Route of the Forge and Forest Mills

This hike will take you to the ruins of two old mills dating from the 18th century, built on the Brezou stream. You can see old millstones, dykes, a supply channel and the ruins of the Moulin de la Forêt building with the water inlets under the mill.

Details

1027611
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.39 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 202 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 197 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 384 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 281 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park: Lac de Poncharal (Vigeois towards Brive).

(S/E) From the car park, cross the lake's spillway and take the road that serves as a dam for the lake to the end of the dyke.

(1) Cross the road, turn left for a few metres and then turn right onto a small road that climbs for 50 metres. Take the path opposite, which crosses a small wood and leads out between the fields. Continue to the right until you reach the crossroads (tarmac road).

(2) At the crossroads (village of Commagnac), turn left and immediately take the path on the right called Chemin du Moulin de la Forge and walk along it while admiring the beautiful countryside. Leave the two paths on your left, a little further on leave the path on your right and continue downhill to reach the ruins of the Moulin de la Forge.

(3) Cross the Brezou on the wooden bridge and immediately afterwards turn left onto the path going uphill and stay on it until you reach the village of La Buginie, a charming little village in Corrèze.

(4) In the village, take the path on your right, cross the meadows and undergrowth to Moulin de La Forêt.

(5) Cross the bridge and go back up through the undergrowth, then cross a meadow to the edge of the forest.

(6) At the edge of the forest, turn left onto a forest path that leads to a farm track. Turn right to reach a tarmac road.

(7) At the crossroads, turn left and then immediately right, then follow the road to the village of Commagnac.

(2) At the crossroads, follow the same route back to Lac de Poncharal and its car park (S/E).

:

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 319 m - Lac de Poncharal car park
  2. 1 : km 0.31 - alt. 320 m - Dike of the - Etang de Poncharal
  3. 2 : km 0.87 - alt. 374 m - Village of Commagnac
  4. 3 : km 2.14 - alt. 289 m - Moulin de la Forge. Cross the - Brézou (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 3.37 - alt. 360 m - Village of La Buginie
  6. 5 : km 4.2 - alt. 289 m - Moulin de la Foret
  7. 6 : km 4.53 - alt. 316 m - Forest edge
  8. 7 : km 5.18 - alt. 365 m - Chantegril-Commagnac crossroads
  9. S/E : km 6.39 - alt. 319 m - Lac de Poncharal car park

Notes

Between (4) and (5), in wet weather, water floods the path, making it muddy and slippery; walking sticks are very useful.
Feel free to stray from the path to explore the mills.

Worth a visit

Tour of Lake Poncharal.
Saint-Pierre de Vigeois Abbey, founded before 572.
Old 12th-century bridge (Pont des Anglais) over the Vézère.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
mariefrance5202
mariefrance5202

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We added a tour of Lake Poncharal to finish off in style.

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NANOU16
NANOU16

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk! Just one downside: the signs for the mills weren't very clear.

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tawar
tawar

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike in early February, beautiful rolling countryside, not difficult.

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Demi-peche
Demi-peche

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice route, perhaps suggest straying from the path to see the ruins of the mills... otherwise very good.

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paco19
paco19

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

It was a lovely walk with a nice surprise, and we have fond memories of it.

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splas
splas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful walk with very little tarmac, completed with a tour of Lake Pncharal.

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thegilbert
thegilbert

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant route, but not particularly interesting visually. An alternative option is to finish by going around Lake Poncharat.
Be sure to wear waterproof footwear.

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Gerard Forini
Gerard Forini

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

After heavy rainfall, you will need waterproof footwear to cross the stream.

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