Circuit pédestre La Route d'Eau

Walk from the market town of Fontaines (Doix lès Fontaines) to the terrées separated by a network of canals and the Bois de Billaude (difficult to access in winter, with some passages too damp and even flooded). Very shady path.

Follow in the footsteps of the old waterway linking Fontaines to Marans.

Along the way, discover the Romanesque church of Notre-Dame, the covered wash-house (300 m) and the statue of the famous Dr Rouger. The route then opens onto wooded marshes, sometimes flooded from autumn to spring, where pollarded ash trees and canals make up a landscape of terrées or "trailles" full of life. Next to the church is a magnificent covered wash-house (AR =300 metres).

Car park: Place du champ de Foire in Fontaines; signpost near the Boulangerie. WC on site.
Getting off to a good start: Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing in front of the bakery, then turn left towards the church.
Markings: yellow
Elevation gain: 18 m

Practical info:
- Very shady path.
- Trail sometimes flooded from autumn to spring.
- Crossing a sensitive natural area: dogs must be kept on a lead, please follow the instructions at the entrance to the natural site.
- Picnic areas at the start and middle of the walk with WC.