Welcome to Transeurotrek.com - 3rd Trek: France
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Germany Munsterland to Brandenburg
France Aveyron to Haute Provence
ENGLISH CHANNEL TO MEDITERRANEAN
France - Normandy to Creuse
THIRD SECTION 15 to 28 November 2010. Breteuil (Normandie) to Amboise (Centre) by GR 222, 35, de Pays Perche - Vendomoise - Vallee du Loir, 655 & 335. - 293Km = 183Km.
A warm start changed to a snowy finish along better signed routes through prettier countryside within a continued landscape of mono-agriculture growing principally sugar beet in prairie fields. We followed rivers in narrow ribbons of wooded valleys and crossed through large forests south of Senonches and Moutiers en Perche. Accommodation and food better is in this region where there are more small towns with hotels and restaurants. Started from the pretty town of Breteuil along an old town lane across the River Iton into paths across large open fields. Lots of small birds, lapwings and many deer (mountjacks). Pleasant quiet route for the GR222 to pretty Verneuil sur Avres dominated by a huge church in the central square. Good trail to Senonches with early ground frost followed by a sunny afternoon. Series of woods on the edge of the Parc du Perche - now on the GR35. Old fortified farms built in rectangles surrounded by high walls. The substantial le Boulay st Clare was the first of numerous chateaux - complete with chapel and supporting buildings. Left the GR35 to find accommodation in Moutiers en Perche through large forests across the River Eure and extensive farm prairie - rather cold, sharp SE wind. Lovely wooded hills around Moutiers and the hardest day's walk through nice wooded undulating countryside where we confronted many blocked paths necessitating diversions and lengthening of the day to reach Thiron Gardais. Now at last finding the lost cafes on this stretch and there was a cafe on most days thereafter. Poor route marking and blocked paths hindered us as we moved southwards towards the large Foret le Grand Parc de Montigny le Chartif. We were now finding occasional signs for the Chartres to Mont St Michel pilgrim route. Crossed River Thironne into Illers Combray where we crossed the river le Loir which we followed for several days, though rarely close to it as much of the bank is privately-owned and the public is unfortunately excluded. Here we walked across the prairies again to Chateaudun with the huge chateau built into the old bank of the river and reaching high into the town above. On to Cloyes-sur-Loir with several chateaux along the way. Walked away from the river to Ville aux Clercs to reach accommodation through pretty woods and then back through vast fields, and forests at Aze to enter Vendome through the ridge above covered with our first extensive vineyards - pesticide-free! Quite a big town with many fine buildings. Across the fields going SW with a light covering of overnight snow now all the way to Montoire su Loir before turning south to Chateau Renault, an old tanning town building offices and workshops on disused sites in an effort to rejuvenate the economy. More big fields to reach the River Brenne valley which we followed to the large Chateau Palmer vineyard estate where we left the GR to reach the Loire across the fields at Amboise. One of Europe's truly great rivers.
FOURTH SECTION 4 to 15 March 2011. Amboise (Centre) to Boussac (Creuse) by GR 3, 41 & 46 - 284Km = 183miles.
Lovely week of weather - starting with frosty mornings and warm afternoons and ending with warm and even hot days. In between a couple of days of rain. Left the Loire at Amboise on the GR3 and picked up the GR41 by the River Cher south east in Montrichard. Birds very active in the warm weather - especially larks and woodpeckers. Easy walking through gently undulating farmland and woods. Followed the Cher to Vierzon through vineyards on the hill north of the river, arable farms growing beet and wheat and along the canal du Berry. Lovely river with many moods in towns, villlages and open country. It twists and turns continuously and is pretty wide all the time. Stayed in the charming village Mennetou sur Cher. In Vierzon the river Yèvre joins from the east as the Cher turns south. We left the river here for higher ground through prairie and woods to reach Mehun-sur-Yèvre, centre of production of porcelain by Pillivuyt, which still employs 400 people. All three hotels are closed but new home building suggests the town is recovering from decay. There was no convenient accommodation southwards on the GR41 so from Charost, where we stayed in an awful hotel, we went west through Issoudon and Neuvy-Paillouix before turning south across prairies on a long 35 Km day to Verneuil-sur-Ignaraie. By now the prairies had given way to small fields for sheep bounded by thick thorn hedges and with many lanes. This was much more attractive walking. We reached higher ground now - on the Cher we were at 80m. From Verneuil at 225m there was a great view across the weald countryside to the south. We picked up the GR46 just before Pouligny Notre Dame in pretty countryside of small fields and farms where sheep gave way to Limousin and Charolet cattle. We crossed many small windy streams in deep pretty valleys to reach Boussac past the chateau overlooking the deep valley of the River Creuse.
DISTANCE FROM ENGLISH CHANNEL (LA MANCHE) – 1002Km = 626miles
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