Combreux: Canal d’Orléans, forest paths and Étang de la Vallée

Combreux brings together opportunities for an outdoor stay that combines exercise, nature observation and local history. The Canal d’Orléans runs through the town and is considered a good place for walks. The Étang de la Vallée leisure complex is located in Combreux, between the Canal d’Orléans and the Forêt d’Orléans. You can plan your visit around different interests: forest trails, activities at the Étang or the town’s architectural history.

Walks and forest paths

The Sentier sensoriel des Carnutes runs through the Druids’ forest in Combreux and is considered accessible to everyone. Its specially adapted, firm surface is part of the design, along with sensory panels featuring raised images and Braille. This means the panels can be experienced through more than sight alone; the trail’s distinctive design is one of the special features of this walk.

The Forest Art loop starts at the Étang de la Vallée car park. It is 6.6 kilometres long, is rated very easy and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Route details may change. The Sentier des bois Bézard runs around the Étang de la Vallée in an area between Combreux, Vitry-aux-Loges and Seichebrières. Explanatory markers are placed along its 15-kilometre route. Visitors can observe trees, mushrooms, flowers, ponds and birds. For Forest Art, you can use the approximate duration as a guide; the Bézard trail focuses on its marked distance and nature observations. Check the conditions on the Bézard trail locally.

Leisure at the Étang de la Vallée

The leisure complex offers a freely accessible beach, a children’s playground, a pétanque court, a beach volleyball court, sports equipment and picnic tables. Activities include canoe and stand-up paddleboard rental, Gel Blaster, axe throwing, high-ropes courses, a nature escape game and horse-drawn carriage rides. Activity providers and availability, as well as some facilities, may change.

Swimming in the Étang de la Vallée will not be possible in 2026. Canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding and pedal-boating, along with other land-based activities, will remain available. If you are planning for a later season, check the situation then. The leisure complex car park has 500 spaces; parking is permitted there during the day from 08:00 to 21:00. As parking rules may change, check the current hours before you arrive.

Church, château and St Hubert’s celebration

The present-day Église Saint-Pierre de Combreux was built in 1869 and houses relics of Saint Philomena. The Château de Combreux has a different architectural history: it was rebuilt between 1887 and 1905 in a Neo-Gothic medieval style on the site of a 16th-century structure. The château is not open to the public. Before expecting special access or an exterior visit, check the current situation.

An annual celebration also gives Combreux a regular cultural event: on the first Saturday in November, the Rallye Combreux and hunters celebrate Saint Hubert. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the current date before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Batilly-En-Puisaye, Fontenay-Sur-Loing, Villemandeur, Beaulieu-Sur-Loire, Courtenay, Pithiviers, Amilly, Bellegarde.

For the regional travel overview: Loiret.