Orange signposted trail for horse riders in the forest from Chambiers to Durtal.

Orange signposted trail for horseback riders in the Chambiers forest in the Durtal commune /!\ Have your own horse or contact the local riding schools for rides in the Chambiers forest:

- Cheval St Laud in the commune of La Chapelle St Laud: 06 27 03 76 67
- Chevaux de la Rosière in Les Rairies: 06 37 35 38 30

A signposted trail in the form of a horse-riding circuit mainly on forest paths in the Chambiers forest, taking you along forest paths in the shade of beech, hornbeam and hundred-year-old oak trees.

You're right in the heart of the forest, a sensitive natural area in Anjou. This nature reserve is full of treasures, and the trail changes with the seasons as the many different plants blossom. With patience and discretion, it's not unusual to catch a glimpse of the animals that inhabit the forest.

In medieval times, the forest was owned by the nobility and extended far beyond its present boundaries. Rich in game, the massif became a hunting ground. The Table au Roy, which you'll come across on your way, was once used for hunting parties, and it's in memory of these princely battues that its main crossroads was named the Table au Roy (or du Roi).

Mostly coniferous, the Chambiers forest was classified as a nature reserve in 1990. Its varied fauna and flora include conifers and other broadleaved trees, and the forest is classified as a Sensitive Natural Area by the Department.

You will also pass through the market towns of Les Rairies and Montigné-les-Rairies.

Les Rairies was once one of the major centres of the terracotta industry. Les Rairies stone, used for baking and building, made the village famous from the Middle Ages until the middle of the 20th century. The development of these industries and their concentration on a single site is due to the proximity of the raw material, clay, in the quarries in the Chambiers forest.

Car park at the entrance to the forest, at the start of the tour.
WC in the Chambiers forest car park, route de Beauvau, Durtal.
Picnic tables at the start of the trail, at the entrance to the forest.

All shops, restaurants, campsites, motorhome parks and public transport in the centre of Durtal, around 4 km away.

Hike map available for free download on this page.