On the borders of Layon and Mauges, this village nestled around its bell tower offers a hilly route between the hillsides and the Hyrôme valley. Family hike starting from Chanzeaux.
Start near the church in Chanzeaux. Follow the blue markings.
(S/E) Go down Rue du Val d'Hyrôme, then turn left onto Route du Moulin du Chapitre, which runs alongside the castle grounds.
(1) Just before you reach the mill (private property), take the path that climbs up to the left. At the crossroads, turn right towards Moulin de Point and walk to the stone bridge over the Hyrôme, which you cross.
(2) Climb towards Plaisance, where the path becomes a road, and arrive at a place called Gevrise, which you will go around on the right.
(3) Turn left with the road, pass under a power line and turn right at Les Forges to reach La Giraudière.
(4) Cross this hamlet and follow the path that turns left at a right angle to join a road.
(5) Follow it to the right, pass Point du Jour, Pierre Blanche and Grand Moulin to reach the D121.
(6) Follow this departmental road, cross the bridge over the Hyrôme and continue along Rue du Val d'Hyrôme. Turn left at the post office to reach the church of Chanzeaux (S/E).
Saint-Pierre Church.
Take a detour to Saint-Pierre Church in Chemillé, which has retained some elements of its 11th-century Romanesque architecture and its 13th-century portal. It overlooks the old village of St Pierre and houses the stained-glass window of the "Pater des Vendéens", a scene that took place on the square on 11 April 1793 during the Wars of the Vendée. Next door, the Château des Cloîtres and its adjoining grounds are the starting point for a 5km interpretive trail on the textile industry in the Chemillé region.
The mills and bridges.
The Hyrôme river rises in Saint-Georges-des-Gardes and flows into the Layon 28 km further on. It once powered 29 mills, the remains of which can be seen along the trail: La Roche-Jeannette, Girôme, Sénéchaux, Argogne, Drapras...
You will also have the opportunity to cross some very old bridges, including the Couton bridge, which is very photogenic with its three arches and marks the furthest point of the walk.
The Camifolia Garden in Chemillé (just a 12-minute walk from Saint-Pierre Church)
In the heart of lush natural surroundings, you will touch, smell, taste and certainly discover strange species of plants previously unknown to you across 3.5 hectares!
Explore the six themed gardens: the scent garden, the local crops garden, the toxic and medicinal plants garden, the flavours garden, the fibres and colours garden and finally the botanical garden.
Reviews and comments
4.4 / 5
Based on 6 reviews
Reliability of the description 4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route 4.7 / 5
Route interest 4.3 / 5
Pascalou49
Overall rating :
4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Mar 12, 2024 Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good Very busy route : No
We reversed the direction of the hike, starting with the paved section and finishing with the most beautiful part.
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gaste.robert
Overall rating :
4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Mar 11, 2024 Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good Very busy route : Yes
:very good with a visit to the chapel and historic site
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Jean-Miche49
Overall rating :
5 / 5
Date of your route : Dec 15, 2022 Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good Very busy route : Yes
Very pleasant hike, with dry roads and paths even in rainy weather. I recommend it. Easy to follow.
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JFAM
Overall rating :
3 / 5
Date of your route : Mar 14, 2021 Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good Very busy route : Yes
We were able to follow the route for part of the way, but then we couldn't find the places mentioned. Did we take a wrong turn at some point?
There were other hikers on the same trail.
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dacalipo
Overall rating :
4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Mar 15, 2021 Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good Very busy route : No
No worries about finding your way with the detailed information and maps provided, which unfortunately is not always the case with other providers. Easy hike. Very good!
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HOUET
Overall rating :
4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Mar 07, 2021 Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good Very busy route : No
On certain sections of the route, particularly on paths that are not paved or tarmaced, brambles are beginning to obstruct the way.
To open this route on your smartphone, you must have the Visorando app installed. If not, got to the Apple Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android) to download the app.