The banks of the Échandon from Esvres

A walk accessible to all, passing through pretty hamlets on the slopes of the Indre and in the Échandon valley.
The charming village of Esvres.

Details

3224490
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.02 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 53 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 53 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 91 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 55 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Esvres (37320)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.28282° / E 0.78465°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1923SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park below in the car park near the tennis courts. The starting point is behind the dojo hall, next to the motorhome area.

(S/E) Head towards the railway line and cross it using the two pedestrian barriers. Watch out for trains. Turn left to take the bridge over the Indre.

(1) When you reach the road, turn right. Pass the Porte Joie mill on your right and continue uphill.

(2) When you reach the hamlet of Bas l'Hommais, pass the first road on your right. At the top of the hill, turn left. Continue for 100 metres, then turn left into the Hommaiserie passage. You will soon reach a small dirt track leading to La Birotte.

(3) After the farm sheds, at the junction with the road, turn left onto Chemin de la Birottte, which joins the D 85. Cross over and follow the road for 20 metres. Take the first left, which passes above the Château de la Vilaine, and then reach the Domaine de la Baudelière.

(4) Shortly after the fork, continue on the right along the path bordering the fields. Continue straight ahead. Cross the Sauquet road towards the Roche manor house and continue straight ahead.

(5) In the middle of the fields, leave the plateau and take the path in the middle of the three-way junction. Cross the small road and take the small path opposite that joins the road. Turn left and follow the road for 50 metres before turning right and crossing the Mouru.

(6) Follow the path along the Échandon. At the end of this path, turn left towards the river.

(7) Cross the bridge and climb the hill towards the Monchenain road.

(8) At the top of the hill, turn left onto theGR®. The route follows a path along the top of the hill before joining the road that descends towards Moulin Sauquet. The verges are wide, allowing you to walk safely.

(9) Shortly after the mill, take the road on the right. After the crossroads, a small path through the woods on the left, parallel to the road, allows you to walk away from the traffic. After crossing the level crossing, follow the road below the Château de la Vilaine.

(10) On the way, you can enjoy the rest area at the foot of the recently restored windmill. This ingenious system used to supply water to the estate using wind power. Continue to the level crossing.

(11) At the end of this road, cross the railway line again to reach the bridge over the Indre.

(1) Cross over and you will find the car park on your right (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 57 m - Car park next to the dojo. Cross the - L'Indre
  2. 1 : km 0.31 - alt. 57 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 0.8 - alt. 72 m - Hamlet of Bas l'Hommais
  4. 3 : km 1.31 - alt. 80 m - Chemin Birotte
  5. 4 : km 2.03 - alt. 80 m - Fork after La Baudelière
  6. 5 : km 3.66 - alt. 88 m - Path in the middle of the three-way junction
  7. 6 : km 4.56 - alt. 65 m - Crossing the Mouru stream
  8. 7 : km 5.44 - alt. 64 m - Cross the bridge over the - Échandon (rivière) à finaliser
  9. 8 : km 5.72 - alt. 87 m - Turn left at the fork.
  10. 9 : km 7.89 - alt. 61 m - Turn right after the Moulin Sauquet mill.
  11. 10 : km 8.85 - alt. 58 m - Stop at the wind turbine.
  12. 11 : km 9.23 - alt. 58 m - Crossing the railway line
  13. S/E : km 10.01 - alt. 57 m - Car park next to the dojo.

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 23104439

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk.

Machine-translated

denis.juanola
denis.juanola

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk that alternates between sunny country lanes, shaded woodland paths and streams, with a few pretty manor houses along the way. Only the final stretch along a small side road is less interesting (but you have to complete the circular route, after all!). The signposting is sometimes inadequate (particularly before the small bridge about halfway along the route), but you can manage without too much difficulty.

Machine-translated

User 23162378

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is accessible from Esvres station, approximately 500 metres from the starting point.

Machine-translated

Lapock
Lapock

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Group hike in fine weather after rain (too frequent this year)!
An interesting and varied walk with passages near castles, in the woods, over the beautiful Girault bridge, then along the beautiful meadows on the banks of the Echandon and finally the wind turbine. Obviously, there were some very muddy sections in the undergrowth, but no falls!
After lunch near the town hall, we followed the old stones trail in the town of Esvres (town website - tab: things to discover - tourism).
Thank you for this suggestion!

Machine-translated

pillowlava
pillowlava

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant short hike through fields and woods.
However, we did get stuck in a lot of mud, so it's best to do this in dry weather.
There are also numerous hunting hides, so take care during hunting season.
There is a picnic area on the way back, at the foot of the 19th-century Bollée windmill with information panels.
Including the picnic break, walking at a young child's pace and wading through mud, it took us more like 4 hours than the 2½ hours indicated.

Machine-translated

Pascale Charpentier
Pascale Charpentier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk in the countryside around Tours, with plenty of shade (much appreciated in the height of summer). The forest is magnificent (to be repeated in autumn).

Machine-translated

parimo
parimo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Machine-translated

michene
michene

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy hike, but it is best to start from the wind turbine.

Machine-translated

Toubs7
Toubs7

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

Beautiful hike. Please note that the Hommaiserie Pass is actually the Hommaisière Pass.

Machine-translated

FREDMAR376
FREDMAR376

I am glad you enjoyed this pleasant walk.
Have a good weekend.

Machine-translated

Géraud de BOISSET
Géraud de BOISSET

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No


A walk taken on a beautiful September morning. Very pleasant, with no difficult terrain (GPX file and detailed description). You follow the Echandon valley along the edge or through the woods, so you are in the shade the whole time. Points of interest include the old metal bridges over the Indre river at the start and end of the walk, the superb Gallo-Roman bridge at Pont Girault halfway along the route, and the beautiful Bollée windmill, which has been very well restored and showcased. Care should perhaps be taken in winter on the path between POIs 6 and 8, which can be muddy. Thank you for this charming new route.

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.