Villeneuve-la-Comtesse walks

In order to preserve the richness of its environmental heritage, the Grand Boussseau Forest has been designated a Sensitive Natural Area. As such, it benefits from the Deux-Sèvres Departmental Council's environmental preservation and education policy. This short trail invites you to discover this protected environment.

A pleasant hike to discover the southern part of the Chizé forest. This route offers a peaceful and shaded moment in nature in a forest with remarkable trees.

A very nature-oriented walk in the Chizé Forest, starting from the Maison Forestière du Pas Trop Fort. The heavily shaded route allows you to explore a well-structured forest in the first section, with forest lanes, paths, etc. The second section follows a path that winds more, breaking up the monotony one sometimes feels in the forest.

A very natural route crossing the northern tip of the Chizé Forest in the first part and the countryside west of Marigny in the second part. This route with its varied and relaxing landscapes offers a peaceful moment. You may see deer and birds in this area. Marigny was the home of a great Poitevin bard: Yves Rabaut.

During this route, you will discover the village of Vallans and its 11th- and 19th-century Notre-Dame church, the hamlet of Le Petit Village with its fountains, the Château d’Allerit (private) and its dovecote, the hamlet of Fougerit, the Bois des Touches, watered by the Courance, leats, streams, wash houses and fountains.

This walk, combining heritage and nature, allows you to discover one of the finest surviving Romanesque churches, a superb dovecote, wash houses and the keep of the old castle.

A pleasant walk through a marshy area to the east of Épannes. It appears that the Marquis de Cugnac developed the Mère and the Courance. He also donated several marshes, which were then used as communal pasture or cultivated marshes. This route allows you to discover all these developments and the state of this area, which varies greatly between marshes, woods and bocage.

A pleasant walk north-east of Fors in countryside alternating between hedgerows and open fields. The very natural route also allows you to explore the built heritage, ancient witnesses to the past.

A long walk across the Niort-Brioux plain, taking in open fields and hillsides. The landscape varies greatly, from the plateau at the start of the route to the Guirande valley, ending near L’Abîme after passing at the foot of Le Peu.

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.

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.

Be extremely careful when walking along the D124 road (approximately 180 to 200 m) as vehicles travel very fast. This is the only "negative" part of this short walk, but it is important to note it. To avoid missing them, pay attention to points (3) and (4), which are not field/meadow entrances but grassy paths. No difficulty.

A lovely walk around the Guirande in the plain to the south-west of Prahecq. This easy route winds through a hedgerow-lined countryside where the paths meander between the Guirande and intermittent streams.

This route allows you to discover: the church of the former parish of Mairé, the porch of an old farm in Haut-Mairé, the old wash house in Bas-Mairé, the Motte Saint-Denis, the Saint-Pierre church and the 12th-century Hosannière Cross. All this while travelling through the countryside on pleasant flat paths that cross the Guirande (a tributary of the Sèvre Niortaise).

A circular route that takes you round the Château du Bois Charmant and through a curious sandpit landscape. The route can also be done on a mountain bike. There are a few technical sections.

This route will allow you to discover the rich flora and fauna of the marshes along the white paths, as well as the small protected and restored rural heritage in the heart of the village of Saint-Georges-de-Rex.

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).

The villages of Vanneau and Irleau are situated in the heart of the Marais Poitevin Interregional Park, within a site designated a “Grand Site de France”. The Marais Poitevin, developed by humans since the 12th century, is one of the richest wetlands on the Atlantic coast.

A short walk along dirt tracks through the marshes and their nutria.

As you follow this route through the wet marsh, you will discover its unique features, such as the trous de bris (former clay extraction sites used for tile manufacturing until the 1980s), poplar groves and a wide variety of plants and animals.

Located in the commune of Saint-Hilaire-La-Pallud, the start is at a place called Monfaucon in the small car park near the pier. The route begins with a small paved road to the place called La Roche. This start is not the most interesting, but you will quickly forget it as you discover the wild marshland, first along the Vieux Mignon and then the canals, which you follow on a small white gravel path.

This is an easy walk between the Canal du Mignon and the marshes. Wear good walking or hiking shoes as, depending on the season and how well the banks are maintained, you may encounter tall grass in places or muddy paths.

Motorhome owners, from the Arcais area, discover the village centre, its port and its famous chain boat for crossing the Sèvre Niortaise.