Guîtres Abbey, walk in the Gabay region

The starting point of the route, Guîtres Abbey (11th and 15th centuries) is an imposing monument located on the Way of St James. We will continue our walk through the gentle Pays Gabay (pronounced gabaye) to meet three rivers, the Isle, the Dronne and the Lary.

Details

48747
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.95 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 83 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 85 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 64 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Guîtres (33230)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 45.03991° / W 0.187961°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1635E, 1635O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the abbey car park.

(S) Take the small staircase down to the port (on the road side). Opposite, take Rue du Lary until you reach Chemin des Graves.

(1) Take this path on the right, which, without changing direction, will become Chemin des Carrelets further on. Follow this path to the end.

(2) Confluence of the Isle and Dronne rivers.

(3) At the end of the path, take the road on the right, then turn left to climb up to Les Jourdennes.

(4) Turn right, then take the first right to reach the Jourdennes viewpoint (5), which overlooks the town of Coutras. Leave the viewpoint and take the street on the right until you reach a three-way junction.

(6) Then turn left onto Chemin de Cure Bourse.

(7) At a place called "Les Ouillers", take the path on the right. At the edge of the woods, turn left and then immediately right.

(8) At the first intersection, turn left (hairpin bend), cross the bridge over the Lary and turn right towards Chabreville.
Go up the hill and continue along the road.

(9) Before the stop sign, turn left onto Petit Rétiveau.

(10) At the end of the road, turn right to return to Guîtres via Chemin des Moulins (E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 25 m - Car park at Guîtres Abbey - Isle (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.43 - alt. 8 m - Turn right onto Chemin des Graves. - Lary (rivière) - Affluent de l'Isle
  3. 2 : km 3.38 - alt. 7 m - Confluence of the Isle and - Dronne (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 3.95 - alt. 15 m - Take the road on the right and turn left
  5. 4 : km 4.61 - alt. 59 m - Turn right, then take the first right
  6. 5 : km 4.97 - alt. 60 m - Panorama of Les Jourdennes
  7. 6 : km 5.44 - alt. 64 m - Turn left onto Chemin de Cure Bourse
  8. 7 : km 6.01 - alt. 50 m - At a place called "Les Ouillers", take the path on the right
  9. 8 : km 7.76 - alt. 13 m - At the first intersection, turn left
  10. 9 : km 9.5 - alt. 35 m - Before the stop sign, turn left
  11. 10 : km 10.28 - alt. 19 m - At the end of the path, turn right
  12. S/E : km 12.95 - alt. 25 m - Car park at Guîtres Abbey

Notes

No special equipment required.

Worth a visit

Guîtres Tourist Office right next to the abbey church.
On the Carrelets trail, follow the Isle river until you reach the confluence of the Isle and Dronne rivers.
Fishermen's huts called Carrelets.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 32 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
3.4 / 5
Denis rando 33
Denis rando 33

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful walk, but not to be done in foggy weather 2025

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isèrevercors
isèrevercors

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

hello, I did this hike in 2016. I enjoyed doing it again, especially as the weather was fairly decent
very beautiful countryside, and roads not very busy with vehicles. Encounter with some very beautiful draft horses

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Stephaniedecharentemaritime
Stephaniedecharentemaritime

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I did this route at the beginning of January. With the recent floods, the riverbanks weren't very pretty to look at (mud, etc.). You sometimes pass close to residential areas (I'd say they're more like rubbish dumps, given the state of the exteriors). Not very pleasant. The advantage is that most of the route is on paths with little or no traffic.

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Rikachou
Rikachou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I was a bit ambitious with my 6-month-old dog. We got as far as point number 5 and then turned back. The walk is pleasant but too much on the road for my liking. Nevertheless, thank you for the suggestion :-)

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bruno boisson
bruno boisson

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

95% tar
Uninteresting view of Coutras
Disappointed

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la purge 33
la purge 33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

perfect!

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COLIN JEAN PAUL
COLIN JEAN PAUL

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

In fine weather, very pleasant walks
of course, there is a lot of tarmac, but the roads are small and there is no traffic
the view from Jourdennes is uninteresting, except for the picnic
crossing point 6 LES OUILLERS Incorrect explanation: you don't reach point 7, just a few more return trips
the CURE BOURSE signposting is misleading; you have to leave it at Les Ouillets
the sun was shining and lockdown was forgotten...

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visiophilo25
visiophilo25

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

quite a bit of hesitation in the direction but some very nice views

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henri57
henri57 ★
• Edited:

Hello,

the route had missing markers, which led to quite a few mistakes on our part

Yes, with Visorando we often stray from the beaten track, so there are no markers...

Visorando does not recommend signposts because they can be modified or removed, whereas information about the terrain is stable.

Visorando provides a detailed description and a 1:25,000 IGN map. And, if you have any difficulty finding your way, virtual signposts: a GPS application.

The aim is not to be glued to your smartphone, but to have a tool that allows you to validate waypoints and thus remove any doubts about your direction.

See you soon!

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léopold33
léopold33

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

a route with missing signposts, resulting in quite a few mistakes on our part and too much walking on tarmac. We got lost several times, but luckily we have a good compass in our heads

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gremar4593
gremar4593

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

The route includes too much road. Almost 90%!
A few sections on very pleasant forest trails, but too few.
The viewpoint was disappointing and pointless.
For a 13 km hike, it may be better suited to cycling than walking.

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Karine1968
Karine1968

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The walk is very pleasant, but (almost) exclusively on tarmac roads.

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Olivoist
Olivoist

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2017
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello, just to say that the fact that this pleasant ride is mainly on small tarmac roads did not bother us at all, as there was no traffic, except on the very short stretch of country road with no hard shoulder, which is a bit worrying in terms of safety and nuisance. Enjoy your ride!

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sevy3385
sevy3385

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 20, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Despite some rather negative reviews, I found this hike interesting, especially for a rainy December. You quickly find yourself in a rural setting with many small livestock farms and fields sown with cereals.
Admittedly, there is tarmac, but there are few vehicles as you are not on busy roads. Water is nearby and you can see the remains of mills. The surroundings do not disappoint.
I therefore recommend this outing in the off-season, when you can be happy not to be wading through mud.

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9capitainerie
9capitainerie

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

A hike with nothing of interest (except at the start). Tarmac, tarmac and more tarmac!

Nothing to see here!

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