Around Montchaude

Park in the car park behind the town hall near the boules court.

(S/E) Leave the car park and turn right onto the road that climbs steeply and then turns left. Follow it to a crossroads.

(1) Take the first road on the right and follow this small road through the woods until you reach the end.

(2) Just before the vineyards, turn right onto the path, follow it and you will come to a road. Keep to the right and admire the castle and the church tower. Continue carefully to the right, go to the church and the entrance to the private castle, which you can admire. Take the time to see the church.

(3) Turn left onto the small road towards the cemetery. Walk along its wall and then go straight ahead to reach the path below. Continue to the right until you reach a road at the hamlet of Chez Mérit.

(4) Turn right, cross the hamlet keeping to the right and continue to the T-junction. Turn left and immediately take the path on the right to the "Maison de la chasse" shed.

(5) Take the road on the left and follow it to the T-junction.

(6) Turn right and immediately after a small pond, turn left. Follow this path between the vineyards until you reach a road.

(7) Turn right, pass the Peudion farm and continue along the road and then along the path, going straight ahead and ignoring the paths and roads on the right and left, until you reach a forest track T.

(8) Turn right, follow it into the forest for about 2 km towards the south-west, ignoring all the side roads, until you reach a road.

(9) Turn left and then immediately right (almost opposite) and take a path that joins the D127.

(10) First turn right then left to cross it carefully, turn left onto a path and, after about 80 m, take a trail where a signpost indicates the Chapel. (Saint-Mathurin).

(11) At the chapel, turn back, go to the signpost for the chapel, turn left and follow the path. Ignore the path on the left to reach a meadow. Continue and take a path on the right, just before the end of the meadow and the beginning of the woods. It is very visible and marked in yellow and green.

(12) Follow this path. At the edge of the woods, stay on the edge, turning left, then turn right between the first and second vineyards. The path is marked in yellow, but the markings are often missing. Head towards the houses, passing close by them on your left, and join the road, Chemin de Marveau.

(13) Follow this road and climb up to the crossroads you passed on the way out.

(1) Turn left onto the D127 and, following the same route as on the way out, return to the car park at the town hall and the boules court (S/E).

The château dates from the early 16th century (1530) and was restored around 1890.

The old church, which was located near the castle, dated from the 12th century and was demolished. The current church was built between 1895 and 1898. This construction was partly financed by the owner of the castle, Mr Arnous. The bell that currently rings is the one from the old church.

The Chapel of Saint Mathurin is linked to a 5th-century saint. Today, the chapel remains a place of contemplation and prayer. The feast day of this saint was formerly celebrated on 10 November and later on 10 May.