Moulins du Loiret from the Parc du Donjon

Depart from the large car park at Parc du Donjon (open between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.). To get there, take Rue de la Trésorerie, which runs parallel to the A71 motorway (west side).

(S/E) From the car park, follow the road north, with the mound of earth on your left. At the roundabout, turn right towards the bridge over the motorway, Rue de la Fougère.

(1) At the crossroads, turn right onto the gravel lane. Pass the first path. Turn left onto a gravel lane at the second intersection. Ignore the side roads.

(2) Turn right at the hairpin bend at the junction with Rue des Plaisses, then after 200 m, turn left onto the path between the houses. Continue to Rue Saint-Martin, where you will turn left. At the roundabout, do not take the cycle/footpath that runs alongside Avenue Victor Hugo, but continue north on the less busy street. Keep right on Rue de la Vallée, which crosses the road.

(3) Shortly after Rue de l'Yvette on the right, leave the tarmac and take the path on the left. Go through two gates, then cross Rue du Clos de la Vallée and continue north on Sentier de la Vallée until you reach the main road, Rue du Général de Gaulle. Cross it to go around the magnificent Saint-Martin Church. To do this, turn right onto Rue Pierre Beaulieu, which curves to the right to join the main road. Cross it again to take Rue de la Vallée at the war memorial opposite.

(4) After 100 metres, leave the tarmac road and take Sentier de Fakenham on the left. This leads to a square with a children's playground, which you will go around. Continue along the very narrow alleyway that leads to Rue du Pressoir Tonneau.

(5) Turn left and cross the main road to enter Parc du Poutyl. Follow the wide path, then take the trail that goes around a building. Turn right as soon as possible to exit Poutyl (gate), turning left and then following Rue Paul Genain eastwards. Take the first street on the right, Rue Victor Manche.

(6) After 100 metres, leave the tarmac road and take Allée Thomas Mesmin on the left. Turn left onto Rue Marcel Belot (footpath).

(7) Cross the Loiret via the footbridge next to the bridge.

Yellow-red markings (^GR® de Pays Sentier Historique de la Vallée des Rois)

(8) Take the left-hand lane at the roundabout with the flower clock, Rue Albert Barbier. Stay on this street until you reach a crossroads shortly after Rue des Violettes on your right. Turn left at the crossroads and then immediately right onto Sentier des Prés. The paved section is followed by a path that runs alongside the Loiret (former towpath), passes a guinguette (open-air café) and then crosses the Loiret to reach the Moulin de Saint-Samson. Turn onto the Sentier des Martinets just after the mill. The path runs alongside a children's playground and then leads to Rue de la Mothe, which you take to the right. The lane crosses a branch of the Loiret after the Moulin de la Mothe.

No signposts

(9) Turn left at the Moulin des Béchets, Rue du Bac (see alternative route).

(10) Shortly after the Moulin du Bac, stay on Rue du Bac, uphill, until you reach the departmental road, where you turn right. Turn left at the first street after 50 metres.

(11) At the intersection, continue along the grassy path parallel to the motorway, then turn right onto the cross path (educational sign about local archaeological excavations) and immediately turn left along the edge of the motorway. The grassy path leads to a stabilised lane on the left.

(1) At the intersection you encountered on the way there, make a sharp right turn to cross the motorway and continue straight ahead on the road followed by a stabilised lane that runs alongside the Donjon and then enters the woods.

(12) Turn left at the junction onto the wide path lined with the Donjon fence on your left, then enter the park via the chicane under the power lines. The path leads to the sports facilities, which you will bypass on the right by following the forest path. Take the stabilised lane lined with trees between the various sports fields and go through the gate to reach the car park (S/E).

An alternative route, bringing the distance to 16.8 km, consists of continuing straight ahead at (9) (Moulin des Béchets on the left) then turning left onto the Sentier de la Fosse Marion as soon as you cross the Loiret. The path follows the Loiret as closely as possible, passes under the motorway and then ends at Les Tacreniers. You have to cross the Loiret by walking alongside the mill on the left and ignoring the "Private property" sign. This sign reminds you that all the paths along the Loiret are private (the property extends to the middle of the river). However, these paths are subject to a right of way (the^GR® de Pays historic trail of the Valley of Kings is affected). Once you have crossed the Loiret, turn left onto Chemin des Tacreniers, which runs alongside the river, to return to (10).

The alternative route offers a beautiful view of the north side of the Château du Rondon (retirement home).

The walk offers beautiful views of the mills and the Château du Rondon (alternative route).
You can linger on the banks of the Loiret (open-air café, restaurants) and in the parks of the Donjon and Poutyl.