Walks

“A magical place, where walks start from the end of the drive, ‘black gold’ grows under trees, and the sun sets over the truffle orchard”
— Sam Elwes, Scotland - 2024

A favourite walk starts just 2km from the front door and leads you deep into the countryside of Huismes and past eight beautiful local châteaux (choose which loop you want to do, they range from 13.5km, 12.5km or 7km). All three of these specific walks start at the lavoir, the old washing pond, which in turn is about a 10 minute walk from La Fuye. Here is a link to its exact position. The Tourist Office have produced a map showing the three walking routes here.

The forest fringe can also be accessed 1.5km from our gates (walk to the very end of the road called ‘La Petite Brosse’ and take a slight left between the two houses there) and a rough, overgrown but walkable, track leads into the woodland. Once inside the forest it is all remarkably well organised with plenty of signposts and clear trails, despite the fact you are in a wood. We’ve seen all sorts of deer and birds in here; a great walk for any nature-lovers.

There is also an entirely different longer walk into and around Chinon, that skirts La Fuye (15km) —and does not take you into the forest. Download the map here.

A vast amount of maps for all over the region can be found courtesy of the Azay-Chinon Tourist Centre’s website. Navigate to >Our Essentials [top of homepage] >Nature, water and soft itineraries >Hiking

If you want to go further a field, this is a good website and details a 16km hike from the very near by Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt to Azay-le-Rideau … and more.

St Radegonde

Radegonde Chapel is also well worth a visit and makes for a good walk at the same time (you can park in the public car park opposite the boulangerie ‘Les Tours des Pains’; you can only access Radegonde on foot). Not only does getting there involve a lovely view of Chinon, but the small, ruined chapel is noteworthy for being carved into the tuffeau rock (local limestone unique to the Loire Valley) and for its 12th-century murals, including one of the very few visual representations of Eleanor of Aquitaine and her family.

The chapel extends via several galleries and tunnels, including one that leads to a well dating back to Roman times. There are signs in Chinon indicating the walking route and it is a short, uphill hike. If you are going from the fortress, it is about a 20-minute walk away. Check ahead of visiting whether the Chapelle is open (it is closed over winter). Even if it’s not, it’s a lovely place to walk to and see the town from.

Good physical maps for walks in general, and lots more, can be found at the Tourist Office in Chinon - click here for their website