Short circular loop from Ceaux-en-Loudun

The walk starts at Étang d’Arbonneau, situated to the north of the village of Ceaux-en-Loudun and accessible via a small road that ends in a stony track. Parking is available on two large grassy areas, to the left or right at the end of the track.

Yellow markings
Markers or arrows on small wooden signposts at junctions (no markings away from junctions). The markings are one-way, in the direction of this description.

(S/E) Set off north-west, i.e. along the stony track you arrived on by car.

(1) Leave the track when it turns right and turn left onto a wide path through the woods. Ignore a path on the right. Turn right with the path (bend not shown on the map) and come out at a T-junction.

(2) Then turn left (south; no signpost here). Cross a forest track, the left-hand branch of which leads to Château d’Artigny. Leave the woods, walk alongside a hedge on your right, then head between the fields. Pass the foot of a large oak tree and ignore the path leading off to the right towards a ruined house. Come out onto a small road and follow it to the left.

(3) At the junction (cross on the right), carry on straight ahead along the small road and pass through the hamlet of Bois Béranger. Shortly afterwards, before the top of a small ‘bump’, leave the road and turn left onto a farm track which skirts a field on the right. Then head north-east along the edge of the woodland on your right. Ignore a path leading to a group of buildings on the left; note the Château d’Artigny further on to the left, and continue to the end of the track.

(4) At the T-junction, turn right and ignore a path leading to a market garden plot on the left (private property). Pass a hedge and turn immediately left onto a grassy track. Pass the Fontaine Chamaillard on your left (a small pond) and head north-north-east, with a hedge on your left and fenced meadows on your right, until you come out onto a small road (with a view of the Château de Basché on the right).

(5) Continue north-north-east along the small road. Just past the house at the hamlet of La Judellière, turn left onto a grassy track. Cross a stream and, at the Fork in the road that appears immediately, take the left-hand path.

(6) At the next fork, take the path on the right (the one on the left is a shortcut; see the practical information). Cross a small copse and then walk along the edge of the woodland on your left. Go round the Besnarderie estate on the right (wall on your left). You’ll come out onto a small road; follow it to the left.

(7) When you reach a white gate on the left-hand side, leave the road and turn right (west-north-west) onto a grassy track (ignore the ‘No vehicles over 3.5 tonnes’ sign on your left). At the crossroads, carry on straight ahead. At the next junction, on the edge of a woodland, turn left onto a farm track. At the next junction, veer slightly to the right. Then ignore a path coming from the right and reach the small road leading to the pond (oratory).

(8) Then turn sharply left and follow the road for about 150 metres. Before a row of trees, turn right (south-east) onto a grassy track between the fields. At the next junction, turn left and walk along the edge of the woodland on your right. At the next junction, turn right onto the stony track you took to reach the starting point by car. Turn right with the track and reach the fork you took at the start of the walk.

(1) Stay on the track which turns left and quickly leads to the car park by the pond (S/E).

The walk follows well-maintained paths or minor roads with very little traffic: unless the weather is very wet, good trainers are sufficient for this walk.

There are places to have a picnic by the Étang d’Arbonneau. No water sources were spotted along the route.

The walk crosses private property: please take care to respect the land.

A 1:25,000 map is useful (at the very least, the one accompanying this description).

Alternative route and extension:
- At the fork (6), by taking the left-hand path (south-west) which leads into the woodland, you can reach Étang d’Arbonneau directly (signposted). This shortens the route by around 2.5 km.
- A walk around Étang d’Arbonneau makes a lovely addition to this short walk: the route is easy to follow and adds a few hundred metres to the distance.

Hike undertaken by the author on 26 August 2016.

- Château d’Artigny (16th–19th centuries).
- Château de Basché (12th–17th centuries).
- Étang d’Arbonneau.