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The circular route starts and ends at the Médoquine roundabout, which can be reached by bus number 4 (and perhaps one day by train?). If travelling from Bordeaux city centre, allow an extra 20 minutes each way.
(S/E) Head towards Pessac (west).
At the second Médoquine roundabout (with a cycle path all the way round), turn left towards the university campus. A proper cycle path opens up on the right-hand side of the road. You’ll pass the Clarence Dillon house (the company that owns the Haut-Brion vineyards), then follow the old road for about 250 metres, running alongside the remarkable (now disused) Lavardens drinking water reservoir.
(1) You’ll then pass just past the gate of Château Mission Haut-Brion, before crossing the railway line via a bridge reserved for cyclists and pedestrians. At the roundabout, turn right onto the path, which then winds its way down through the vineyards of Château Mission Haut-Brion.
(2) At the roundabout, you’ll join Avenue Albert Schweitzer, which runs around the university campus. You’ll be directly opposite ENSEIRB. Follow the cycle path on the right for 400 metres, then, at the next roundabout, take the avenue leading off to the left towards various colleges (ENSCPB, INCB etc.), which takes you to the tram route, line B (Doyen Brus station).
(3) Take the cycle path to the right, following the tram tracks before veering away from them as you go uphill. You’ll reach an avenue and then the Faculty of Arts buildings. At the next roundabout, turn left towards the CREPS and Village 6. At the very end of this straight avenue, you’ll come out onto a street overlooking the ring road; turn left.
(4) At the roundabout, turn right, crossing the ring road via a bridge with a cycle path. Then turn right onto Route de Canéjan. At the traffic lights, turn left (making sure to follow the signal reserved for cyclists on the path) onto Rue du Professeur Villemin. Continue for 50 metres to reach the old Chappe telegraph tower (Gradignan).
(5) Leave Rue du Professeur Villemin immediately and turn straight on to the small Rue des Mésanges. Turn left onto Rue de Lange and follow it all the way to the junction with Rue de Lahouneau. Turn left (cycle path) until you reach the junction with Avenue du Général de Gaulle (traffic lights adapted for cyclists). Opposite, take Rue des Fontaines de Monjous (cycle path marked on the pavement on the right).
(6) Turn right onto the access road to the Collège des Fontaines de Monjous; at the end of this road, a tarmac and then gravel path allows you to continue straight ahead into the woods. You will soon reach a roundabout at the end of Allée Gaston Rodrigues, which you follow (cycle lane on the right-hand side, Laurenzane district) to the next roundabout. Then turn off just enough to join the cycle path running to the left of the road heading towards Léognan (due south), which takes you across the Eau Bourde (dedicated bridge) and on to the Gradignan media library.
(7) The roundabout below the media centre is a little misleading: a sign there suggests a cycle route to the right; do not enter the roundabout but carry on straight ahead, cycling across the stadium car park, then join the Route de Léognan, which you follow for about 700 metres (due south). At the three-way junction, turn right (no entry to the left). At the next junction, leave the Route de Léognan and take Rue de Peycamin, opposite (still heading south), to reach a junction with several small streets or roads. Alternative route: at the hamlet of Poumey, turn left onto the (very narrow) Rue de Branlac, then take Rue de Bragues.
(8) At the hamlet of Le Barbut, continue straight ahead along Rue du Barbut, which becomes a dirt track (signs for ‘dead end’ and ‘herd of goats’), soon leading into woodland. After 250 metres, you’ll reach a junction of various forest tracks.
(9) Take the path on the far left (heading east), a dirt track through the woodland which will soon take you alongside the Château Olivier vineyard. You’ll be able to admire Léognan’s distinctive water tower on your right. The track eventually joins a small road (Chemin de l’Oustau Neuf), which you take to the right. This road separates the Brown vineyards (on the left) and the Olivier vineyards (on the right).
(10) At the first opportunity (stop sign), turn left (due north) onto Avenue de la Liberté, also known as Allée John Lewis Brown (named after the founder of Château Brown). The entrance to the estate is on your left, 50 metres ahead. Continue due north, now on a dirt track, keeping Rue Henri IV on your right (an alternative route in case the tracks are muddy). This track runs fairly smoothly through the woodland until you come to houses and a road on your left.
(11) Take the path towards this street without turning into Rue de Verdun opposite; you are now in the Grands Bois housing estate. Follow the lane to the right until you reach a junction.
(12) Take the cycle path which leads off to the right (north-east). Follow this path, which soon runs alongside Rue de Verdun (now due east) for about 550 metres.
(13) Turn left onto Avenue Jean Rostand until it joins Avenue Jean Monnet. Turn left and head towards a roundabout that is well-suited for cyclists. Continue on the other side along Chemin Gaston, which becomes Rue Saint-François Xavier.
(14) Just before the bridge over the Eau Bourde, a stony track on the right allows you to follow a branch of this river. Carry on along this track, cross a lock and you’ll come to a bridge allowing you to cross the Eau Bourde and rejoin the tarmac (you’re at the Gradignan Billiards Club). As you emerge onto the main street (Rue de la Croix de Monjous), take the cycle lane on the right.
(15) At this roundabout, you’ll need to look out for the cycle path… it’s in the middle of the avenue. Don’t hesitate to join it – it’s safe. This path allows you to cross the ring road in complete safety.
(16) When you come to a street branching off to your right (Rue Victor Jara) which climbs steeply, take the junction of cycle paths to turn right as well. This path takes you close to the lovely Parc Sourreil (Villenave-d’Ornon). Continue along Rue Victor Jara, turn left into Rue Eugène Delacroix and, at the bottom of this street, turn right into Avenue Jean Racine.
(17) At the next junction, turn left into Rue Paul Verlaine and, 200 metres further on, turn right into Rue Lafitte. You will now continue straight on along Rue Lafitte, Rue Peydavant and Rue Lamartine.
(18) At the junction with Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, turn left onto this avenue, which takes you straight to the centre of Talence. At the roundabout crossed by the tram, head in the direction of Médoquine on the other side (Rue Camille-Pelletan, then Avenue Sainte-Marie). Carry straight on and you will reach the Saint-Marie footbridge, which spans the railway lines.
(19) At the bottom of the footbridge, turn left onto Rue Armand Leroi, then take Rue Paul Bert and finally Rue de la Médoquine to return to your starting point (S/E).
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