Randonnée "Le calcaire et le végétal"

Climb the "volcano" and discover the oldest wood in the world, wild orchids...

Start your walk from the hamlet of Chateaupanne, a stone's throw from the priory and its chapel. A path allows you to enjoy the atmosphere of the valley, where the Loire overflows during floods, and to go around the famous limestone hillock.

Then walk along the Ruisseau des Moulins, where beavers build small dams. The little-known smooth elm can be found along its banks.

After 500 m, on your left, don't miss the steep path that climbs the hill. You'll enjoy a breathtaking view of the quarry, which looks like the crater of a volcano. This is where you'll come across the world's oldest wood, Armoricaphyton chateaupannense, which is over 400 million years old.

At your feet, botanical treasures flourish in the limestone outcrops: orchids in spring, helianthemums in summer...

On the way back down to Maison Blanche, you will come across the more serene landscape of the Loire Valley, characterised by meadows tended by sheep, terraced hamlets and the imposing ruins of lime kilns. Green lizards and blue-winged crickets (oedipods) have taken over the former quays of the Loire, stony, sunny environments once used by the lime industry.

Finally, return to the wild and fresh atmosphere of the path along the ruisseau des Moulins, rich in moss and ferns, which you will follow until you reach the junction with the steep path.