Vieux Hameaux trail in Juigné-sur-Loire

On the outskirts of Angers, discover the banks of the Loire, the vine-covered hillsides, the remains of the slate quarries and stroll through the hamlet of Martigneau with its traditional schist houses.

Details

228543
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.81 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 34 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 30 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 49 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 18 m

Description of the walk

The marking of this route is in green.

(S/E) From the church car park, walk down to the edge of the boire (pond on the banks of the Loire) and turn left. Walk along the boire to a large car park, then cross the D132 and take the Chemin de la Carinière on the right. Continue straight ahead for about 2 km.

(1) Just before the ring road, turn left at the hut and continue to the D751. Cross the road and take the Chemin du Champ Vallée opposite.

(2) About 100 metres after a crossroads, turn right onto Chemin de la Venelle. At the road, turn left then immediately right and follow the path, ignoring any paths coming from the left or right.

(3) After 1 km, turn left at a right angle and follow the path that winds through the vineyard. Take the road on the left and then the first path on the right. Turn left and then right and join a wide lane where you turn left.

(4) Continue along a tarmac road, turn right twice to take a wide farm track until you reach a small road.

(5) Follow this road to the right for about 100 metres and, at the bend, continue straight on towards Martigneau. At the crossroads after the first houses, turn left into the village and cross it, following Rue de la Coudre straight ahead. At the exit of the hamlet, at a small private pond, take the old railway line on the left.

(6) At the stop sign, turn left onto Chemin des Ormeaux and then immediately turn left. At the three-way junction, turn left towards Chaillou Blanc. Pass the hamlet and continue to a crossroads.

(7) Turn left, then take the path on the right that runs alongside a pond and leads to a fork at the entrance to the locality. Take the path on the left, then turn right at the next crossroads to rejoin the road leading to the D 751. Turn left, pass in front of the sports grounds and continue to the departmental road.

(8) Cross and immediately turn right, following the road through Les Garennes (former slate mines). Just before reaching the first houses, leave the road and take a path on the left. Turn left again, pass under the power line and follow the stream again to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 20 m - Parking lot - Église Saint-Germain (Juigné-sur-Loire)
  2. 1 : km 2.46 - alt. 19 m - Crossroads before the ring road
  3. 2 : km 3.7 - alt. 35 m - Bifurcation
  4. 3 : km 4.68 - alt. 40 m - 90° bend
  5. 4 : km 5.74 - alt. 36 m - Tarmac road
  6. 5 : km 7.1 - alt. 41 m - Small road
  7. 6 : km 9.23 - alt. 49 m - Stop sign
  8. 7 : km 10.85 - alt. 39 m - Crossroads
  9. 8 : km 12.75 - alt. 25 m - Route D751
  10. S/E : km 14.81 - alt. 20 m - Parking lot - Église Saint-Germain (Juigné-sur-Loire)

Worth a visit

Church: its bell tower was originally located at the entrance to the choir. In 1853, it collapsed and the nave and aisles were rebuilt. The oldest part of the church (11th and 12th centuries) is listed as a historic monument. The choir is an example of the Angevin style known as Plantagenêt (13th century).

Monastery: (private residence): this former presbytery from the 15th and 17th centuries is a vast building with grand fireplaces. Its exterior is remarkably landscaped in the French style.

Vieux Louet: an old, half-filled branch of the Loire. In the Middle Ages, fishing and fish farming were practised on a large scale. The Vieux-Louet was therefore dug out and widened to form a pond attracting the best fish in the Loire: salmon, eels, pike and perch.

Pont du Magasin: along the road leading to this bridge were warehouses called Grands Magasins and Petits Magasins. The gabares, flat-bottomed boats specifically designed for navigation on the Loire, reached the river via a channel half-filled with silt, ending at the port of La Touchetterie. Two local products were shipped: one industrial, slate, and the other agricultural, wheat and wine barrels.

