The mills of La Vauvre in the Land of George Sand

Walks in the Vauvre Valley. Nature is bountiful and the Vauvre will enchant you with its soothing murmur. The diversity of the flora and fauna will delight enthusiasts.

Details

102547
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.15 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 554 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 538 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 932 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 689 ft

Description of the walk

(S) Starting point at the Moulin des Mouches. Parking available for several cars.

Cross the Vauvre via the footbridge and turn left onto the path (private but accessible). Head up to the right towards the village of Fletz.

(1) When you reach the tarmac, turn left, then continue along the dirt track.
Back on the tarmac, turn left towards the village of Cosset (ruins of the old Cosset mill, not very visible).

(2) Continue along the road to the right, then follow the dirt track. Walk alongside a series of ponds until you reach the village of Les Girauds.

(3) When you reach the D41, turn immediately left onto the path, which is tarmac at the start and then becomes a dirt track. Follow this path through the Cosset woods to the old railway line. At the crossroads, turn right and then head down to the road. On the road, turn left.

(4) After crossing the Vauvre at the Ribes mill, take the path climbing up to your left and continue until you reach a new road. Turn right until you reach the edge of the Bois de Villemort.

(5) Turn left onto the path that leads into the woods to reach the site’s ancestral home (information panel at the entrance to the path).
After paying your respects to the Chêne des Pendus, continue along the path opposite.

(6) Leave the woods on the left and continue straight on until you reach the road.

(7) Take the road on the left, pass through the village of La Tuilerie de Villemort and continue north-east.

(8) After about 1,500 metres, take the path on the right which joins the road running parallel to the one you were on previously. Take this road on the right, which leads to the junction with the D72.
Turn right onto this road and follow it for 300 metres,

(9) At Pierrefolle, take the path that descends to the left before the sweeping bends.
Follow this path to the Chapin mill.

(10) Cross the Vauvre via the footbridge, then take the path leading uphill to the left to the village of Le Vivet.
After the village, take the road on the left to the old Vauvre mill.

(11) Back on the D72, turn left and, after crossing the Vauvre again, take the road on the right which leads to La Rillerie.

(12) At La Rillerie, turn right towards the Moulin des Mouches.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 722 ft
  2. 1 : mi 0.35 - alt. 804 ft - Tarmac in the village of Fletz
  3. 2 : mi 0.93 - alt. 728 ft - Turn right towards the ponds
  4. 3 : mi 1.64 - alt. 794 ft - Path on the left at the D41
  5. 4 : mi 2.63 - alt. 699 ft - Crossing the Vauvre at the Ribes Mill
  6. 5 : mi 3.47 - alt. 853 ft - Then turn left onto the path that leads into the woods
  7. 6 : mi 4.57 - alt. 919 ft - Leave the woods on the left
  8. 7 : mi 4.97 - alt. 932 ft - Take the road on the left
  9. 8 : mi 5.96 - alt. 856 ft - After about 500 metres, take the path on the right
  10. 9 : mi 6.89 - alt. 840 ft - At Pierrefolle, take the path leading down to the
  11. 10 : mi 7.46 - alt. 748 ft - Cross the Vauvre via the footbridge
  12. 11 : mi 8.41 - alt. 741 ft - :Back on the D72, turn left
  13. 12 : mi 8.86 - alt. 830 ft - At La Rillerie, turn right
  14. S/E : mi 9.15 - alt. 722 ft

Notes

A pleasant walk. Do, however, make sure you wear good walking shoes in wet weather.

Worth a visit

The old Mouches mill.
The old Cosset mill.
The Ribes mill.
The Hanged Men’s Oak (500 years old, sadly dead).
Chapin Mill.
The old Vauvre mill.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
JoséBernard
JoséBernard

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route with well-maintained paths and tracks, and very clear signposting.
Set amidst rolling countryside, the Vauvre winds its way from mill
to mill. In the woods of Villemort, you come face to face with
the Hanged Men’s Oak… As you head down towards Chapin Mill
, a little goat was wondering what on earth we were doing here!
There you go, plenty of surprises on these paths!!

Machine-translated

Baldner Daniel
Baldner Daniel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, varied route – highly recommended

Machine-translated

marchalombre3
marchalombre3

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 02, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A walk in the rain that gave me the chance to spot quite a few animals. There are several less interesting tarmac sections, but the paths through the woods and undergrowth make this a pleasant route. There are a few beautiful buildings, including mills along the river, and the ‘hanging oak’ in the heart of the woods, with its charming little legend attached to it.
The route on the map matches the actual route very well.

Machine-translated

bibi
bibi ★

Thank you for your feedback. Having read your comment, I’m not sure if you’ll be able to help us improve the description....
Kind regards

Machine-translated

martine randonnée
martine randonnée

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A short, easy walk in the countryside. A bit too much tarmac for my liking. The appeal lies in exploring an unmarked path; the short stretch along the water’s edge, the tall grass and the ‘wild’ paths make it a special spot for a short while. A very pretty forest with a very old oak tree, which died because it was badly pruned at some point (apparently).
I got a bit lost trying to get out of the forest and had to walk along a field between the ditch and the electric fence, doing a bit of acrobatics. A mini taste of adventure. I don’t know if it was the unclear directions or if I just had my mind elsewhere...
I’m setting off in a few hours for a completely different hike, the GR30 tour of the Auvergne lakes
See you soon
Martine

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.