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The idea is to visit the Croze Gardens at the end of the walk, leaving your vehicle on Chemin de la Croze. To get there, take the D229 to the roundabout near the cemetery, north of the town centre, then head south-east towards Église Saint-Loup, Complexe sportif and Centre aquatique. Continue straight ahead, leaving the sports complex on your left, until you reach Chemin de la Croze on your left, just before a road branching off to the right towards the police station and hospital (D218). Park at the side of the road near the entrance to the estate.
(S/E) Return by the same route on the road (D997A, Avenue Victor Cohalion). Follow it to the left and cross it as soon as possible to turn right onto Rue des Pénitents. Continue straight ahead until you reach Église Saint-Loup.
(1) Walk clockwise around the building (which is clearly no longer in use or maintained), passing by a fountain and returning to the old entrance porch of the church, which still has some beautiful wall sculptures. Take Rue Saint-Loup, which starts opposite this porch. Note the old hospital porch on the left. At the end of the street, you will come to a street with a square on the other side. Go straight ahead to cross Place Louis Grimard, note the fountain and a few half-timbered houses, continue in the same direction along a street and arrive at Place du Marché au Chanvre, also lined with interesting façades.
(2) Pass on the left of a house with a turret, then turn left onto Rue du Colonel Mioche. When the street widens, turn left onto Rue le Peuple. At the end of the street, bear slightly right and you will arrive in front of the street sign "Rue du Collège Ancienne Rue de l'École Militaire". Follow the street that branches off to the right and ends at Quai de la Porte Neuve, on the banks of the Angaud, a small stream that runs through the town.
(3) Turn left onto the quay, ignore the next bridge, and you will come to a T-junction. Cross the road and follow the pedestrian path to the right. Continue to the junction with Rue du Mont-Mouchet, which branches off to the left. Cross the street again towards the old, pretty fountain, then follow Rue de l'Évêché to the right of it. Pass under a gate in the old ramparts and arrive at the Collégiale Saint-Cerneuf. Note the interesting façades on the square that borders it, including that of the Maison du Chapître. The church was open when we visited. Exit through the same door.
(4) Leaving the church, go straight ahead on the street (Rue de la Croix de Mission, plaque at the other end). At the crossroads, turn right onto Rue de la Tour, and note an old fountain among the trees in the square on the left. Further on, turn left and then right at the T-junction onto Rue des Tuiles. Turn right at the second street on the right, Rue des Aires. You will come to a T-junction. Turn right onto Rue Pertuybout. A few metres further on, leave Rue Saint-Jacques (temporarily) on your left and continue straight ahead towards the Église Saint-Cerneuf, which you can see at the end of the street. Note the beautiful façades, including that of the Maison des Échevins, and continue to Rue des Chanoines on the left, but not to the church.
(5) Retrace your steps. Turn right onto Rue Saint-Jacques and immediately take a small street on the right. You will come to a small square on Rue des Boucheries, lined with several beautiful half-timbered houses. Turn left.
(6) Follow the street furthest to the left, Rue des Pèlerins. Join Rue Saint-Jacques and follow it to the right. Cross a very pretty little square lined with medieval houses, turn left and continue along Rue Saint-Jacques until you reach a gate in the old ramparts. Do not go under the gate, but turn right onto Rue du Guet. Stay on this street until you reach a small square. Turn right onto the square to see, on the other side of the tree, the belfry located in a school courtyard (which can be seen more closely by going down the stairs, off the route). Opposite Rue des Chanoines, under the "Place du Prévotat" plaque, take an unnamed alleyway on the right which leads to a small square with an old wine press. Go straight ahead, go down a staircase and follow a short path to Rue du Guet. Turn left, then left again at the first street to Rue des Boucheries.
(6) Follow it to the left, noting the façades that line it, particularly the Maison du Doyen, turn right onto Rue des Chanoines and you will come to Rue Pertuybout (which you previously walked back and forth to this point).
(5) Turn left towards the Église Saint-Cerneuf and turn left in front of the north door of the church. At the rear of the building, note the Maison du Bailly, follow Rue de l'Étézon. At the crossroads with Rue des Moulinets on the right, note the sculptures on a balcony on the left, continue straight ahead to cross a bridge over the Angaud and arrive at the quay.
(3) Turn left onto Quai de Genette, arrive at Place du Creux du Marché, turn right for a few metres and then immediately take the street on the left to continue along the river. Ignore the footbridge and turn left onto the next bridge. Turn right immediately and you will arrive at the main street (Rue Carnot), with the town hall on your left and a pharmacy with a trompe-l'oeil wall (a little faded) opposite on your right.
(7) Follow this street to the right, further on, make a small detour to the right to go around the pretty fountain in Place de la Halle, then continue along Rue Carnot. Further on, notice a fountain leaning against the wall of the school grounds, then arrive at an intersection you passed on the way there. Turn left and follow Chemin de la Croze to return to the car park.
(S/E) Continue to the entrance of the Croze estate to visit the gardens (admission fee, see Practical Information, ring the bell or call). The self-guided tour goes anti-clockwise and takes you through the Italian garden, the meadow and the tree-lined avenue, then the orange grove, the French vegetable garden and the small orchard. Leave the estate and return to the car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Difficult 
