Saint-Martin-lès-Melle walks

This walking route focuses on exploring Melle’s narrow streets and ends with a very pleasant stroll along the River Argentière. However, this walk also allows you to discover the main monuments of the town of Melle (see the section ‘During the walk or nearby’).

A circular walk offering varied scenery with little elevation gain. This hike alternates between footpaths and a few sections on minor roads. It offers views of the Château des Ouches, the Moulin des Ouches and the Chapelle de Saint-Faziol.

This route follows part of the Sentier de la Découverte and then the Ruban Vert (Melle–Celles-sur-Belle), which follows the route of the old single-track railway line. A lovely, easy walk along wide paths, shaded for most of the way. Suitable for all weathers.

A walk around Melle offering views of its trio of Romanesque churches, a chance to explore two wash houses and the Frankish kings’ silver mines. You’ll walk along the discovery trail through a unique arboretum.

A lovely walk on the Mellois plateau. Varied landscapes with a mix of fields and wooded areas. Passing through the villages of Negresauve and Le Luc de Verrines, in particular, offers a good view of traditional architecture.

A pleasant route in a little-known corner of the Mellois plateau. It allows you to discover varied landscapes, partly by following an old railway line converted into a path, crossing hamlets (Le Petit Beauvais, La Rorserie, Etrochon) with traditional buildings, sometimes running alongside the Berlande with its Moulin de Génebrie mill, and ending at the Cure du Prieuré de Mazières sur Béronne and its wash house. This walk follows part of theGR®655, one of the routes to Santiago de Compostela.

A pleasant hike leading to the Métairie aux Moines, the Bois d'Enfiré, the hamlet of La Carte and the Fontaine de la Belle. Discover a beautiful fountain nestled in the valley after the hamlet of La Carte. The hike is mostly shaded and, in the second half, runs along the La Belle river for a while.

A lovely, varied route with beautiful sections through woodland or along a river (the Marseillaise). You’ll also discover local crops. As throughout the Pays Mellois, traditional architecture is evident, with a particular highlight being the charming village of Coubortiges. This route alternates between wide farm tracks, a few sections of narrower paths and links along quiet roads.

A pleasant walk through a hilly area south of Pouffonds and across the plateau to the east. This route begins with a walk mainly along small roads until you reach the wonderful village of Coubortiges, with its many well-restored old houses. It continues through the countryside, with its varied crops, in search of an ancient Roman road which you follow in the second half of this walk. This nature-filled route is suitable for all weather conditions.

A beautiful walk that takes you across three rivers: the Coudrières stream, the Berlande and the Marseillaise. The route offers varied landscapes, combining the Mellois plateau with its diverse crops and the valley floors as you cross the three rivers that cut through the plateau in this area.

A pleasant walk combining heritage discoveries with a chance to enjoy nature.

This walk takes you on a route through the Bois de Celles. The route allows you to discover varied landscapes of woodland and farmland, as well as traditional local architecture as you pass through the hamlet of La Garzelle.

An easy walk in the woods of Celles-sur-Belle with minimal elevation changes. At the start and finish, there are beautiful views of Celles-sur-Belle Abbey. This walk offers a variety of landscapes around the village. The route also takes you past a remarkable tree, the “Talle à Teurtous” (see “During the walk and nearby”).

A lovely walk through varied terrain, passing two springs, the Fontaine du Triangle and the Fontaine de l’Anguillière, and close to the source of the Sèvre Niortaise. This route follows mainly farm tracks with a few sections on minor roads. The landscape is pleasant and varied.

A pleasant walk around the River Belle between the villages of Montigné and Verrines-sous-Celles. Along this route, you’ll find beautiful views of the Belle Valley, wash houses and traditional buildings. But also river crossings over stone bridges, wash houses and wells, the church at Verrines and, next to it, a bread oven.

A route designed to help you discover springs and wash houses located near the River Belle between Périgné and Montigné. The route alternates between farm tracks and quiet country lanes (as evidenced by the grass growing there). The walk passes close to the Château de la Forge and alongside the Château de la Guittonnière

A beautiful, varied walk starting around Lac du Lambon and continuing through a hilly area and across the Mellois plateau, dotted with numerous castles, manor houses and other traditional buildings. Note the many shaded paths, sometimes running between embankments, which lend a special charm to this route.

A lovely route through varied, undulating terrain, part of which goes around the Plan d’Eau du Lambon. Stunning views of the lake and its leisure centre.

