Martignas-sur-Jalle - Magudas circular route via the Soldat bridge

This hike follows the course of the Jalle. You will cross the Soldat bridge and then walk along a stone path
without any difficulty.

Details

177481
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.56 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 12 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 12 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 43 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 25 m

Description of the walk

The start of the walk is located at the Moulin Bidon picnic area near the Jalle (a small stream).
To get there, take Rue Jean Jaurès to the end. There are picnic benches and a shelter for 20 people.

(S/E) Take the stone path that continues from the street, passing the small hollow where there is sometimes a trickle of water. Continue straight ahead on the sandy path.

(1) Pass through a low-lying area along the edge of the Jalle, where there is sometimes a little water in winter.
Just after the Ruisseau de Terre Rouge, turn left away from the Jalle, then keep right at the fork to go uphill and reach the white gravel path.

(2) Take the path on your right, cross the Soldat bridge and continue.

(3) Continue straight ahead on the path, passing a fenced-off area and then a forest. Keep heading east until you reach the village of Magudas, where you will come out onto Rue Jean-Henri Fabre.

(4) Turn right, then right again onto the D211, which you follow carefully until you reach the pedestrian crossing.

(5) Cross the road and take the paved road (Rue de Poupay). Go through the barrier and continue straight ahead on the straight white gravel path, heading south-west.

(6) At the junction with a barrier, turn right, then veer right at the next junction (Crabe Morte) to reach the D211.

(7) Cross carefully and continue along the tarmac road. At the next junction (elevation 38), cross and continue straight ahead along the white gravel path.

(3) Turn left and retrace your steps along the path you took at the start of the walk to return to the Moulin Bidon site (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 31 m - Car park at the Moulin Bidon picnic area.
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 29 m - Lower area on the edge of the - Jalle de Blanquefort (rivière) - Affluent de la Garonne
  3. 2 : km 1.24 - alt. 36 m - Crossroads with white gravel path
  4. 3 : km 1.78 - alt. 34 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  5. 4 : km 4.17 - alt. 37 m - Magudas - Rue Jean-Henri Fabre
  6. 5 : km 4.31 - alt. 38 m - D211 - Pedestrian crossing
  7. 6 : km 5.75 - alt. 42 m - Barrier, on the right
  8. 7 : km 6.4 - alt. 40 m - D211 junction
  9. S/E : km 9.56 - alt. 31 m - Car park at the Moulin Bidon picnic area.

Notes

Between (S/E) and (1) in the lower area, in winter during heavy rain, the Jalle river may overflow and it is impossible to pass.
In this case, go back 100 m, turn right (point 29 on the map) to reach the housing estate, then the D213E1. Follow the road to the right. At the crossroads, turn right again onto the path that takes you back to (2).

Worth a visit

The bridge over the Jalle between (2) and (3) is known as the Soldier's Bridge. I have not been able to find the origin of the name.

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
3.3 / 5
Naturiel
Naturiel

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

This walk isn't worth the effort because, apart from the first couple of kilometres which are quite nice, it's just a forest track.

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User 3905017

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

This route is of little interest; only the first 2 km along the Jalles river are pleasant to follow. The rest is just a forest track that runs alongside military grounds for much of the way.

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lisounette
lisounette

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The section up to Magudas is very pretty and well explained.
The section from Magudas to the forest is uninteresting and unattractive. And the end is not well explained.
It should be possible to return through the forest from Magudas.

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ChantalZ
ChantalZ

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Its advantage: its proximity to Bordeaux; its disadvantage: its limited appeal because, as one of our predecessors said, it features long straight lines, sometimes as wide as firebreaks, which deprive walkers of the element of surprise or discovery. We agree with the comment about the switch from point 7 to point 3. Be wary of the makeshift bridge near the start, which consists of simple branches thrown over a "net" of water that, despite the drought, can suddenly find its way into your shoes at this time of year! It is worth noting that the route does not use any tarmac roads.

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phany33
phany33

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice to do in spring, but as the paths are quite wide, they don't really provide much shade, so I'm afraid it might be quite difficult in summer.

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Le girondin
Le girondin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very easy route, beautiful forest trails with tall pines rustling in the wind.

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LINETTE.P.BX 33
LINETTE.P.BX 33

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, easy hike. Well described.
For those who, like us, have the paper description:
a small clarification. No. 7. At the end of the white gravel path. This turns left. Immediately turn right onto the path in the forest that leads back to No. 3.
Thanks to the author for this hassle-free walk.

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Vané33
Vané33

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice to do in warm weather as most of the route is through the forest.

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Reuga
Reuga

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hike completed on 21 March 2019, after a fairly dry period. Starting from Martignas, I recommend following the river as closely as possible: it is much prettier than the suggested route I took on the way back. It's even easier, as you always follow the well-marked and clearly frequented path that sticks to the meanders of the river, permanently on the left bank. You join the route suggested here about 1 km from the Pont du Soldat. This adds 2 km to the journey.
Of course, do not do this after long periods of rain: the path will probably be cut off by flooding from the nearby marshes.
The southern part of the circular route is a bit tedious: forest tracks where two buses can pass each other, punctuated by illegal dumps for 1 km.

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