The Pinail Nature Reserve starting from Vouneuil-sur-Vienne

A very beautiful hike with access to the Pinail Nature Reserve.

Details

55148
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.84 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 78 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 78 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 138 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 51 m

Description of the walk

(S/E) The walk starts and ends at the church square. Take Rue de la Poste towards the motocross track.

(1) After the motocross track, turn right onto theGR® country trail and follow it for 650 metres. Leave theGR® and follow the path on the left. Continue to the houses at "Beauregard".

(2) Turn left onto the path to enter the Pinail Reserve. Stay on the path and respect the flora and fauna. Walk to the thatched-roof house and turn right. Go to the roundabout and turn left. Make a circular loop and return to the roundabout, then turn left (at Les Quatre Vents, information board about Pinail).

(3) Follow the road. Cross the D15 (caution: danger).

(4) Take thesecond road on the right.

(5) Be careful, at the exit of "Les Brochallières" in the bend, take the path on the right (steep descent), follow it to "Le Pireau" "calvaire".

(6) Take care when crossing the D1. Follow the signs for the waste collection centre and pass in front of it.

(7) Turn onto thefirst path on the left.

(8) Turn onto thesecond path on the right. At the end, turn right then left and descend towards the Vienne. When you reach it, turn right.

(9) Note the mill and the Château de Chitré on the opposite bank. Follow the path along the Vienne.

(10) At the crossroads, take the street that passes to the right of the cemetery (Rue Georges Brassens) and return to the church square (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 60 m - Church square
  2. 1 : km 1.56 - alt. 119 m - On the right, after the motocross track
  3. 2 : km 2.86 - alt. 136 m - Entrance path to the Pinail Reserve
  4. 3 : km 4.67 - alt. 136 m - Follow the road
  5. 4 : km 5.98 - alt. 135 m - Road on the right
  6. 5 : km 6.57 - alt. 90 m - Path on the right
  7. 6 : km 7.33 - alt. 59 m - Crossing the D1
  8. 7 : km 8.08 - alt. 65 m - Path on the left after the waste collection centre.
  9. 8 : km 8.54 - alt. 65 m - Turn right
  10. 9 : km 9.27 - alt. 51 m - Port Chitré - Bord de Vienne
  11. 10 : km 10.36 - alt. 58 m - Street to the right of the cemetery
  12. S/E : km 10.84 - alt. 60 m - Church square

Notes

In bad weather, the circular in the Pinail Nature Reserve is muddy.
Small shelter at "Quatre-Vents".

Worth a visit

Château du Fou.
Savigny Priory.
Château and Moulin de Chitré
Pinail millstone "les quatre-vent".

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Berpas
Berpas

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very varied route with beautiful views.

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daniel daniault
daniel daniault

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable
Very busy route : No

Problem at the start: the motocross track is nowhere to be found, and there are no signs at the start. I ended up in Bonneuil-Matours, so I'm going to go back and check out this route. This hike needs to be properly marked because the site is great. I did the hike on 28 July 2024. How can I know if the site is too busy or not, since I passed it by, but many comments I have read say the same thing. I didn't because I don't know how busy it is. Please review your questionnaire. Thank you.

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AYRAULT DANIELLE
AYRAULT DANIELLE

BEAUTIFUL HIKE, ESPECIALLY THE PINAIL, WHICH IS UNIQUE. HOWEVER, THE RECYCLING CENTRE IS NO LONGER INDICATED, AS IT MUST HAVE MOVED. THE PATH ALONG THE VIENNE RIVER IS IMPASSABLE (DUE TO PUDDLES), SO WE CHANGED OUR ROUTE. DONE ON 17 JULY 2021

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MACHUT
MACHUT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk in the Val de Vienne and hills, passing through the Pinail area, which is a must-see.
When passing by Vienne, don't miss the Chitré mill.

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alain.pecon@ora
alain.pecon@ora

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Pinail nature reserve, view of the Vienne valley, clean and accessible route

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BenoitM
BenoitM

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely little forest and countryside walk that is accessible to all.
The Pinail Reserve is well worth a visit
Beautiful views of Vouneuil

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AYRAULT DANIELLE
AYRAULT DANIELLE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Great!!! Nothing to say about the description. I'm waiting for the good weather to come so I can do it again with other friends.

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Naturiel
Naturiel

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very pleasant hike

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, maniece57
Indeed, with a GPS, no more getting lost
Don't forget that Visorando has a great tool: the smartphone app.

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maniece57
maniece57

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,
We really enjoyed this hike on a sunny spring day. I made two mistakes along the way, taking a path too early twice. With a GPS or pedometer to measure distances, I wouldn't have made any mistakes.

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Jef49
Jef49

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely hike for two. Three and a half hours with a slight mistake two-thirds of the way through (we walked about 1 km extra). Don't miss the Pinaï circular: it's very beautiful. The whole route is pleasant, with shaded paths.
For campers: Good site 5 km away in Bonneuil-Matour with grass, shade, on the banks of the Vienne, well maintained. Excellent welcome, nice "guinguette" restaurant, light menu with excellent dishes (homemade apple tart with salted caramel ice cream, mussels in cream sauce), canoeing and cycling available. For us, it was an excellent weekend with this hike.
Thanks to the friend who posted this hike.

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