La Vienne and the surrounding areas are full of interesting walks and wildlife. La Chabotterie is on the route of one of the marked walks recommended by the local commune: ‘Le Sentier Des Belles Vues’, a copy of the leaflet is in the gite and there are copies to take away. If you are walking dogs, turn left out of the gate and keep the dog on a lead until over the crossing (an agricultural train delivers grain at harvest time) and where the road bears right, carry straight on – the dogs can run free then and you only need to watch for farm vehicles and maybe local joggers/cyclists. Don’t let your dog chase rabbits or wildlife; it will annoy the farmers and the local Chasse (who only hunt between October and February).
If you turn right out of the gate and at the end of our road cross over and carry straight on, another nearby walk is ‘Le Pe De Jojo’. You will see a turning to the right beside an old washing area and if you carry on up the track (dogs can be off the lead from here, kept under control) it will lead you up the hill and to the walks through the woods on the hill and up to the local aerodrome. There is a little bar at the club there that is open to all.

If you go out by car, a nice walk is ‘La Ligne Verte’, a disused railway line that has been replanted with regional plants and trees, and has information posts along the way. In season, you can pick cherries, apples, walnuts etc., to eat as you walk. The walk is through open countryside and we have seen deer cross La Ligne right in front of us as they roam from the fields on one side to the other.

There is lots of other information on local walks in the gite.