Circular route through the heart of Sologne via the GRP® trail from castle to castle...

Start at the car park along the main street, Rue Faubourg de Bretagne, opposite Rue de l’Église.

Yellow-red markings (old)

(S/E) Follow the main street (Faubourg Guyenne) in a south-south-westerly direction. Pass Route de Saint Cyr, then turn immediately right onto Route de Chambord. This section of^{the GR®} de Pays de Sologne is tarmac. Ignore the various side paths. Pass Étang le Paradis on your left; a bridge spans the Rau des Veillas.

(1) At the crossroads, keep left, then right. The tarmac gives way to a dirt track, with the path running alongside the Étang Bicêtre on your left. Ignore the various side paths, keeping west, then south-west.

(2) Pass the sports facilities on your right, cross Rue du Stade, then a path just before you reach the D33.

(3) Take the D33 on the left and turn immediately right. The^GR® de Pays de Sologne runs alongside the Étang de la Grande Pièce on the left, then past other ponds that are more or less visible depending on the vegetation. It becomes winding as it approaches the D22, Route de Muides.

(4) Turn right onto the Route de Muides then immediately left onto the Chemin du Moulin. Pass the Moulin de Varennes on your right

(5) At the junction with the tarmac Route de Rude Quenouille, turn in a zigzag

(6) At the crossroads, turn right onto Chemin de Varennes.

(7) At the junction with Route de Chambord, turn left This road passes through the village of Thoury. You can see the village church on your left, just after the junction with Route de Dhuizon, which then becomes Route de Crouy.

(8) Leave Route de Crouy behind and turn right onto Route de la Maugerie as you leave the village. This road becomes a dirt track at a place called La Maugerie.

(9) At the crossroads, turn right towards the south onto a grassy track known as ‘les Petits Prés’.

(10) At the fork, turn right onto the^GR® de Pays de Châteaux en Châteaux between the Loire and the Cher.

(11) Turn right onto the Allée de la Sologne to cross the D22 onto the Allée de Crouy. You will see an old farmhouse off the route, on the right-hand side, called La Bruyère-Marion.

(12) Continue straight ahead along the Allée de Crouy to the hamlet of Maucras.

(13) Go through the gate and, at the crossroads, turn left onto the Allée de la Biche. You can make a short detour to the Étang de Montperché, immediately on the right. Continue straight on at the ‘carrefour de l’étang’. Pass the Étang de la Varenne on your left.

^GR®3red-and-white markings (old)

(14) Turn left at the crossroads to head north-west. Cross the D22. You will see Château la Chevrolière on your left, then Étang des Veillas on your right.

(15) Turn right at the crossroads to take a partially blocked track, which is open to walkers. Progressing along this track can be difficult, with slippery sections, often made worse by damage caused by wild boars. Turn left as soon as possible, then cross the D13 (take care) after passing through a gate. The path, signposted ‘La Loire à vélo’, is initially tarmac, then becomes a forest track at a place called ‘La Ronce’. Ignore the turn-offs to the right.

(16) Ignore the turn-off to the left. The path runs alongside the Étang du Temple on your right. At the fork, turn onto the CR42, leaving the CR41 to your left.

(17) Turn left at the crossroads to take the CR22, which runs alongside the Étang de Fambron on your right. The track turns left.

(18) Turn right at the crossroads. Here, too, you can take a detour to admire the Grand Étang de Rhuys. The path becomes the CR22 as it crosses the D13 (take care).

(19) Leave the CR22 and turn right onto the CR23, which crosses the D13 again.

(20) Turn left towards the north at the junction. The lane heads north-west to the hamlet of La Platine.

(21) Take the CR20 or Chemin de la Platine on the left, then turn right where it meets the D13 to return to the village of La Ferté-Saint-Cyr. Turn left onto Route de Bonneville, then follow the main street, Faubourg Guyenne, to the car park (S/E).

The paths used, which are mainly forest tracks, are recognisable by their two well-defined ruts, which distinguish them from most private side roads.
Avoid this route in wet weather and during the hunting season.
Watch out for signs indicating private property. There are many of them and their placement is often confusing. Stick to the route and do not take shortcuts.
By mountain bike
These paths are more or less rideable depending on whether they are tarmac, gravel, stabilised with a surface, or bare earth.
In any case, this ride requires constant vigilance due to obstacles such as protruding roots, chestnuts fallen on the path, damage caused by wild boars, etc.
Telescopic forks are recommended, as are sturdy tyres.
Allow 4 hours to soak up the charms of the woodland, streams and ponds.

You’ll come across numerous ponds, particularly along the final third of the route, in a wooded area consisting of deciduous trees and a few scattered pine groves. To the south, the beautiful Boulogne national forest, made up mainly of oak trees, offers a landscape on the edge of the Sologne region’s pond-dotted countryside, reminiscent of the nearby Forest of Chambord.

Nearby: Château de Chambord, about ten kilometres to the west.