Tour de Viviers

Park in the Place de l’Église in Torcé-Viviers.

(S/E) With the church on your left, leave the village via Rue du Bois (Route de Saint-Denis d’Orques, D146) and follow it for about 700 metres.

(1) Turn right towards La Croix Mallard and drive past the hamlet.

(2) Turn left to cross the courtyard of La Haute-Croix-Mallard, then turn right and follow the forest track up towards the ridge of La Grande Charnie. Here you can see a high sandstone wall made from stone from the Armorican Massif. This quarry was worked until the end^{of the 19th century}to supply many of Paris’s paving stones. At the junction, continue straight on for 150m.

(3) Turn right and continue in the same direction (north-west) until you reach a small road. Follow the signposting (No. 27). Turn left, continue straight on towards the Tuileries junction, then carry on westwards.

(4) Turn left 50 metres before the D210 for another detour through the woods, before rejoining the departmental road.

(5) Cross the road (take care) and head down the opposite side along a winding, recently cleared path towards Les Tonnelières. Then turn left onto the road. Continue to the crossroads.

(6) Head downhill to the right. Pass La Renardière on your left. In the bend after La Renardière, leave the wide track by turning left towards La Loge.

(7) At a place called La Loge, turn left heading due north to join the D9. Cross with care, then head up the opposite side to the reservoir–water tower.

(8) Follow a new ridge line to the right (east) until you reach the D618.

(9) Follow the road to the right for about 200 metres, then turn left.

(10) Walk alongside a small pond on your right and, at the junction just after it, continue straight on along the Chemin de la Brunette. You’ll come out onto the main street of Viviers-en-Charnie. Then turn right, walk past the Town Hall and head for the Place de l’Église (S/E).

(1) 100m away, lake: toilets, shelters, picnic tables

(3) You can take a detour via Le Tertre-Blanc, the highest point in La Charnie (286m), to see the statue of the Sacred Heart.

Find all the walks suggested by the Sainte-Suzanne les Coëvrons Tourist Office at www.coevrons-tourisme.com.

- Statue of the Sacred Heart: This statue was erected in 1946, following a vow made by the parish priests and mayors of Torcé and Viviers during the last war.
The work of the Parisian sculptor Georges Serraz, it is made of solid, coloured concrete.
Remains of sandstone quarries can be found nearby.