Quiz walk: ‘Through our stories in Saint-Sornin’

Park in the sports hall car park.

(S/E) Take the Route du Stade on your right, heading south towards the Puydossus neighbourhood. You’ll pass a children’s playground on your right and a street library (a nod to our old telephone boxes), and the orchard with its boules court on your left. Carry on until you reach the next junction.

(1) Turn left onto Rue des Puydossus. Just like the Saint-Antoine route, follow this street until you reach the Michelots neighbourhood. Cross the junction with the D6.

(2) Continue along Rue de la Chapelle. Walk through the old village and head up through the vineyards. At the next junction, take the road on the left and continue uphill to the crossroads, where you’ll see the Chapelle Saint-Roch on your right.

(3) Ignore the road branching off to the right. Turn left onto the road, heading towards the hamlet of Les Bourdichoux. Walk through the forest, staying on the road. Continue for about 250 metres until you emerge from the forest. You will then have a magnificent panoramic view of the Saint-Sornin countryside.

(4) Continue down this road: go round the bend and then pass between the houses. At the junction, turn left onto the Route de Mazerolles (it is advisable to walk on the right-hand verge, which is easier to walk on). Pass Rue des Michelots and Rue de la Croix de Charlet on your left, and carry on straight ahead (you’ll see the church tower – your next stop). At the crossroads in the village, at the end of Rue de Mazerolles, take the small street on the right to reach the forecourt of Saint-Saturnin Church.

(5) You are now about to explore the old village of Saint-Sornin with its narrow roads and alleyways: from the church entrance, take the Route de Marillac on the left towards Saint-Sornin. Then take the first street on the right, followed immediately by the first street on the left, the Chemin du Vieux Bourg. Follow it to the end. At the junction, turn left onto the D110 until you reach the junction with the next street on the right, the Rue de la Galoche.

(6) Continue along this street and take the first street on your right. At the end, you’ll reach the village’s main street, the D6. Follow it to the left along the pavement on the left-hand side, then cross it at the pedestrian crossing to reach the car park (S/E).

This route can be followed on foot or by bike.

• A very large part of the route follows the path that the monk Antoine (a local monk) took when travelling from Saint-Sornin to La Faurie (near the chapel of the ‘4 ’), and it was along this path that two successive miracles took place (as recounted in the quiz walk). Monk Antoine lived at the end of^{the 13th} century and belonged to the Carmelite monastery at La Rochefoucauld. He would regularly visit the hamlets in the parish to preach the Gospel, always carrying his little bell to announce his arrival.
• Saint-Sornin Church: the oldest part of the church (the chancel) dates from^{the 11th} century. It was extended in the^12th century and adjoined by a priory. On entering, you will notice several things: the church is built of white stone, most likely from the Vilhonneur quarry, giving it a very bright appearance. There is also a magnificent choir window and, above all, a large wooden sculpture of the monk Antoine, complete with his little bell.