Saint-Porchaire hike

Hike in the town of Saint-Porchaire in Charente-Maritime (17).

Departure: Fairground car park; GPS 45°49'14.5"N 0°46'57.8"W

- Leave the square and take the alley of plane trees on your left and cross the Le Bruant stream.

- At the intersection, follow rue des Coudraies in front of you, turn left towards Les Brossards/Les Gourdins at the exit of the village. Walk for 500 m and take the Allée de Saintes between woods and fields. You arrive at the castle of La Roche-Courbon. Turn right before crossing the road then right again and enter the forest.

- Continue in the forest following the markings. You come to a road. Continue straight and take a path in the forest in front of you. Continue to the D 216. turn right, then 100 . further the path on your left in the forest that we follow for 1.2 km to the waste disposal center at the exit of the forest.

- Continue on the path in front of you for 800 m to the village of La Grande Forêt. Continue on the road, at the intersection turn right. Turn left on the D 216 E1, then right between the fields. 800 m further you arrive at a farm, turn left.

- At the next intersection, continue straight on towards Les Tonnelles which you cross towards the center of Saint-Porchaire. Carefully cross the D 137 (caution, heavy traffic). Continue opposite on a bridge overhanging the expressway. Immediately to the right, a gravel road will take you to the village of Font-Quéré. Continue rue de La Source on your right until this time you take a bridge under the expressway. Recover rue du Midi on the left for 50 m then left on rue des Ormes.

- Turn left into rue du Cadran Bleu then right into rue des Chênes. At the next intersection, take rue de la Mairie then go down a white path on the right and pass under the Pont Napoléon.

- Cross the esplanade and take a path to the right which will take you back to the church.

- Turn left on rue Nationale to return to the starting point.