, then runs alongside a pond, before descending back to the main path just before a crossroads.

(7) Leave the banks of the Petit Cher and turn left between the buildings to reach a roundabout. Continue straight ahead on Rue James Watt and continue straight on, crossing another roundabout, then crossing the tram line, before arriving at a second roundabout. Continue straight ahead on the path that leads to the Fil d'Ariane footbridge.

(8) Cross the Cher and its islands on this footbridge. On the other side, turn right to descend to the banks of the Cher, then follow the river eastwards. Pass under the Tramway Bridge. Further on, you will arrive at the Sanitas Bridge. Do not pass under the bridge, but climb back up onto the bridge via the stairs on the left.

(9) Turn right to cross the northern branch of the Cher. Then pass over the Pointe de l'Île Balzac and turn right onto a path that descends onto the island. At the bottom, continue along the path closest to the tip of the island, which eventually turns east to pass under the Sanitas Bridge. Continue east, staying as close as possible to the southern branch of the Cher. Further on, you will arrive at the animal farm.

(10) Turn onto the path that climbs to the left in front of the enclosure. At the top, turn right behind the hut to descend along the enclosure, then turn left to rejoin the northern branch of the Cher. Continue to the right, pass under the railway bridge and continue eastwards. Further on, the path turns right and ends in front of a small vineyard. Continue straight ahead to cross the southern branch of the Cher on a footbridge.

(11) On the other side of the Cher, turn right and then immediately right again to take the stairs and reach the riverbank. Continue westwards, staying as close as possible to the river. Pass under the railway bridge, then under a footbridge to reach the bottom of the Pont du Lac.

(12) Pass under the bridge, then climb the stairs on the left to reach the dyke between Lake Bergonnerie and the Cher. Turn right and continue straight west until the path is blocked by two posts designed to prevent vehicle traffic. You will come out onto the Route du Cercle de Voile.

(13) Turn left onto the road, then left again a few metres further on onto the path that leads down to the lake shore. Turn left and head east along the lake.

(14) Further on, at the north-eastern end of the lake, turn right to pass between the lake and the swimming pool. When you reach the south-eastern end of the lake, opposite the gymnastics equipment, turn left to return to the swimming pool car park. Then take the same path you took on the way there to pass under the boulevard and reach the Lac Park-and-Ride car park (S/E).

Comfortable shoes are all you need for this semi-urban walk.

Please note: do not pick any flowers, fruit or vegetables in the allotments or the Potager de la Gloriette vegetable garden.

In winter, some parts of the route may be flooded.

In each park or garden, feel free to stray from the route to explore the sites.

Short alternative route: (12) Do not go under the bridge, but go up to the left to reach the boulevard. Follow it to the left and you will soon come to the Lac park-and-ride car park on the left (S/E).

Winter alternative between (11) and (12) (the path closest to the riverbank can be very muddy or even flooded): At (11), when you come off the footbridge, do not go down the steps to the riverbank, but continue westwards along the higher path, which is sunnier and also offers beautiful views of Balzac Island. At the railway bridge, at the fork, take the left path to pass under the bridge. When you reach the boulevard, go down the stairs on the right to find yourself at (12).

Discover more walks in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Between (S) and (3) The allotment gardens, full of flowers, are truly superb in the summer.

(2) Vallon de la Bergeonnerie circular loop. This small 3-hectare natural area is home to a wood that remains cool even in summer. You can see century-old oak trees there.

Between (3) and (4) The Parc du Lac de la Bergeonnerie. A 36-hectare park surrounding a lake reserved for sailing. Created in the 1960s, the park quickly became a popular place for locals to take a stroll.

Between (4) and (5) The tramway was inaugurated in August 2013. An older network existed in Tours between 1877 and 1949. The lines of the new network are lined with lawns, giving them a "green space" feel. However, sunbathing is not recommended!

Between (4) and (5) and between (7) and (8) The Quartier des 2 Lions. A new neighbourhood that began in 1990 and is still under development today. Initially designed to be a technology park, it also houses a shopping centre, a university and several schools, as well as numerous residential buildings with very modern architecture.

Between (5) and (6) The Petit Cher Natural Area. A wetland maintained in accordance with the original biotope. Here you can see purple loosestrife, willowherb, marshmallow, orchids, etc. You can also observe around sixty species of birds, including the reed warbler, the reed bunting, the siskin, the kingfisher, etc.
The Petit Cher is a branch of the Cher river between the Grand Moulin (Ballan-Miré) to the west and Saint-Avertin to the east of Tours.

(6) Within the Gloriette Nature Reserve, the Potager de la Gloriette is well worth a visit. It is an educational site, not only for children. It showcases the different forms that vegetable gardens can take around the world and offers environmentally friendly cultivation methods.

Between (8) and (9), the Fil d'Ariane footbridge crosses the Cher river, passing over former sandbanks colonised by vegetation. These natural sites are very popular with birds, particularly egrets, herons and cormorants, and many small passerines nest there. Beavers also frequent these islets, which they clear of trees. In winter especially, when vegetation is less abundant, you can see the marks left by the teeth of these formidable rodents at the base of the trees, or what remains of them!
Further along the Cher, the walk continues in the shade of hazel and willow trees. On the sandbanks, you can see terns and cormorants, and closer to the banks, ducks, swans and moorhens.

Between (9) and (11) Île Balzac is an artificial island laid out as a large recreational park, with trees in some areas. You will pass enclosures where different species of sheep and goats, a cow and donkeys graze.