Watermills and fords between the Agréau and the Branlin

Start from the Place de la Liberté car park, very close to the town hall.

(S/E) Leave the car park heading towards the Botanical Gardens. At the crossroads, turn left and continue to the first path on the left. Follow this path up, cross a side street and you’ll come out at the foot of the church. Take the street on the right and turn left into Rue des Genêts (towards Tannerre-en-Puisaye). After about a hundred metres, turn right into Rue des Champs de l’Étang. Ignore the two side roads (dead ends) and continue until you reach the main road. Do not cross it; instead, turn left and keep to the left-hand verge.

(1) Turn left towards Le Sablon – Court Gain. Continue along this track and, at the end, take the path which soon leads into the woodland. Ignore the side paths (private access) and rejoin the D22 at a small pond on the right (please respect private property).

(2) Turn onto this road and follow it carefully, keeping to the right-hand verge. At the start of the right-angled bend in the road, carry on straight ahead towards Le Mouton along the track, which is initially tarmac-surfaced, then becomes a dirt track, and returns to tarmac as you approach La Sarauderie. Ignore the turn-off to the right by the house and head down towards Tannerre-en-Puisaye.

(3) At the T-junction, turn left and head downhill to the junction with the D7. Pass the town hall and continue towards the village centre.
After crossing the two bridges over the Branlin and, shortly after the wash house down below on the right, turn left into the street marked ‘No Entry’. When you reach the church, turn left to reach a path leading uphill on the right (signposted ‘le Ferrier Antique’).

(4) Turn right as you climb this path, walk alongside an orchard and enter the woodland.

(5) Turn left, ignoring the posts and signposts (see Practical Information). At the next junction, take the path on the left which angles sharply. When you reach the road, take it to the right and continue to a junction with several paths.

(6) Pass the path on the right and, shortly afterwards, turn left, walking past the base of the Croix Saint-Lazare onto a grassy, somewhat inconspicuous path. Continue until you reach a road crossing, which you should take by heading down to the left.

(7) After a right-then-left turn onto the D7, head down the track running alongside some greenhouses. Cross the bridge over the Branlin. Shortly after this bridge, turn right and, immediately, take the path up to the left. This section overlooks the site of an old watermill and, after a series of bends, leads onto a tarmac road. Pass the turnings leading to private properties to arrive in front of the Domaine Sylvarie. Continue by turning left past the estate’s recycling point. You’ll reach a crossroad.

(8) Cross it and continue along the grassy track which leads to a T-junction.

(9) Turn left and head towards the D18.

(10) Cross this road with care and head down the small street leading off at an acute angle. Cross the Agréau via the two successive footbridges and follow the single path uphill (there are no side paths on this section). This takes you through a cereal-growing area and leads to the Ferme des Fourrés. Walk past the metal silos, turn left and then immediately right to rejoin a tarmac access road which leads to the D207.

(11) Take this road on the left, taking care, and follow it to the next junction, ignoring the two access roads to the Ferme des Pernets.

(12) Turn left – take care when taking this road – and head downhill to the junction formed by Rue du Lavoir and Rue des Lagunes. Do not turn into either of these streets, but instead take a path on the right that runs beneath the gardens of the properties on Rue des Lavoirs. Follow this path, which is a little damp in places, to reach the bottom of the Botanical Gardens. Cross the garden from bottom to top to return to the car park (S/E).

There are many junctions within the Ferrier de la Garenne. The entire site, part of which is listed as a Historic Monument, is criss-crossed by signposted trails. You can explore part of it by following the routes marked No. 75 (plus 1.6 km) or No. 4 (plus 2 km) via the website (5). To avoid getting lost, choose one or the other, bearing in mind that No. 4 is the most comprehensive.

This signposted route, which complies with the signposting guidelines of the Puisaye-Forterre Community of Communes, is marked with No. 82 on yellow-backed signs.
The signposting was carried out by the association ‘À chacun son chemin en Puisaye-Forterre’ (ACSCPF) in April 2023.
If you encounter any problems, please complete this questionnaire (it only takes 1 to 2 minutes).
Take care when crossing roads.
However, although the route is signposted, you must still set off with at least this route description and the accompanying IGN map and/or the Visorando app.

At (4), before taking the path leading to the Ferrier Antique, a return trip to the Lavoir du Ferrier by heading down the lane on the left is well worth the detour.
At (12), after crossing the road, a path branches off to the right leading to the ‘miraculous spring’ and the Sainte-Geneviève Chapel. A return trip is possible, bearing in mind that these sections are on private land but can still be accessed.
In Villeneuve-les-Genêts, the village church is well worth a visit. The murals, and its imposing roof structure, shaped like an upturned ship’s hull and supporting a slender bell tower. Keys and information leaflets are available at the community café (opposite). Note the scallop shell engraved on one of the access steps, as well as the statue of Saint James and his dog on an interior wall.