Around Saint-Germain-les-Vergnes

Access: To reach the starting point from Brive/Malemort, take the D44 at the roundabout after McDonald’s, pass Sainte-Féréole and turn left at the second roundabout towards Saint-Germain-les-Vergnes. Take the road opposite the roundabout at the village entrance and park in the Place de la Mairie (former vicarage).

(S/E) With your back to the town hall, take the road straight ahead and turn right immediately, then follow the road past the school and carry on to the next junction.

(1) Turn right onto a road (D9) with a wide pavement, which you follow until you reach the edge of the village.

(2) As soon as the pavement ends, turn right between a house and a Green Cross set on a stone (partly hidden by vegetation). Continue along this path through the woodland, which ends at a tarmac road near a large building – the hamlet of Le Giroir – on your right. Carry on along this road, then, as the road curves to the left, turn right onto a small road (for about 50 metres) which seems to lead to a white house. Be careful not to go all the way to the next junction (20 metres), which you’ll take on the way back.

(3) Go round the back of the house along the path that continues to the right.
Carry on along this path, which passes through a farm; walk past the sheds on the left and rejoin the path across the meadows.

(4) The path becomes tarmac at the crossroads. Turn left into the hamlet. On leaving, follow the wide path straight ahead which descends towards the motorway (which you can hear very clearly!). Continue along this path, which curves slightly to the left through the woods and takes you to the hamlet of Les Vergnes.

(3) Back at the white house, take the small road opposite to the crossroads and turn right, then immediately left onto a larger road (D170) which leads you to a roundabout.

(5) Go round the roundabout on the right, heading towards Sain-Pardoux and Sadroc (D156), then past the stadium and on to Chadebec. Follow the road to Chadebec.

(6) Turn left between a white house and a barn/stable. Follow a path that descends into a small valley. After the first pond, leave the path on your right and continue straight ahead. Pass a (dry) pond on your right. You’ll rejoin the tarmac road as you enter Saint-Germain-les-Vergnes.

(1) Cross the D9 to rejoin Rue de l’École, then arrive at the town hall (S/E).

Walk completed in 1 hour 45 minutes at a fairly slow pace.