Route du Père de la Brosse

Twenty kilometres north of Angoulême, Jauldes has preserved its beautiful rural heritage. Between fields and forests, take the time to linger in its charming villages with their old buildings made of small, typical limestone blocks.

Details

14776990
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.29 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 57 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 51 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 142 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 88 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Jauldes (16560)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 45.78489° / E 0.25764°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1731SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at Jauldes Town Hall

Yellow markings

(S/E) From the car park, head towards Brie on the D91 and follow the road for about 200 metres to L'Aiguille.

(1) Turn right onto the path, walk past the Aiguille stables and continue for 500 m.

(2) Turn left and continue to the entrance to the village of Margnac. Turn right twice and continue through the undergrowth.
Turn left after a pylon and pass in front of a transformer.

(3) Follow the small path on the right to reach the Magnac road.
Just after the entrance to the village, at the end of the cul-de-sac on the left, you will see the house where Père de la Brosse was born in 1724 and the commemorative plaque next to the gate.
Continue along Rue du Père de la Brosse through the village and turn left at the intersection. You will see a cross on the low wall. Immediately turn left again. Continue along the grassy path to the village of Nouailles.

(4) Go down to the right at the bottom of the village. Enjoy a refreshing break at the village's beautiful wash house.
Go up to the left after the wash house and continue to the end of the road.

(5) Follow the white path on the left and continue straight ahead for 800 metres. At the T-junction, turn left and climb up to the pylon.

(6) Turn right and continue straight ahead, then climb up towards the D 91 after Cherves.
Cross the road carefully and take the path opposite.

(7) At the end of the path, follow the road to the right. Before the first house on the left, climb the small steps built into the embankment. Walk along the wall of the Logis de la Motte and you will come to a road, which you should cross.
Take the time to visit the villages of La Motte and Chez Forgeau.
Continue straight ahead for 500 metres along a path.

(8) Leave this path and turn right in front of a hedge. Ignore the first path on the left and take the second one at the entrance to the Forêt de la Braconne.
Continue under the canopy for 900 m, ignoring the paths on the left and right.
Note the flat limestone rocks lining the path.

(9) At the intersection, turn left as theGR® de Pays. Turn right and follow the path that winds its way to the village (D11).

(10) The road leads back to the starting point on the left (S/E).
Take the time to visit Saint-Martin Church in the village.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 123 m - Jauldes Town Hall car park
  2. 1 : km 0.2 - alt. 130 m - L'Aiguille
  3. 2 : km 0.77 - alt. 140 m - Turn left at the fork
  4. 3 : km 2.61 - alt. 117 m - Path on the right
  5. 4 : km 3.63 - alt. 98 m - Nouailles
  6. 5 : km 4.36 - alt. 108 m - Fork in the dirt track
  7. 6 : km 5.34 - alt. 117 m - Pylon
  8. 7 : km 6.94 - alt. 131 m - Road junction
  9. 8 : km 7.79 - alt. 126 m - Turn right at the fork
  10. 9 : km 9.34 - alt. 133 m - Turn left at the fork
  11. 10 : km 10.04 - alt. 122 m - D11
  12. S/E : km 10.29 - alt. 123 m - Jauldes Town Hall car park

Notes

Contact: Pays d'Angoulême Tourist Office +33 (0)5 45 95 16 84

Worth a visit

(3) In 1766, Father Jean Baptiste de la Brosse was sent as a missionary to Tadoussac in Canada. He was the last Jesuit missionary to evangelise the Saguenay.
He died in 1782 at the age of 58 and was buried in the Tadoussac chapel.
(4) A well, a watercress bed and a drinking trough complete the very pretty Nouailles wash house. The spring gives rise to the only watercourse in the commune, the Ruisseau du Moulin des Rivauds, which is said to never run dry.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
matmarlulu
matmarlulu

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Previously marked in green, now in yellow, easy route, beautiful villages and forests, lovely wash house in Noailles.

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Antharhes
Antharhes

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Apart from the discovery of the Nouailles wash house, this route is not of great tourist interest...

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Thank you for your comment.
Kind regards,
Chantal

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Roandelta
Roandelta

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Pleasant route with a lovely fountain

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
I'll repeat my earlier answer.
The plaque commemorating Père de la Brosse is indeed located in the first cul-de-sac on the left at the entrance to the village. I missed it myself at first, and it's true that you hesitate because it feels like you're entering someone's home.
Thank you for your comment. Best regards,
Chantal

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philouis
philouis

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk. It could do with a bit more time spent in the villages along the way.
We couldn't find the house of La Brosse's father.

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Well done to YOU for finding the house!
Information about Father de La Brosse is available on the file: In 1766, Father Jean Baptiste de la Brosse was sent as a missionary to Tadoussac, Canada. He was the last Jesuit missionary to evangelise the Saguenay region. He died in 1782 at the age of 58 and was buried in the Tadoussac chapel.
Thank you for your comment.
Best regards,
Chantal

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kehan
kehan

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Well-marked route. We found the birthplace of Father de la Brosse! An explanatory plaque would be a nice touch. Pleasant hike, except for the strong wind that day.

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
I'm glad you enjoyed the route. The plaque commemorating Père de la Brosse is indeed in the first cul-de-sac on the left at the entrance to the village. I missed it myself at first, and it's true that you hesitate because it feels like you're entering someone's home.
Thank you for your comment. Best regards,
Chantal

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josy et jo
josy et jo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Avoid this route in hot weather as there are many dirt tracks across fields and little shade, but it is pleasant in autumn or spring.
Follow the yellow markings, which are very clearly indicated.
We did not see the house of Père LA BROSSE.
Very beautiful wash house in Nouailles.

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Thank you for your comment.
Kind regards,
Chantal

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AnnyJakin
AnnyJakin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Easy route, little tarmac, very little elevation gain. Best done outside of the hottest months, not very wooded but very pleasant at the beginning or end of the season.

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Thank you for your comment, which I hope will encourage hikers to discover this route.
Kind regards,
Chantal

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Marchal16
Marchal16

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We enjoyed a beautiful route in sunny weather. Pleasant paths with some sections under leafy trees and charming hamlets (don't miss the Nouailles wash house). We weren't bothered by the lack of signposts, but we couldn't find the birthplace of Père de la Brosse on the street of the same name (a lapse in attention?). A very pleasant hike that we recommend!

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
The hike is not marked as signposted. As hikes are not necessarily signposted on Visorando, I have added it anyway while waiting for the signposting to be operational, which is planned for the end of the year.

Enjoy your hike!
Chantal

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