Marshland and castle in Talmont-Saint-Hilaire

This route will introduce you to the town of Talmont with its marshes fed by the Payré River, which flows through the village of Talmont, also famous for its castle built by Richard the Lionheart.

Details

1506400
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.32 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 48 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 57 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 29 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2 m

Photos

Description of the walk

In Rue des Ribandeaux, park as far back as possible.

(S/E) Take this street heading south. Take the second path on the left at the foot of the embankment. Continue for 160 metres and at the crossroads, take the path on the right marked by wooden barriers. Continue to the viewpoint.

(1) Panoramic view of the marshes and Talmont with its church and castle. Several information panels are provided. Descend by taking the path on your left. After the barrier, turn right to pass under the road and follow the winding path to the first junction of the Grand Ribandeau.

(2) Turn left onto Chemin de la Vignolière, a very shady sunken lane. View of the marshes through the gaps. Continue along this path to its end, where it joins the road to the hamlet of La Vignolière.

(3) Beautiful view of the marshes. At this intersection, turn right onto the road and continue to the Malvoie road. Turn left onto the road that descends.

(4) At the stop sign, turn left. At the next intersection, stay on the left on the Route des Eaux. After 300 metres, take the path on the left (signposted "La Vendée à vélo") and follow it to the Cul d'Âne footbridge. You can see the stone sluices used to supply the marsh with water or not, depending on the tides. Some of the stone locks are old, while others have been renovated.

(5) Take the footbridge. You will cross the marshes and the Payré. Follow the La Vendée à vélo path. At the first fork, turn left and follow the path. Note the view on the left over the Talmont marshes and on the right over the Guittière marshes. Walk alongside a vineyard.

(6) At the next crossroads where the roads meet, take the left-hand road. Pass in front of the Bourie farm. When you reach the intersection with Rue du Port de la Guittière, turn right and then immediately left into Rue des Pougnerottes. Then turn into the first road on the left and continue to the end of this road, which leads to the bottom of the Talmont bypass.

(7) Take the path on the left, which will bring you back to the foot of the bridge. Cross the Route du Port de la Guittière and turn right towards Talmont. After 450 metres, you will reach the intersection with Rue de la Tonnelle (second road on the left). There is a beautiful view of the castle, church and village of Talmont.

(8) Go down this very steep street. At the roundabouts, keep left to take the second road on the left, Rue du Marais Potet. Cross the bridge over the Payré.

(9) Turn right immediately onto the footpath that runs alongside the Payré (car park on the left). Cross Avenue des Sables and take the small passageway to the left of the bridge that goes down along the river. You will find a footbridge 80 metres further on with the town hall on your left. Turn left towards the town hall and take the passageway on the right-hand side of the building. Continue straight ahead along this passageway until you reach the foot of the castle.

(10) Walk along the left side of the castle and follow Rue des Jardins to the right. Go up this street and take the path on the right just above the car park.

(11) At the first intersection, turn left (towards Vierge) and continue to the T-junction. Turn left. Cross Avenue des Sables and continue straight ahead along Rue des Demoiselles (past a car wash). At the end of this street, go straight ahead down the passageway, which is closed to all vehicles.

(12) At the end of this passage, cross Rue des Marais and follow the path downhill opposite. This is a shaded path with views of the marshes. Follow it to the entrance to a field marked by wooden barriers. Walk along the left side of the field. At the corner, take the wooded passage on the left marked by barriers. When you reach the gravel path, take the open path on the right which leads back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 29 m - Ribandeaux car park
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 25 m - Belvedere
  3. 2 : km 1.37 - alt. 27 m - Le Grand Ribandeau
  4. 3 : km 2.56 - alt. 10 m - La Vignolière
  5. 4 : km 3.49 - alt. 12 m - Stop before La Malvoie
  6. 5 : km 4.46 - alt. 3 m - Cul d'Âne footbridge
  7. 6 : km 5.84 - alt. 7 m - Road on the left
  8. 7 : km 8.02 - alt. 25 m - Path on the left
  9. 8 : km 8.67 - alt. 28 m - Carrefour Rue de la Tonnelle
  10. 9 : km 9.15 - alt. 4 m - Path on the right after the bridge
  11. 10 : km 9.53 - alt. 5 m - Talmont Castle
  12. 11 : km 9.79 - alt. 15 m - Intersection (Vierge)
  13. 12 : km 10.04 - alt. 12 m - Rue des Marais
  14. S/E : km 11.32 - alt. 29 m - Ribandeaux car park

Notes

(10) Refreshments and food are available at Place du Château.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
vince @33
vince @33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful walk, superb views and colours, and a wonderful church that is not to be missed!!!

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CHOMCHOM
CHOMCHOM

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk through the marshes.

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bernard coulomb
bernard coulomb

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

There are a few stretches of road between the various points of interest, but these are offset by the particularly photogenic scenery of the marshlands.
Don't miss the ruins of the dovecote (around 1,000 preserved nesting boxes) and mill, 300 metres after point 4, which are marked by an information board at the side of the road.
No problem following the route with GPS.

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HubHub61
HubHub61

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Great hike. Sometimes it felt like I was alone in the world in certain areas (it was September too...). Beautiful views of the marshes and castles.

A few small "extensions" would be welcome:
- Towards the Hautes Mers dovecote and the mill a little further on, for example.
- Similarly, the passage between the Payré channel footbridge and the Guittière farm would be better taken further south to get a good view of the Guittière salt marshes. In the recommended passage, you are high up, but on one side the hedges make it difficult to see the marshes to the north, and to the south you mainly have a view of the arable fields and little of the marsh.
- Finally, when you enter Talmont, a slight detour via the old railway line is welcome. Continue along Rue du Port de la Guittière until you reach Chemin des Petits Bregeons on the right, then turn left onto Rue de l'Océan and immediately right onto the old railway line to reach Rue des Barges.

Enjoy your walk!

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HPBTB
HPBTB
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful route, shame that there is a section that is too much road. The local authority should try to create a protected path along the La Guittiere road in the village of Talmont.

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JANOU
JANOU

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed in magnificent, ideal weather.
Very beautiful views, very beautiful landscapes.

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catherineg23
catherineg23

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk in the marshes and the weather was ideal. The paths were easy to walk on.
The description was accurate. Perhaps the following points could be clarified:

At the start: Indicate that you need to follow the sign for "Belvédère, table d'orientation" once you have parked in the car park.
Point 10: When leaving the Hôtel de Ville passage, specify that you should turn left and, after the car park, take the small Jardins road on the right.

If you follow the description carefully, you will not be on the road except between points 6 and 7.

To be redone.

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cali085
cali085

Hello,
Can you tell me in what ways the reliability of the description is disappointing, as well as the reliability? At the end of 2018, the description and reliability were rated very good. Have there been any changes to the paths?

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randonneuse85
randonneuse85

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Too many difficulties on the route, which is a shame because it's a great walk and a real discovery.

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netphi@sfr.fr
netphi@sfr.fr

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

The route is very well described and mapped out, but very disappointing as 80% of it is on tarmac roads, some of which have heavy traffic.
This route would be more suitable for cyclists. I won't be doing it again on foot.
Kind regards.

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