East of Saint-Germain-de-la-Rivière

The car park is located near the Tourist Office and the Community Hall in Saint-Germain-de-la-Rivière, below Avenue Charles de Gaulle (RD670).

(S/E) Head east towards the car park entrance. Before reaching it, continue straight on until you reach the grassy area and follow the RD670 until you reach Chemin des Vignes, on the other side of the road.

(1) Climb the small embankment and cross the D670 with great care to take Chemin des Vignes on the opposite side. Continue south-east, then follow Rue de Goffre. After passing Paquet, you will see a beautiful property on the left at a place called l’Escarderie. Further on, admire the gate of Château de la Rivière. The route passes several vineyards before reaching the junction with the Route de Pipeau, wherethe old Rivière wash house is located.

(2) Turn left onto Route de Pipeau, which climbs up the hillside: beautiful views of the Dordogne below in the valley. After the junction with Route de Marouat on the left, the route follows Route de Pasquette, continuing uphill, and passes a wash house and the entrance to the old quarries of Saint-Germain-de-la-Rivière.

(3) At Pasquette, turn left onto the downhill farm track. Shortly afterwards, the track runs alongside vineyards and offers lovely views of the Château de la Rivière. Continue along the main track until you reach a lane below the château. Turn left and continue to the junction with a road leading to the château.

(4) Turn right and take the Château road, passing between two stone lions. Shortly afterwards, the road takes a sharp right-hand bend; take the path on the left, crossing the Estey du Pont via a small bridge. The path leads to a large vineyard plot, which you go round to the right, walking along the grassy verge. Head towards the north-western side of the plot until you reach a junction with a path coming from the woods to the north.

(5) Turn sharply right and head uphill towards the woods. At the first crossroads, take the path on the right and stay on the main path, which soon turns left. Further on, turn left onto the path heading north-east, ignoring the one opposite which heads east: signpost “Liaison BL de Villegouge Liaison BL de Lugon”. A little further on, the path runs alongside a clearing with a large pond on the right before climbing steeply towards Bois Redon. Further up, the path passes Huguette de Meney’s wash house.

(6) When you reach the Meney road, turn left and follow it carefully: there are lovely views of Château Rouet on the left. The route goes round this castle, which is private. Three to four hundred metres further on, look out for the farm track on the left. Take it heading south-west towards Bois Redon. When you reach the edge of the wooded cliff, turn right and follow the edge of the woods, passing under the high-voltage power line and continuing to a path. Turn right to reach the Route des Crêtes about fifty metres away.

(7) Turn left and follow the Route des Crêtes with care. At Le Moulin, go straight across the junction with the Route de l’Ermitage and continue along the Route de la Garde.

(8) Just as the road takes a sharp bend to the right at No. 60 La Garde, turn left onto the path leading downhill alongside this house. The path goes round the house and down the hillside. On reaching the Côte de la Garde, take a sharp right to follow the path running alongside the wooded area on the hillside to your right and the vineyards to your left: lovely views towards the Dordogne. Continue straight on until you reach the wooded area surrounding Château de la Roque. Climb the small embankment and go and see the peristyle: from there, there is a lovely view of Château de la Roque and Pille-Bourse.

(9) Walk back about fifty metres and, this time, turn right to take the path downhill, with the vineyard plot on your left at first. Further down, just after passing a junction with a path on the left, take the path running parallel to the one you have just followed, at a very sharp angle, below a slope and leading back towards the woods of Château de la Roque. Walking along the edge of the woods, go round the vineyard until you pass to the north of a small property and come out onto the Route des Lavoirs.

(10) Cross with care and take Rue de Tourenne opposite. Shortly afterwards, head into the undergrowth on the right to admire the unique 19th-century Tourenne wash house, fed by water from the quarries. Return to Rue de Tourenne and head down to Avenue Charles de Gaulle, the D670. Cross with great care and continue along the path opposite.

(11) As soon as you have passed the hedge running alongside the D670 on your left, turn left to walk alongside the hedge and the paddocks. A little further on, the path leads to the car park of the community hall, where you can park (S/E).

This hike across varied terrain requires suitable footwear.

This unmarked route presents no real difficulties. It follows marked sections. Consequently, it is advisable to follow the directions in this description and the map provided by Visorando, whilst also paying attention to the surrounding landscape. Distance indications from the starting point, or even the GPS coordinates of waypoints (including the start), may also help the hiker find their way.

Hike completed by the author on 6 March 2025.

Underground quarries

The Villegouge underground quarriesNatura 2000 site covers 960.3 hectares across the municipalities of Saint-Germain-de-la-Rivière, La Rivière, Saint-Aignan, Lugon, Île du Carnay and Villegouge. This boundary was approved at the steering committee meeting in December 2010.

The Château de la Rivière.

The Church of Saint Germain and Saint Loup in Saint Germain de la Rivière.

The wash houses of Saint-Germain-la-Rivière.

La Roque Castle in Saint-Germain-de-la-Rivière.