The slopes of Vieux Couffé

Start from the village of Couffé, car park opposite the Auberge du Tire Bouchon.

(S/E) Take the D23 towards Ancenis. At the first junction, after the bridge, turn right towards Bas Vieux Couffé and cross the hamlet.

(1) At the exit, by the wayside shrine, leave the road and take a path on the right, then turn right again onto the first path leading down towards the Hâvre valley. (Tricky section on the hillside for about 50 m). Follow the river for about 1.5 km to the footbridge at Pont Noyer

(2) Cross the Hâvre via the footbridge (caution: area off-limits during the hunting season). Follow the river on your right and you will soon reach a stream that is often dry.

(3) Turn left into the valley onto a path through the undergrowth running alongside this stream. Follow this path to its end: a T-junction.

(4) Leave this path and turn left onto a path climbing towards La Gruère.

(5) At the village wayside shrine, there are two options:
- continue straight ahead.
- turn right (round trip) via La Boissenotière and La Métellerie and head for the Pont de Cuette picnic area, about 1.5 km away.

(6) Retrace your steps back to the hamlet of La Gruère.

(5) Take the street opposite the wayside shrine for about 100 m to find a path on the left. After 100 m, turn onto a path on the right which branches off to the left, running parallel to the motorway. Continue to the right and cross the motorway via an underpass.

(7) Reach the village of La Lhorie. Take the^first road on the right and follow it to the four-way junction. Take the path on the left before the steep descent towards the river and follow it to the start of a path through the woods.

(8) Turn left onto it, follow it and descend through the woodland parallel to the river until you see a footbridge on the right.
(!) Caution: do not enter the meadow in wet weather. In this case, follow the yellow markings continuing through the woods to the river and follow it on the right-hand side to return to the footbridge.

(9) Turn into a meadow to cross the river. Follow the road for 400 m until you reach a wide path on the left.

(10) Follow this path to the Bimboire crossroads. Ignore the path heading off to the right, go past a house on the left and head straight towards the motorway. Turn left and walk alongside the motorway for about 600 m.

(11) Cross the motorway via an underpass. At the exit, turn immediately left onto a path leading to Pont Noyer and the junction you passed on the way there.

(2) Without crossing the bridge, head up a path on the right to reach the top of the hill. Stay on the higher ground and turn left onto the path leading to the hamlet of Haut Vieux Couffé.

(12) In the centre of the hamlet, follow the road straight ahead, which turns into a path leading back to the Bas Vieux Couffé oratory, which you passed on the way out.

(1) The return to Couffé follows the same route as the outward journey to reach the car park (S/E).

Car park opposite the Auberge du Tire Bouchon.
Do not undertake this route during the hunting season (September to February). The Pont Noyer footbridge is removed from 1 November to 15 April (approximate dates) due to low water levels in the Hâvre.
The total duration of the walk includes the return trip to the picnic area from point (5), a distance of 3 km.