SENTIER DE LA CHOUETTE CHEVÊCHE

Discover the exceptional beauty of the castle and the very secret bocage that surrounds it.

From the castle's monumental entrance, walk around the moat to the field gate at the rear.

To the delight of the flora and fauna, the Département manages the entire park in an environmentally-friendly way (zero pesticides, differentiated grass management, eco-pasturing, etc.). After the pond, continue towards the signpost devoted to the bocage, which invites you to explore the landscape "across the fields". You will first pass along the recently restored ponds, where water iris, purple loosestrife and fireweed flourish, then the stream covered with watercress and water primrose (not to be confused!). Among the bramble bushes, barbed wire and shrub tops, Shrikes, Whinchat and even Goldfinches spy on you and sound the alarm as you approach. After the footbridge, the meadows and young hedge plantations give way to a more intimate atmosphere in the heart of a centuries-old sunken path. Take a moment to observe the wide variety of species present (Aliziers, Merisiers, Sureau, Chênes...) and the hollow, pollarded shape of the oldest specimens. Wood-boring insects, such as the Great Capricorn beetle, spend their larval lives in these trees and attract woodpeckers, which are very fond of them. Dead branches and trees are carefully preserved until they have decomposed completely.

To the right, windows open onto the meadows tended by farmers. To the left, you can see meadows grazed by cattle. The château remains your landmark in this labyrinth, from which you may emerge accompanied by the estate's ecological lawnmowers...