The Thouet rises in the Gâtine Vendéenne, the most southern outcrop of the Armorican Massif, at 225 metres (738 ft) altitude.
The Armorican Massif is made up of volcanic and metamorphic rocks dating back to the Paleozoic era.
This impermeable land does not result in any important aquifers but is an area of significant rainfall runoff.
From the source to Parthenay the river flows in a generally east-west direction.

To the east of Parthenay, the river turns north and flows on a generally northward heading for the rest of its course.
Between Saint-Loup-Lamairé and Thouars, the river flows onto the Paris Basin, an area of sedimentary rocks where successive marine deposits of periods from the Triassic to the Pliocene were laid down.
The nature of the rocks here allows the formation of an aquifer whose water reserves support the river in times of low flow.

In order downstream, the Thouet flows through:
Secondigny
Azay-sur-Thouet
le Tallud
Parthenay
Châtillon-sur-Thouet
Gourgé
Saint-Loup-Lamairé
Airvault
Saint-Généroux
Missé
Thouars
Taizon
Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay
Montreuil-Bellay
Saint-Just-sur-Dive
Saumur
The principal tributaries of the River Thouet are:
The Viette, at Parthenay on the right bank
The Palais, at Parthenay on the left bank
The Cébron, at Saint-Loup-Lamairé on the left bank
The Thouaret, near Taizé on the left bank
The Argenton, at Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay on the left bank
The Losse, at Montreuil-Bellay on the right bank
The Dive, at Saint-Just-sur-Dive on the right bank.

For much of its length, the Thouet is paralleled by the GR 36 long-distance walking route, which connects Ouistreham, on the coast of the English Channel, with Bourg-Madame, on the border with Spain.
This stretch of the path traces the footsteps of pilgrims from Brittany and Normandy on their way to Santiago de Compostela, and in places crosses the river using the same fords, packhorse bridges and stepping stones the pilgrims would have used.
The Thouet rises in the Gâtine Vendéenne, the most southern outcrop of the Armorican Massif, at 225 metres (738 ft) altitude. The Armorican Massif is made up of volcanic and metamorphic rocks dating back to the Paleozoic era. This impermeable land does not result in any important aquifers but is an area of significant rainfall runoff. From the source to Parthenay the river flows in a generally east-west direction.
To the east of Parthenay, the river turns north and flows on a generally northward heading for the rest of its course. Between Saint-Loup-Lamairé and Thouars, the river flows onto the Paris Basin, an area of sedimentary rocks where successive marine deposits of periods from the Triassic to the Pliocene were laid down. The nature of the rocks here allows the formation of an aquifer whose water reserves support the river in times of low flow.
In order downstream, the Thouet flows through:
Secondigny
Azay-sur-Thouet
le Tallud
Parthenay
Châtillon-sur-Thouet
Gourgé
Saint-Loup-Lamairé
Airvault
Saint-Généroux
Missé
Thouars
Taizon
Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay
Montreuil-Bellay
Saint-Just-sur-Dive
Saumur
The principal tributaries of the River Thouet are:
The Viette, at Parthenay on the right bank
The Palais, at Parthenay on the left bank
The Cébron, at Saint-Loup-Lamairé on the left bank
The Thouaret, near Taizé on the left bank
The Argenton, at Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay on the left bank
The Losse, at Montreuil-Bellay on the right bank
The Dive, at Saint-Just-sur-Dive on the right bank.
For much of its length, the Thouet is paralleled by the GR 36 long-distance walking route, which connects Ouistreham, on the coast of the English Channel, with Bourg-Madame, on the border with Spain. This stretch of the path traces the footsteps of pilgrims from Brittany and Normandy on their way to Santiago de Compostela, and in places crosses the river using the same fords, packhorse bridges and stepping stones the pilgrims would have used.
Thouet