Landscapes of Touraine around Cléré-les-Pins

Access: in Cléré-les-Pins, at the church, take the D49 towards Savigné-sur-Lathan for just a few metres and park in the shaded car park on the right.

Please note! This route is not signposted as such

(S/E). At the car park entrance, a yellow sign indicates the direction of "Champchevrier" and "la Chaussée". On foot, follow this direction along a wide path. Pass the sports facilities before reaching another path. Turn right and, shortly afterwards, cross the D34 (take care!) and first turn right then left onto a small road that enters the woods. Further on, the road turns into a path, which you follow until you reach the Étang des Roucherets.

(1) Turn left. Further on, you will come to a meadow. Two paths branch off to the right. Take the one that runs closest to the meadow. Continue straight ahead on this path. Leave the woods and, shortly afterwards, the path veers to the left and turns into a small road at Chêneauboyer. Cross a small poplar grove and continue along this small road. Pass "Le Laurier" and "Le Village". Shortly afterwards, you will come to another small road.

(2) Leave "Le Pavillon" on your left and take the road on the right. On the left, note the rear of the Château de Champchevrier. Pass a small road on the right and continue straight ahead. The road turns left. Ignore a path on the right and continue along this road through horse pastures. The road veers to the right. Shortly afterwards, at "Chenil", turn right onto a path towards "la Conardière".

(3) Pass this farm and continue straight ahead on a grassy path. Further on, at an intersection, you will see yellow signs. Continue straight ahead towards "la Choquette", which you will reach 700 metres further on.

(4) Turn left towards "Pilandry". As you leave the woods, the path veers to the right, then to the left, before turning completely left. Further on, turn right to reach "l'Ouaillerie", where you will come out onto a small road opposite a pretty house. Continue straight ahead. Shortly afterwards, you will reach a farm and the road begins to curve to the right. Leave this road and continue straight ahead along a grassy path. Walk alongside the farm, then a ditch. Further on, you will reach a copse and then come out onto the D34.

(5) Cross (carefully!) and continue opposite on a grassy path. You will come to a small road, which you take to the right. Pass "La Guerrie" and arrive at a small pond. Continue straight ahead, then immediately turn left, opposite the gate of the house "La Calandrie", onto a grassy path. Enter the undergrowth. Further on, ignore a path that branches off to the right and continue straight ahead to "Pilandry".

(6) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead, passing two farmhouses. Further on, at the intersection, turn left and continue along this path until you reach a small road. Take it on the right until you reach the hamlet of Les Cormiers.

(7) Turn onto the first path on the left, which leads back. You are now on the^GR®® de Pays Castelvalère, marked in yellow and red, which you will follow until you reach your destination. Just after, at the crossroads, continue straight ahead. Further on, enter the undergrowth.

(8) At the next crossroads, turn right and continue straight ahead on this path. You will come to a path on the left which you take to walk alongside a pond. Continue on this path until you reach the D49.

(9) Cross (carefully!) to take the small road opposite. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on the right and continue straight ahead on the road through the woods. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead. The road turns left at "Miraudries". Shortly afterwards, cross the D70 and continue straight ahead towards "Moulin Fermé", following a marshy pond on your right.

(10) Shortly after "Moulin Fermé", as the road turns right, turn left onto a path. Then turn again onto the first path on the left, just before a housing development. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead. You will come out onto the D70, which you take to the right to quickly reach the church of Cléré-les-Pins and the car park (D/).

The paths can be muddy, even in summer, or overgrown with tall grass. So wear good shoes and cover your legs.

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

The main attraction of this trail is the feeling of being alone in the world, in an almost deserted and silent countryside. Even around the castle, which you approach from the rear, everything is calm. Only the dogs will notice you...

(2) The Château de Champchevrier. Dating from the 16th and 17th centuries and surrounded by moats. It was frequented by Louis XI and Louis XIII, who came to hunt on this estate. It is still richly decorated, notably with 17th-century tapestries. Beautiful collection of copper kitchen utensils.

(7) The hamlet of Les Cormiers. Formerly a stopping place for farmers who left Bourgueil with their herds of piglets to sell them at the markets in Paris.

Between (9) and the next crossroads, at the very beginning of summer, you will find delicious wild strawberries on the side of this small road.