The Trails Sentiers du Clocher and the Fire Tower
Nature in the Heart of the Village
The main entrance to the trails is behind the fire tower.
The Sentiers du Clocher (Trails of the Bell Tower) are a network of nature trails in the heart of the village.
This testifies of the values of this small municipality: fun for the whole family in an environment intimately linked to nature.
The Halte des Zouaves was first built to provide rest facilities for hikers. Through the years, it slowly became the interpretation center that it is today.
Rustic Section and Poetic Loop
The Sentiers du Clocher is the ideal place to observe the fauna and flora and enjoy nature in all its beauty. They combine culture and poetry, and include many halts animated with different themes.
You will discover fun and educational sceneries made by the children of the village and places of contemplation on the banks of a chirping stream.
A Break in the Marsh
The Sentiers du Clocher include a section that extends into the small marsh of the bay of Piopolis. The main access is located behind the playground near the Zouaves hut.
You will learn more about the fragile ecosystem of a marsh through interpretive panels along the promenade. You can enjoy a moment of relaxation in the heart of the marsh on wooden walkways. Be careful, you may be disturbed by nesting birds or the croaking of the frogs!
Text Version
Welcome to the fire tower, right in front of the Halte des Zouaves. It is a sort of continuity of the Zouaves' halt and serves as an exhibition space during the summer.
Built in 1947, the fire tower was used to dry the hoses when the firemen came back from a fire. Now, Piopolis’ fire department is merged with the neighboring municipality.
Just behind the fire tower, you will find the entrance to the “Sentiers du Clocher” which means “trails of the bell tower”. These are named after the church bells that ring out at every hour of the day in the village. It is a network of footpaths in the heart of Piopolis. It promises fun for the whole family in a natural environment.
The bell tower trails are a perfect place to observe the flora and fauna and to enjoy nature in all its beauty. The trails are maintained by citizens and are regularly decorated by the children of Piopolis to match the different times of the year. Expect to be surprised!
The trails also include a section that allows you to explore the marsh behind the Zouaves' rest stop. In fact, the Zouaves rest stop was built to provide a rest and service area for hikers. It has since become an important interpretive site sharing the history of Piopolis.