Around Saint-Georges-la-Pouge

Parking at the Town Hall Square in Saint-Georges-la-Pouge.
Markings: Yellow, except for a very short section.

(S/E) Turn your back on the town hall and take Rue du Château for about fifty metres, before turning left into Rue des Lavoirs, then taking the first left again, Rue du Stade. Walk past the stadium and continue, keeping the cemetery on your left. The road turns into a path. Continue straight along this path until you reach a T-junction.

(1) Turn left onto the tarmac track, then immediately turn right. Continue along this track, ignoring all other paths. At the crossroads, keep going straight ahead. The track crosses meadows or woodland. Go straight on.

(2) The track turns into a narrow path; keep to the right at the tiny three-way junction. Continue to the small road.

(3) Turn left onto the road and head up towards the hamlet of Villate. Cross the hamlet and continue to the next crossroads, then turn right towards Le Monteil. Walk through the hamlet and continue along this small road, going straight on. Cross the small river Gosne and continue to the D45. A large house is visible directly opposite. Turn right onto the D45 and follow it for less than 50 metres.

(4) Turn immediately left towards the hamlet of La Bachellerie. The signposting can be a bit misleading at this point. In the centre of the hamlet, turn right between the houses, then continue straight on to the next junction.

(5) Turn left, running alongside the house. The small road turns into a path and crosses a wood of beech and oak trees. The path descends towards the Sous-Parsat or Ruisseau de la Chapelle.

(7) Cross the stream and continue along the path, which climbs slightly.

(7) The path leads out onto a road. Turn left and walk through the hamlet of Mareilles. At the last house, take the track on the right towards the coniferous forest, then the deciduous forest.

(8) Don’t miss the path on the right, about fifty metres before the road. Continue straight on for about 800 m until you reach a crossroads, then turn left into the bend. The track leads onto a very narrow road. Take this road on the right towards the hamlet of Lavaud. Walk through the hamlet.

(9) At the last building in the hamlet, on the left, take the path that leads to the D3.

Ignore the yellow markings, which lead you onto this road

(10) Cross the road. Directly opposite, there is a meadow on the left and majestic oak trees on the right. Walk between the meadow fence and these oak trees for less than 100m. It is very easy. This short stretch leads onto a wide grassy path; follow it to the left for about 600m. At the end of the path, rejoin the D3 to the right for just 150m.

Then follow the yellow markings

Take the first path on the right after the bridge.
A sign indicates ‘Voie Romaine’. This path first runs alongside the D3 and then climbs above it as it moves away.

(11) Walk past the Reposoir on the right-hand side of the path. Cross a small road and continue along the Voie Romaine. Walk past the stone cross and reach the centre of Saint-Georges at the Place de la Mairie (S/E)

Fountain on the town hall square and, via a detour, 800m towards La Rougerie (between (10) and (11)), indicated by a wooden sign.

Small wooden signs point out heritage features near the route (wash house, fountain, roadmender’s house). The choice is yours.

(11) The surface of the Reposoir, on the Roman road, is engraved with a crucifix if you look closely: the stone is mossy and the design can easily be overlooked.