Rouquettes Castle and Flaran Abbey

Car park on Boulevard du Nord behind the church.

(S/E) Head to Place de l’Hôtel de Ville via Rue Victor Hugo and enjoy the view from the church’s belvedere.
Head to the Porte de l’Hérisson via the narrow streets or by taking the Grande Rue (Espace Bastides) and Rue Porte d’Espagne.

(1) From there, head down to the harbour, cross the bridge over the Baïse and continue straight on. You can also head directly to Flaran Abbey by taking the Baïse footpath, immediately on the right after the bridge)

.(2) Head towards Vic-Fezensac via the D571 and turn immediately right onto the D112, then very quickly left onto the Chemin des Caboussets. There’s a lovely view of Valence from the top, near the Miché dovecote.

(3) At this junction, after Miché, turn right to join and cross the D112 (cross) and walk alongside the walls of Rouquettes Castle.

(4) At this T-junction, head back down to the village on the right, then turn left through the housing estate to join the Sentier de la Baïse.
Cross the D142 with care and arrive at Flaran Abbey.

:5:: Carry on straight ahead. Cross the Pont de la Baïse via the D142.

(6) Cross the Auloue Bridge via the D930 to reach a roundabout.

(7) At the stone cross near the roundabout, take the Chemin des Chèvres and follow the northern ramparts to the car park (S/E).

Car park: behind the church in Valence-sur-Baïse (Boulevard du Nord)

Toilets: Rue Jules Ferry (opposite the chemist’s).
Port de Valence.

Mountain bike route: accessible to mountain bikes and hybrid bikes (except the ‘Chemin des Chèvres’ for hybrid bikes).

Picnic spots: Port, church park, Place des Pyrénées, Flaran park, Baïse trail.

Restaurants: Valence Harbour and the village square

From the heart of the Bastide, at the start of your walk, the Church of Saint-Jean Baptiste invites you to climb its north tower to enjoy an exceptional panoramic view.
At Port de Valence, enjoy a pleasant break in the shade of the weeping willows or on the restaurant terrace.
Rouquettes Castle, a former private manor that belonged to the de Galard family, was rebuilt in the 18th century.
The Baïse trail, which extends as far as Condom, takes you to Flaran.
The Cistercian Abbey of Flaran, which has stood here since the 12th century and was the inspiration for the founding of the bastide, is one of the best-preserved in Gascony: with temporary exhibitions and a permanent art gallery (the Simonow Collection), it hosts numerous cultural events across its buildings dating from the 12th to the 18th centuries.