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On foot, by bike or on horseback, the wide open spaces are yours ! From the countryside to the sea, the Pays des Achards can be discovered over the seasons and according to your desires. Explore our trails hiking, cycling or horse riding thanks to our personalized advice!

Hiking

This activity no longer has its followers! Between bocage landscapes, valleys and country lanes, the Pays des Achards has developed 26 hiking trails. 230 km of marked trails are available to you, young and old, for your sports practice or your desire for a walk. The GR®364, from Poitou to the Ocean, also crosses our territory for 25 km, from Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche to Lac du Jaunay, to finish in Les Sables d'Olonne.

The best-of hikes tested and approved by Anne!

Top "family"!

  • Le P'tit Val Gaillard au Girouard, with its play area halfway along the trail, its information panels on the fauna, flora and local know-how, promises 3,2 km of educational and intergenerational sharing.
  • The washhouse path Asked Pickles (La Mothe district) is ideal for a family walk. Without any particular difficulty, this 3,4 km hike with heritage attractions offers several stopping points, picnic and play areas (Bibrou lake). 
  • The New Wood Trail à Saint-Georges-de-Pointindoux is the one that comes closest to the
    "ride" in terms of accessibility. A small 2,9 km initiation trail on 100% natural ground.

Top “educational”!

  • The path of the ponds with family - " To the water côôa! "On Sainte-Flaive-des-Loups, allows you to observe the biodiversity evolving in the 6 ponds that punctuate this wooded path. Salamanders, tree frogs, carnivorous plants or dragonflies will no longer hold any secrets for you!
  • The climatic hike du nest box trail à Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche. Help assess the impact of climate change in our region. Throughout the year, trees and shrubs undergo seasonal changes. The objective of Rando'clim is to observe the dates of these events to study their evolution over time and to provide elements of response to the impact of climate change on our environment. A 2.2 km trail in 14 stages.

Top “original”!
  • Between ponds and hedges, an educational and original route of 1,150 km which will allow you to discover more than 55 species, their descriptions, uses and properties. 

You can take advantage of this "original break" by criss-crossing the paths of the Boëre ou Jaunay in Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche. The + : a booklet is available at the Tourist Office and the town hall of Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche, to follow and enrich yourself with ecological and scientific explanations.

Great champion!
  • Between banks and heights, partly around the Jaunay Lake, is a 20 km sporty hike that alternates flat terrain and steep passages to vary the pleasures of walking. 95% paths, 532 m of elevation gain.
  • The Celts Trail at the Girouard, 15,2 km long, is very popular for hiking and between. Depending on the summer, you can cross several fords. Footbridges are also available for the less adventurous.
Great “summer”!
  • The Lière Forest trail in Sainte-Flaive-des-Loups, 8,5 km long and 95% made up of paths, remains one of the most shaded, ideal in the heat.

Couverture guide Vendée Rando 2023

Le Vendée Hiking Guide 2023 is available free of charge at the Tourist Office. 58 trails, including 23 "favourites" ❤️”, were selected by the Vendée Department and the Vendée Hiking Committee. Length, estimated duration, level of difficulty, but also information on possible sightings along the way or on the history of the place, everything is inside the guide.

The coup de ❤️ du Pays des Achards is attributed to that of the Valley of the Chive at the Girouard but you can also find the trails of Auzance, The Boere, The Liere, Le coudray et the hillsides of the lake !


Forêt intercommunale de Sainte Flaive des Loups
The Forest of Sainte-Flaive-des-Loups

Good to know

• The hiking trail guide is on sale at the Tourist Office for €5.
The Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche route guide is also available for €2.
• All our hikes are available on mobile apps CIRKWI et IGN HIKE.
• Think of Hello Cabins for your roaming accommodation in Sainte-Flaive-des-Loups!

Book online



MTB and cycle routes

From the countryside to the sea, the Pays des Achards can also be discovered by bike!

From a family outing to a sporting excursion, everyone will find what they are looking for with the 4 MTB routes signposted, in partnership with the FF Vélo 85. You can thus discover the Jaunay valley according to your desires.

  • The blue routes (n ° 1 et No. 2) of 12 and 25 km starting from Lac du Jaunay (Le Pré or La Baudrière) or from the town center of the Hermier Chapel, will introduce you to mountain biking on rolling paths and small roads. Ideal for families or beginners.
  • The red courses (n ° 3 et n ° 4) of 41 and 58 km are aimed at more experienced mountain bikers.

Don't have a mountain bike? No worries ! We also thought of you with our Vendée Vélo routes and loops. Small roads and passable paths will have no more secrets for you.

Want to go by bike to the sea or to La Roche-sur-Yon? 3 Vendée Cycling routes are offered to you from Les Achards:

  • Passing through Saint-Julien-des-Landes and Lac du Jaunay (11,8 km), return to the beaches of Brétignolles-sur-Mer,
  • The second route joins the seaside resort of Les Sables d'Olonne,
  • Finally, you can discover the Napoleonic city of La Roche-sur-Yon, passing through Sainte-Flaive-des-Loups.

Reception areas punctuate the routes, allowing you to carry out picnic breaks if you wish it. A stopover cabin, suitable for people with reduced mobility and intended for itinerant hikers, is also located in the Chênaie park in Sainte-Flaive-des-Loups. It allows you to make a stop along your route! If you rather want to make a loop by bike, take the loop « Between Jaunay and auzance » (12 km) and cross the countryside of Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche and Saint-Georges-de-Pointindoux.


Horse riding routes

Passionate about horse riding or wanting a beautiful horseback ride, put your foot in the stirrup to discover the landscapes of the Vendée bocage! The Departmental Equestrian Tourism Committee of Vendée (CDTE 85) offers 3 circuits or equestrian routes in the Pays des Achards. 

During horseback riding, we gain height and enjoy a pure moment of pleasure in the heart of nature!

De Saint-Georges-de-Pointindoux, Via Saint-Julien-des-Landes, this 28 km route offers beautiful galloping paths and varied landscapes to the marshes of Ile d'Olonne and the forest of Olonne-sur-Mer. 

By borrowing this 31 km circuit, you will easily cross the 85-hectare forest of Sainte-Flaive-des-Loups. Several ponds have been developed to highlight the biodiversity of this site.

Along your route, you will enter the green valley of the Lière where you can admire the ruins of the Renaissance castle of the Lière burned down in 1794 during the Vendée wars.

Good to know: This circuit has no gradients and it is open to carriages. 

All along this 23 km circuit, open to riders and carriages, you will see the richness of the natural heritage of the communes of Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche and Saint-Georges-de-Pointindoux. A true moment of symbiosis with nature and your horse!

Centre équestre balade cheval La Garangeoire

Riders initiated or completely novice, live the experience of a horseback ride in the heart of unspoilt nature, between woods, forests and private paths with the Garangeoire Equestrian Center. 

Hikes, horse or pony rides, baptisms, lessons, choose the option that suits you best!

Find out more

LA GARANGEOIRE EQUESTRIAN CENTER
85150 SAINT-JULIEN-DES-LANDES

02 51 46 65 39

Website

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