The Lambon Valley is a magnet for visitors thanks to its terrain and scenery. The springs and wash houses in its villages punctuate this walk. Family cemeteries will be visible during this walk, as well as boundary stones evoking the period of the ‘desert’ from 1685 to 1787. Similarly, umbrella pines serve as a welcoming symbol for Protestants.

A very pleasant walk with little elevation gain across the plain around the villages of Lusseray, Chérigné and Luché-sur-Brioux, offering views of beautiful wash houses and fountains flowing into the River Dauphin. The quality of the paths (over 50% of the route) and the quiet country lanes (over 30% of the route) make for a peaceful walk, allowing you to enjoy the shade and the scenery throughout the journey.

A pleasant route through varied terrain. Moderate elevation gain. Offers the chance to discover two traditional regional wash houses and historic water-based structures, as well as the resurgence of the Somptueuse.

A walk with little elevation gain on the Mellois plateau in the Sainte-Blandine area. This route alternates between farm tracks and quiet country lanes used only by local residents. This walk offers the chance to see Poitou donkeys when they are out in the pastures or grey mares (at several points along the route).

A pleasant walk starting from the Plan d’Eau du Lambon which, after a steep climb towards Gliére, reveals the bocage of this farming area. This route also allows you to discover the local heritage through the Couvent de Pié Foulard, the châteaux of Lussaudière and La Bessière, and traditional houses. The undulating landscape is very pleasant and offers a sense of peaceful tranquillity. This hike through Protestant country follows numerous paths and tracks between characteristic embankments.

This pleasant route will take you through several charming little villages that have retained their character. The first part of the route follows quiet, little-used roads, ideal for enjoying the peaceful landscape. The second part mainly follows dirt tracks, closer to nature. Throughout the hike, you will regularly follow the Belle and the Béronne, two rivers that bring freshness and gentleness to the route. You will also discover some traces of the local heritage, such as mills, wash houses and other water-related structures, which bear witness to the rural history of the region. A varied route, combining villages, nature and heritage, perfect for a rejuvenating walk.

A lovely walk on the Mellois plateau. Very little elevation gain. An easy route offering a glimpse of the countryside surrounding the town of Périgné. This walk follows good farm tracks, often shaded, and offers a lovely glimpse of a still-wooded area of the Mellois plateau. The quality of the paths also makes this hike suitable for mountain biking.

A walk of no great difficulty, set in wooded countryside with a variety of paths and trails, and small roads offering beautiful scenery. Some sections may be a little muddy if the weather is too wet.

This pleasant hike starts in Sepvret and takes you through beautiful landscapes, the sources of the Sèvre Niortaise, wash houses, a small mill and the Bregion dovecote with 2,200 nesting boxes.

A very pleasant walk in the woods starting from the Lac du Lambon car park. The circuit runs alongside the Lambon before leading to an old mill where there is a stone bridge to cross the river. The climb then continues along the ruins of the old village of Jean Migault, leading to the path taken on the way there, which you follow to return to the car park.

A walk through varied terrain on the plateau between the village of Prailles and Lake Lambon. This route allows you to discover the diversity of the wooded countryside to the north-west of Lake Lambon.

A pleasant hike on a plateau between Melle and Saint-Maixent, leading to the sources of the Lambon, one of the sources of the Sèvre Niortaise. This route across varied terrain allows you to enjoy the green, calm and relaxing countryside and discover many examples of the ancient architectural heritage of Poitou-Charentes through a number of well-restored houses and wash houses such as those in Goux and Grandes Fontaines.

A beautiful hike over varied terrain: the first part is in the gently rolling hills near La Couarde, followed by the second part through the Hermitain Forest. This route offers a wealth of discoveries: the Patriarch (a remarkable oak tree), the Font Querré fountain (see the legend described in the "During the hike" section), and the Stèle du Parterre.

A pleasant walk that begins in the Forêt de l'Hermitain, continues through the open countryside near Trémont after following the Chambrille stream, then across the plain near La Villédé and Vivier before returning to the Forêt de l'Hermitain via the Bois de la Gandissière.

A pleasant walk in the Boutonne Valley near Fontenille-Saint-Martin-d’Entraigues. Its moderate length and very gentle gradient make it a family-friendly walk. This route passes through an area of significant biodiversity, particularly at the Chaumes Pelés, which is a nature reserve home to a diverse range of wildlife and several species of orchids.

A pleasant hike around Aigonnay, offering a wonderful opportunity to discover a rich architectural and natural heritage. In particular, the Logis du Breuil, the wash houses and fountains of Arrignon, Trébot, etc., and beautiful landscapes along the Aigonnay river.