My walk of the day in Cheix-en-Retz

Ma balade du jour : circuit La Pierre Tremblante
The La Pierre Tremblante circuit, a walking and cycling loop, crosses places filled with legends. Departing from the village church of Cheix-en-Retz, it will take you to discover this famous "trembling" stone.

Damien Dufour, nature-loving photographer, traveled this route near the Acheneau, a veritable green lung, and tells us about his adventure: "Behind every memory is a journey. And the possibility of living." It is in this perspective of course that he criss-crossed this Destination Pornic circuit for us.
 
La Pierre Tremblante

Once the center of the village behind you, quiet and flowery streets will lead you to the banks of the Acheneau where, hidden in a grove, sits a historical vestige dating from Neanderthal Man: La Pierre Tremblante. This megalith is one of the major attractions of this walk, ideally located at the gates of the Nantes conurbation and only a few tens of kilometers from the coast.

This lying stone, impregnated with legendary tales, some of which date back to the 6th century, is supposed to tremble for whoever knows how to stand on it, in a very precise place.
Will you try your luck jumping on this block?
 
Les rives de l'Acheneau
Take advantage of this first stop at La Pierre Tremblante to stroll along the banks of the Acheneau, which reveal landscapes of great serenity.
Postcard panoramas where the blue of the water underlines the yellow of the wheat fields and the green of the hedges separating them: a real artist's canvas, which allows you to disconnect instantly and immerse yourself in a welcoming and relaxing environment.

With a little luck, a fisherman will tell you more about the village, its history or even about the collective imagination around La Pierre Tremblante...
 
Leaving the banks of the canal, the path then rushes into veritable plant tunnels, the openings of which offer unexpected perspectives on the marsh meadows... like so many green rectangles on which many herds of cows graze.
In summer, the natural colors of the alfalfa fields stand out against the horizon, between the blue of the sky and the dark surroundings of groves and forests.
At your feet, brightly colored flowers give a summery air to the paths.
A real breath of fresh air in a rich and preserved nature.
 
  • Tunnel végétal
  • Les petites fleurs rouges le long du chemin
  • Les petites jaunes le long du chemin
  • Les petites fleurs blanches le long du chemin
  • Anciens villages
Hameaux chargés d'histoire
A few typical hamlets, with low houses built of local stone and briquettes, steeped in history, punctuate the route. Over ten kilometres, the route alternates between wide paths in the forest and grassy paths weaving between cultivated fields.
Two old water mills, the mill of Breuil and that of Pilon, rise and highlight all the historical heritage of the Pays de Retz
 
Cheix-en Retz
Once the chemin des sighs behind you, the first houses of the village will welcome you and guide you at the end of this walk around Cheix-en-Retz. The route ends at the foot of the church, a few meters from the town hall-school, in a quiet town center, typical of the villages in the hinterland of Pornic
 
Useful information
Visit of La Pierre Tremblante
Departure point : Place Saint Martin (church car park)
11.2 km
2h45 on foot
1 hour by bike

To see nearby
La Tour de Buzay is the only vestige of a Cistercian abbey of Buzay founded in 1135 by Bernard de Clairvaux.
 
Add on the