Parc intercommunal des Garennes: these former slate quarries, which were in full operation in the 15th century, supplied the slate used to rebuild the city of London (1666) following the fire that ravaged it. A 26-hectare nature park.

Fief de la Thioire: former hunting lodge dating from the 17th century.

Chaillou Blanc: (private residence): old 18th-century dwelling, surrounded by pastures, abandoned around 1950. Part of the buildings were restored around 1990.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 17 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
F C
F C
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike to discover this region (vineyards, traditional buildings, etc.). Before reaching the finish line, after the point (8), we extended the route to follow the banks of the Loire for a while... It would be a shame not to see it when you're so close!
Using GPS, there were no particular problems following this 17 km route, including our little detour. It took us 3 hours and 35 minutes to complete this easy, flat route. Thank you for making the route available!

Machine-translated

MichelBar
MichelBar

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is very good, lots of slate and vineyards, easy going, almost entirely flat. The signposting is very good, no trouble finding your way. The only snag is that in the description the route is marked in red, but in reality it is marked in green. Apart from that, it's a very beautiful walk.

Machine-translated

PhilB2
PhilB2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

However, the markings are green and not red as indicated, except for the GR section, which is obviously red and white.

Machine-translated

Gerard273
Gerard273

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A lovely walk around Juigné with no particular difficulties.

Machine-translated

Zab
Zab
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route. You need to follow the green markings rather than the red ones, as it has been slightly modified. There is a sign in the car park showing the new green route. The description provided by Visorando is helpful. I recommend it.

Machine-translated

THOUZARD
THOUZARD

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The markers for this hike are now green.

Machine-translated

Rando3749
Rando3749

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

No orientation issues
A pleasant hike despite the slightly muddy paths, but that's the season ...
Thank you, Viso Rando

Machine-translated

isato
isato

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Great diversity of landscape, typical villages, tourist attractions and history.
Shaded areas in forests or on the edge of woods and among vineyards.
Signposting is clear and well maintained, although sometimes a little small

There are other shorter routes suggested on the church signs that are not available on the app.

Thank you for the app

Machine-translated

Keric
Keric

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Shortly before marker 8, after the sports fields, it is best to leave Chemin du Bois Guillou on the right and follow the red markings: the path through Parc des Garennes allows you to avoid the section of the D751.

Machine-translated

dcom
dcom

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Certain sections of the hike are not particularly interesting and could be omitted (go from point 4 to point 6 via Martigneau, which is worth a visit)
From point 8, you can follow the marked path, which avoids having to take the road.

For those who do not wish to take their car, they can take bus no. 3 to Bosquet, then take the GR3 to join the route.

Thank you for your work

Denis Comerre

Machine-translated

PapyFlash
PapyFlash

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Our first hike with VisoRando. A simple, short hike. There are a few minor errors in the route, which I could correct if I knew how!

Machine-translated

MENOU
MENOU

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

markings missing in several places and often obscured by dense vegetation (time wasted)

Machine-translated

lavetubes
lavetubes
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very beautiful hike and a wonderful time spent surrounded by stunning scenery.
Start from the church car park, where a sign/map shows three routes. The hike is marked in red, and the route is accurate (which is not always the case... )

The hike description is very good. It was very useful in helping us find our way at certain key points:

-Be careful in the vineyards (between points 3 and 4), as the markings are often close to the ground.
-Pay attention at point 7, the path on the right after the crossroads is not marked, it is a small grassy path about 50 metres from the crossroads on the right. Do not go beyond the vineyards. Once you have taken this direction, there is a small pond about 200 metres to your left.

Otherwise, the map and descriptions are impeccable and accurate

we'll happily do it again!

Machine-translated

ni-ni
ni-ni

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

thank you for your help with this hike

Machine-translated

amismarcheurs
amismarcheurs

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk in the Anjou countryside between the Loire and vineyards, with little tarmac.

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.