North of Parsac

A gently undulating, shaded walk along the ponds, then through vineyards and past castles, with few small, very quiet roads.

Details

502272
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.17 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 64 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 74 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 84 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 30 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Montagne (33570)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 44.907643° / W 0.0982°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1636E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking in front of Parsac church, as the space in front is too small.

(S/E) Head down the path running alongside the church towards the south.

(1) At the bottom, at the crossroads, head straight on until you reach the Y-junction. Then turn right onto the road leading to the edge of the pond and walk along it on your left.

(2) Turn right after the pond and continue straight on. Walk alongside a pond on your right.

(3) At the crossroads, turn right, then after crossing the Barbanne stream, turn left and pass in front of the hamlet of Maison Neuve.

(4) At the T-junction, turn left onto the road, then follow the path which turns right along the edge of a wood.

(5) Opposite a building, take a grassy path to the right. Pass the hamlet of Piron and join a road. Walk through the hamlet of Berlière, ignoring the road on the right.

(6) At the last house, turn left to reach a copse and walk along its right-hand side.

(7) At the crossroads of four roads, take the second on the right (east). Pass the turn-off to the hamlet of Musset on your right, then the one to Puynormond on your left. Join the D130. Keep left on the D130, passing the small pond at Lestage.

(8) Just after this hamlet, in the bend, turn right for a few metres then left at the Y-junction. Take the path, follow the edge of the woods and continue to the second copse. Keep right and cross it, then head down to the road via the Château des Laurets path.

(9) Once on the road, head diagonally right to reach the bottom of Parsac.

(1) Turn right and head back up to the car park before the church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 68 m - Car park in front of the church
  2. 1 : km 0.27 - alt. 44 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 0.86 - alt. 32 m - Turn right after the pond - Barbanne
  4. 3 : km 1.88 - alt. 30 m - Second pond
  5. 4 : km 2.54 - alt. 39 m - T-junction
  6. 5 : km 3.23 - alt. 42 m - Turn right towards Le Piron
  7. 6 : km 4.03 - alt. 49 m - Turn left at the last house
  8. 7 : km 4.62 - alt. 67 m - Musset
  9. 8 : km 5.79 - alt. 81 m - Turn right after Lestage
  10. 9 : km 6.83 - alt. 55 m - On the right, on the road
  11. S/E : km 8.17 - alt. 67 m - Car park in front of the church

Notes

Parsac is no longer a separate commune and is now part of Montagne. Be careful: GPS devices may send you to Corrèze...
Important: this route takes you off the beaten track; all the landmarks mentioned in the description (localities, castle names, as well as high-voltage power lines, bridges, etc.) are shown on the corresponding IGN 1:25,000 map, but are not always included on the smaller-scale map.
It is strongly recommended that you either obtain the aforementioned map or use the app on a smartphone, which will also allow you to be geolocated at all times, enabling you to track your progress accurately.
The route may cross or follow other marked trails. It is tempting to follow the markers! Unless otherwise specified, do not stray from the route.
Using walking poles can be very useful and reassuring; as well as providing stability, they help distribute the strain.

Worth a visit

A very beautiful church, usually open, dating from the 11th and 12th centuries and built in the Romanesque style. Historical information is scarce.
Consecration stone
It is dedicated to Our Lady, as indicated by the dedication on the inner face of the south pillar of the triumphal arch. The ‘chaplains’ of Parsac are mentioned in 1364, and the church is listed among the parishes of the archpriesthood of Entre-Dordogne in 1398. The chapter of Saint-Émilion held the right of collation and, until 1770, collected two-thirds of the tithe in return for a pension for the parish priest.
Episcopal inspections in the 17th and 18th centuries noted the dilapidated state of the church and the work required.
The church was deconsecrated following the French Revolution, and the date of its reopening for worship is uncertain.
In 1869, the church in Parsac became a branch of Saint-Genès-de-Castillon, then an annex of Puisseguin in 1877. The parish of Parsac no longer exists today; it was merged with the parish of Montagne in 1973.
Source: Wikipedia

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
SANCHEZMARYSE
SANCHEZMARYSE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike taken on 27 March 2025
We had a slightly confusing start and ended up taking the road to Maisonneuve as we couldn’t find the paths described! After that, a really good, varied hike with a mix of flat sections and lovely climbs! Beautiful scenery!

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Piedsaterre
Piedsaterre

Hello,
I have no further comments to make other than those contained in my message dated 22 November 2022, signed Piedsaterre.
F.E.

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SANCHEZMARYSE
SANCHEZMARYSE
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike taken on 27 March 2025
We got off to a slightly chaotic start and ended up taking the road to Maisonneuve as we couldn’t find the paths described! After that, it was a really lovely, varied hike with a mix of flat sections and some lovely climbs! Beautiful scenery!

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Piedsaterre
Piedsaterre

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Parking is only permitted on the grass verges of the road leading to the church, the exterior of which has been beautifully restored.
A pleasant, undulating route; we spotted three deer.

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Sourya15
Sourya15

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I walked the route; there were no parking spaces at the start point by the church in PARSAC

I didn’t go down to Grange Neuve to head towards La Barbanne: the path or track was barely visible
I turned back halfway towards Bel-Air and then went back down towards the pond; when you go up the small road towards the (ruined) Malangin castle, you can no longer cross the meadow; it’s closed to animals and there’s a ‘private’ sign
I went back up the road then took a path further on to the right to rejoin the track towards Vésinerie

I parked at the “sports park”, Chemin du Stade (football and tennis pitches) in PUISSEGUIN opposite the Château des Laurets to access the D130

Regarding the questionnaire: I don’t know if the path is well-used???
Points of interest: the church at Parsac, Les Laurets Castle and some beautiful houses

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Good evening, DominiqueP33
I understand your interest in the route, but why ‘Disappointing’ for the description?

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DominiqueP33
DominiqueP33

Overall rating : 3 / 5

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

Contrary to what was stated, there are too many roads – which are quite busy – and not much shade... I wouldn’t recommend it, apart from the very pretty Romanesque church in Parsac

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Bruno33500
Bruno33500

Thank you for your kind comments; I’ve changed the description from ‘wooded’ to ‘shaded along the ponds’, which is more accurate!
And I’ve mentioned that the church is open.
We walk all year round, including in summer; the only solution I’ve found is to set off in the morning and, on the hottest days, choose a route where the final section is through woodland… (e.g. Blasimon or others that will be posted online).
Enjoy your future walks...
Bruno 33500

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JémyLoMi
JémyLoMi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walking route that runs almost entirely through vineyards. The little church in Parsac at the start of the route is really charming, and it’s nice that it’s open every day from 9am to 5pm (or even later, as was the case for us), which is rare enough in small villages to be worth mentioning.
Apart from that, you mention woods in the description right at the top, but I must admit we didn’t see much of them :-). We do skirt a few copses, but don’t really go through them. That said, when you’re between Saint-Emilion and Montagne, it’s easy to imagine you’ll be surrounded by vineyards all round you ;-).
Otherwise, this is a route to avoid during a summer heatwave, as it must get very hot on the bike. But at this time of year, it was very pleasant and, once again, the suggested route and description are top-notch, so thanks again!

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