Villesavin Route

Start at the car park opposite the church in Tour-en-Sologne, on Rue de la Mairie.

(S/E) From the car park (equipped for motorhomes), opposite the church, turn left onto Rue de la Mairie (D102), passing in front of the town hall. Continue along the D102, which turns right at the crossroads; ignore the first turning on the right, then take the next street, Rue du Pâtis.

(1) Turn left at the junction onto Rue de la Petite Motte. Pass the first turning on the right, Chemin de la Bagnodière, and take the second one, Chemin de la Goujonnière. Turn left onto the grassy Chemin des Regains.

(2) At the end of the track, head left onto Rue de Montgenet (D154), ignoring the various turn-offs. Cross Route d’Arian (D102) with care, and cross the arms of the Beuvron via the Ponts d’Arian.

(3) At the junction, take the road furthest to the left, running alongside the forest, pass the hamlet of La Bouteillerie and ignore the path towards La Folletière.

(4) Turn right just after a small wood onto a hard-surfaced track, Chemin de la Giraudière. Ignore the various side paths until you reach the crossroads in the village of Mont-Près-Chambord.

(5) Turn right as soon as you see the first houses on the tarmac road, then right again when you reach the D154. Pass the first grassy path on your right.

Yellow-red markings (^GRP®®)

(6) Leave the D154 about 50 metres further on by turning left onto a path that is barely visible from the main road, marked in yellow as the Circuit de Villesavin. Cross a ditch before entering the Boulogne National Forest, then turn right onto a path after about 50 metres, running parallel to the D154. Follow this well-marked path until you reach the Chemin des Oies, a tarmac road, shortly after the hamlet of La Boutinière.

(7) Turn right onto the Chemin des Oies, pass the hamlet of Le Petit Villesavin, turn right near the entrance to the Château de Villesavin to return to the crossroads you took on the way out.

(3) Turn left at the junction onto the D154, cross the Ponts d’Arian over the Beuvron once more, and cross the Route d’Arian (D102), taking care at all times. The D154 becomes the Route de Montgenet.

(2) Ignore the Chemin des Regains on the right, then, at the crossroads, leave the Chemin de la Goujonnière (which you took on the way out) and continue straight on along the Chemin de la Blandinière, which is tarmac.

(8) Leave the tarmac just after a small wood, turning right onto a grassy path.

(9) Head left onto the small cross-road, then immediately right. Keep right at the junction, onto Rue la Boulerie.

(10) Turn right onto Route de Cour Cheverny, which becomes Rue de la Mairie, to return to the starting point (S/E) opposite the church.

Between (6) and (7), the route features a very scenic stretch through the forest with several ditches that may be muddy or wet. Wear waterproof shoes after heavy rain.

Furthermore, as the route includes many tarmac roads, it may be more enjoyable to complete it on a mountain bike.

Tour-en-Sologne was built alongside Gallo-Roman roads, of which some remains still exist, such as the Ponts d’Arian bridges used on this walk.

Built by the architects of Chambord, the Château de Villesavin retains some fine features, such as the Carrara marble basin in the main courtyard.