Villemaréchal – Les Closeaux

Parking is available at the Villemaréchal village hall.

(S/E) On leaving the car park, turn left onto the road towards the cemetery. After about 50 metres, follow the path leading uphill to the right. After about 200 metres, at the junction, take the path on the right. This path crosses Rue du Tremblay. Continue straight ahead along the path opposite.

(1) At the crossroads where four paths meet, take the second path on the left (south-east).

(2) At the Y-junction, take the path on the right alongside the gardens. At the next Y-junction, turn left. N.B. The ‘Z’ route you have just taken avoids the dangerous bend on the D218.

Walk through the hamlet of the White Cross and turn right onto the second path (Chemin de la Mairie).
At the end, turn left then right onto the small road (Route de la White Cross).

(3) Leave the road and follow the path on the left up into the woods. This path veers to the left and, at the second junction, turn right. Follow the edge of the woods. This downhill path veers to the right and comes out onto a small road. Turn right, reach Rue de Lorrez, and then turn left onto it.

(4) Turn right onto Rue des Moulins.

(5) Walk past the mill on the Lunain. At the junction at the end of the street, turn left onto Impasse des Moulins. In front of the pumping station, at the Y-junction, follow the path to the left.

(6) Pass the Cave aux Fées on your left: the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa, of which only the cellars remain. Carry on straight ahead until you reach a road, which you should take to the left.

(7) At a place called Le Ponceau, take the lane opposite, then follow the path uphill as it continues.

(8) At the junction, take the path furthest to the left, then, at the four-way junction, turn right.

(9) At the junction with the D218 county road, follow the track opposite (the first 20 metres of this track may be obscured by farmers who have forgotten to put their tools away). When you reach Grand Creilly, turn left and then almost immediately right into Rue des Dimes.

(10) When the street bends to the right, take the track on the left (Chemin de la Charmoie). At the T-junction at the end of the track, turn right.

(11) At the four-way junction, take the path straight ahead, through the gap at the edge of the woods. The same applies regarding our farmer friends, but the path is there. Follow this path, which leads to the hamlet of La Charmoy and then to the D218. Turn right, then immediately left onto Rue du Tremblay (be careful: the D218 is quite dangerous at this point).

(12) At the junction, take the second path on the right, which leads back to the starting point. Continue straight on and then follow the outward route in the opposite direction to return to the car park (S/E).

(5) Moulin sur le Lunain (private); you can see the spillway from the street.
(6) Ruins of a Gallo-Roman villa, of which only the cellars remain – Please note that this is private property maintained by a private individual; please respect the site and their work, and avoid climbing onto the walls, which are still fragile in places.