South of Bétête

A pleasant walk south of Bétête that will take you to the Fréteix mill on the Petite Creuse.
It passes through several hamlets and offers unobstructed views. An unpretentious, easy walk, just for a leisurely stroll... gazing into the distance. You’ll come across cows, a horse, gardens and restored houses. (And the dog is happy).

Details

2595308
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.08 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 407 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 436 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,260 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 945 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Bétête (23270)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.358618° / E 2.077158°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2228E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Yellow B3 markings

(S) With your back to the town hall, head down the main street (D83). Just past the school, a typical example of its kind, turn left onto Route de la Rigauderie. Cross the Rigauderie.

(1) 100m after the last building, take the path on the left.

(2) At the first crossroads, turn left again to reach the hamlet of Le Chassin. In the centre of the hamlet, take the small road on the left (municipal sign). 200m further on, at the three-way junction, do not continue along the road but take the path marked B3, slightly to the right. The path leads onto a small road.

(3) Turn right onto the road, then right again. A sign points to “moulin de Fréteix”. Walk down alongside the small stream to the end of the road. There is an inn. Walk past the inn’s terrace to see the mill and the weir on the Petite Creuse. Turn back. Walk past the inn again.

(4) Through a gap on the right, cross the ford (the footbridge lies on its side) and head back up the narrow stony path. The path leads onto a small road.

(5) Turn right to reach the hamlet of Fréteix. Take the left-hand bend.

(6) At the three-way junction, a few dozen metres further on, take the right-hand path alongside the house with the white gate, then turn right again. At the T-junction, turn left onto a fairly wide track.

(7) Don’t miss the first path on the left. At the next T-junction, turn left. The path climbs gently and leads to a road. Cross over and continue straight ahead towards the hamlets of Gourby and La Forêt.

(8) Leave the road at the last building and take the path that descends towards a road 150m further on. At the road, turn left and take the first path on the right.

(9) Turn sharply right and continue along the main path until you reach another road; turn left and then immediately right.
This road takes you back to the centre of Bétête, passing the wash house to reach the town hall (S/E).

:

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,260 ft - Bétête Town Hall
  2. 1 : mi 0.43 - alt. 1,217 ft - Path on the left
  3. 2 : mi 0.78 - alt. 1,171 ft - Turn left towards the hamlet of Chassin
  4. 3 : mi 1.84 - alt. 1,050 ft - Turn right onto the road
  5. 4 : mi 2.25 - alt. 948 ft - On the left, a small ford. Towards the - Petite Creuse (rivière) - Affluent de la Creuse
  6. 5 : mi 2.41 - alt. 1,043 ft - Turn right towards the hamlet of Fréteix
  7. 6 : mi 2.55 - alt. 1,096 ft - Turn right at the house with the white gate and blue shutters
  8. 7 : mi 3.08 - alt. 1,096 ft - Path on the left
  9. 8 : mi 4.15 - alt. 1,201 ft - Straight ahead on the path
  10. 9 : mi 4.35 - alt. 1,125 ft - Right at the hairpin bend
  11. S/E : mi 5.08 - alt. 1,260 ft - Bétête Town Hall

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 13835295

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We didn’t see anyone on the route, but it’s hard to say whether it’s popular or not. It was a rather rainy day.

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rumbaya
rumbaya

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A short, easy walk to warm up, with pretty dry stone houses along the way. What a shame that the hedges have been mowed down everywhere, even in places where there seems to be no justification for such brutal pruning.

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gchabridon@gmail.com
gchabridon@gmail.com

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A mix of footpaths and tarmac

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angelique03190
angelique03190

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely, peaceful little walk.

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Pelletier Annie
Pelletier Annie

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It’s a shame the signposting isn’t done properly on the signs along the path. !

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