Loupiac circular loop

Park near the church in Loupiac.

(S/E) Take the old Cadillac circular loop by following the road that runs eastwards alongside the church, in line with the choir. Continue to the T-junction.

(1) Turn left onto the tarmac path that runs alongside the cemetery. Cross the road and take the path slightly to the left until you reach the town hall square.

(2) Cross the square and take Rue Berthoumieu opposite, which runs alongside the town hall. After a technical building, turn left onto Rue Lauzero (Les vignes de Cornélien housing estate). Then take the path on the right that leads into the vineyards. Take the last wide lane on the left, 50 metres before the road embankment.

(3) Cross the D230 carefully at the green marker, then turn left onto Chemin rural n°12 de Malendure: green arrow on the electricity pole and green marker on the other side of the road. Pass between the vineyards. At the copse, continue along the path opposite and, once at the end, continue along the driveway leading to a house.

At the hamlet of Les Plainiers, opposite a wall, turn right onto the small road for 20 metres ("Boucle locale de Cadillac, Loupiac et Monprimblanc"). Cross the D230 carefully at the two green markers (clear visibility) and continue opposite on the circular loop to the place called Roumaud.

Take the small road on the left towards Domaine du Noble for 50 m (green arrow on the electricity pole). In the right-hand bend, leave the circular loop and turn left onto the small road between the vineyards and meadows, towards Château du Merle.

At the end of this road, at Françoye, take the road on the right towards Domaine des Rochers. Then take the first road on the left and rejoin the Monprimblanc and Loupiac circular loop: green marker 25 m after the intersection. Follow the green markers on this narrow road until you reach the stop sign.

(4) Cross the D230 carefully (clear visibility). Follow the green markers for the Monprimblanc and Loupiac circular loop, which takes a small, narrow road with little traffic through the vineyards.
In a left-hand bend, leave the road and pass between two stone markers to take the path on the right that descends between two vineyard plots.

In the copse, take the path on the right to continue on the Monprimblanc and Loupiac circular loop. Turn left at the edge of the plot that runs alongside the D230, then left again onto the stony farm track between the vineyards.

Continue straight ahead towards a wooded area. A few old green or yellow markers remain. Continue along the path until you reach a paved section and continue opposite on the road that descends into a wood to the Ruisseau de Ricaud. Do not enter the woods during the hunting season (pidgeon hunting huts). Follow the narrow, little-used road that climbs back up to the departmental road.

(5) At the stop sign, cross the D120 carefully : visibility is limited for cars on both sides. Look for the entrance to the vineyard 15 m to the left and climb up the embankment on the right. Cross the Morillon - Le Miey area. At the end of a vineyard plot, descend back down to the D120 for 50 m (clear visibility) to avoid the lawns of a private property. Then climb back up the embankment at the vineyards.

At the intersection, turn left onto the small road towards Cranne (green marker behind the stop sign). Follow the old green markers and cross the hamlet of Cranne (green marker behind the fire hydrant).

(6). At the end of the hamlet, take the small road on the right that leads between vineyards and woods. At the start of a straight climb between a vineyard and a meadow, turn right along the edge of the vineyard towards a hedge. Cross to the other side of the hedge and immediately turn left onto the uphill road that runs alongside the hedge and a vineyard.

(7) At the end of the climb, take the first road on the right to the hamlet of Montpezat. Continue right on the road and join the circular loop of Montpezat. Note the small church and cemetery on the left. Continue on this road to the hamlet of Philipperie and walk along the sports field.

(8) At the fire hydrant, carefully take the D19 on the right for about 75 metres: be careful, as cars coming from the opposite direction are coming out of a bend. Take the first road on the left, towards Château de Peyrine. Go around the estate and, at the first intersection, follow the road on the right to the place called Portail Rouge.

(9) Carefully take the D230 on the left for 250 m: visibility is partially obscured for vehicles. At the entrance to Birecourt, follow the green sign on the right for the Monpezat circular loop, which takes the small road marked "Voie Privée, Circulation Réservée" (Private Road, Restricted Traffic). Continue on this small road through the vineyards and groves. Pass in front of a private plot of land set up for off-road driving, then in front of the isolated Targuet farm building.

(10) At Hunaut, leave the Monpezat circular loop and take the small tarmac road on the right. After two bends, cross over the Mourens stream and continue along the woods.

(11) Cross the D19 at Génisson, next to Château de Grison. Continue downhill to the Mourens stream. Continue uphill through the woods on this small road.

(12) At Ramounichot, take the road on the right and follow it to D'Armagnac. Continue to the calvary and carefully cross the D229 (clear visibility) to follow the road opposite, Route du Sablereau.

(13) At the entrance to Le Boucher, turn left onto rural path no. 17 du Garre (yellow/green marker) and rejoin the Loupiac and Monprimblanc circular loop. Follow this path between vineyards and wooded areas and continue on the same path when it becomes Chemin Rural n°16 du Midi. Continue straight ahead when it crosses Chemin Rural n°15 de l'Aubarède and then Chemin Rural n°15 du Terrefort.

(14) At the end of the road, turn left onto Route du Grand Plantier. Leave this road at a bend and follow the path on the left that passes at the foot of the church hill and the cemetery. Continue along Rue de l'Église on the left. After the last house, take the Chemin Rural N°25 de l'Église farm track, the Locale Monprimblanc et Loupiac circular track, which passes between the vineyard plot and a copse.
Cross the tarmac road carefully: visibility is poor between two bends, but the road is narrow and quiet, with enough space to let traffic pass. Continue straight ahead on Chemin Rural N°25 de l'Église, the Monprimblanc and Loupiac circular loop: a few markers remain.

(15) At the end of the road, turn right onto the paved Route du Mayne, Monprimblanc and Loupiac circular loop. Pass the hamlet of Le Chay and then over the Ruisseau du Chay stream. Continue along this narrow, fairly quiet road until you reach the second crossing over the Ruisseau du Chay stream. Immediately turn right onto the farm track that climbs uphill.

(16) Halfway up the slope, at a large oak tree, turn left onto a terraced path that passes between two vineyards and leave the circular loop. Opposite Château Pontac, leave an isolated building on your right, take the tarmac road on the left and rejoin the circular loop.

(1) At the bend, continue left on the main road towards Loupiac church. Return to the car park (S/E).

Route designed in 2022 and travelled in May 2023:

1. The names of the localities used are those on the IGN 1/25000 map.
2. The routes and names of circular loops were taken from the Open Street Map.
3. The old green and/or yellow markers may be hidden by vegetation.
4. The names of the castles, read from signs in the field, are only mentioned as landmarks.

The distance travelled on departmental roads has been kept to a minimum (less than 300 m), but caution is required when crossing the D19 and D230.

Noteworthy churches and cemeteries in Montpezat and Monprimblanc.