The route
The 200 km route
Departure at 9.00am on Thursday (Feast of the Ascension) 30th May 2019 to return no later than 75 hours after, at 12.00pm on Sunday 2nd June 2019. There will be no forms of assistance (except possibly some sheltered places for sleeping)
The route will be divided into 10 stages of approximately 20 km each.
The stages:
1-Chantonnay-Bournezeau with the new walking trail from L’Angle to La Vouraie
2-Bournezeau-La Réorthe largely on the GR364 with the Lay Valley of Puymaufrais La Réorthe
3-La Réorthe-La Caillère with crossing the “Grands Bois” forest
4-La Caillère-Bourneau largely on the GR364
5-Bourneau-Mervent with a route to Vouvant and crossing the Pierre Brune and Pierre Blanche forests
6-Mervent-Foussais: St Luc and Sauvaget forests and the Vendée valley
7-Foussais-Le Fief (commune of St Hilaire de Voust) by the trails of Foussais, the Epagne and Puy de Serre forests
8-St Hilaire de Voust-L’Etruyère (municipality of La Tardière): trails of Mélusine, Lys and La Chataîgne
9-Etruyère-Bazoges en Pareds by the Cheffois and Mouilleron hills
10-Bazoges en Pareds-Chantonnay by Lake Rochereau and Sigournais
| Small roads | 34% | Crossing towns/ villages | 6% |
| Wide paths | 28% | Hamlet crossings | 5% |
| Narrow paths, trails | 38% | Hedgerow | 38% |
| Flatlands | 5% | ||
| Forests | 28% | ||
| Ponds, rivers and lakes | 18% |
Difficulties
The trails are generally easy and not very steep. The total elevation gain is about 2600 m. There are however, on the banks of the Lay, in the Vouvant-Mervent forests and on the Cheffois-Mouilleron hills some interesting features.
Some trails can also be difficult at night with hollows, rocky or overhanging paths.
These are indicated by red dots on the maps that accompany the topographic guide.
Some trails may be partially flooded by heavy rain, but muddy sections are rare.
The 120 km route
Departure at 3.00pm on Friday 31st May 2019, to return no later than 45hrs after at 12.00pm on Sunday 2nd June 2019.
This joins the 200km route with two shortcuts:
Chantonnay-La Réorthe by Lake Angle Guignard
Bourneau-L’Etruyère by Vouvant and the La Mère valley.
ATTENTION
To register, do not follow the procedure suggested below (for the daily walks) but please select, the B.M.L.D. tab, under the heading BMLD Registration