Eauze - Lanne Soubiran

(S) Head to Saint Lupec Cathedral and cross Place d’Armagnac to the left, then turn left into Rue Robert Daury. Cross Place de la Liberté carefully and continue towards Nogaro on the D931. Follow Avenue des Pyrénées to No. 487, near the Allianz offices.

(1) Turn right towards Soumcidé and continue to a junction.

(2) After a 90° left turn, rejoin the N524.

(3) Follow this road for a while along Chemin de Soumcidé before reaching a Stop sign.

(4) Cross this road carefully and continue along the Chemin de Soumcidé heading south-west, following the vineyards and the GR®65 signposts. Continue to the junction with the Chemin de Penabert.

(5) Turn left onto a small road and continue to the entrance of a poultry farm.

(6) Continue straight on along a dead-end track down towards a small stream called the Bergon.

(7) Cross the stream before climbing up the other side. Continue along the farmland to a small, unnamed tarmac road.

(8) Continue along the grassy path heading south-west until you reach the junction facing a vast meadow.

(9) Turn right towards La Hargue, pass through the hamlet of Rigue, then continue across fields, pastures and vineyards. Carry on until you see a small signpost indicating a left turn between two vineyard plots. (Be careful, it’s easy to go wrong here!).

(10) Head left through the vineyards to cross the Ruisseau de Hitère, before reaching the hamlet of Peyret and a motocross route.

(11) Continue downhill through the vineyards to a small pond with a pumping station.

(12) Continue south-west to reach the junction with the D122, opposite the Étangs du Pouy.

(13) Turn left, pass to the right of the Moulin de Pouy, then continue on the D122 through farmland and vineyards to the hamlet of Le Pouy.

(14) Continue along the tarmac road to the hamlet of Laubuchon.

(15) Carry on until you reach the sign marking the entrance to the town of Manciet.

(16) Carry on past an old railway line and then the Manciet Arena before reaching the Stop sign next to the statue of the Virgin Mary (refreshments available here at the Proxi shop). Turn left towards Eauze until you reach the first junction.

(17) At a hairpin bend, follow the signs for the town centre. Pass the War Memorial and continue straight on along Rue Centrale. Pass the church and the post office/town hall before joining the D931 about 200 m after a picnic area.

(18) Keep left towards Sainte-Christie-d'Armagnac. Leave the village, taking great care on this relatively dangerous stretch despite the presence of a small hard shoulder. Shortly after crossing the Douze, you will come to several car dealerships on either side of the road.

(19) Turn left, pass a silo and follow the D153 towards the Étang du Moura. Ride through the fields before reaching the first body of water at a place called Las Barthes. Pass this hamlet and continue towards the hamlet of Haussecame.

(20) Turn right onto a dirt track at the edge of the copse. Follow the D153 as far as the hamlet of Haussecame.

(21) Leave the tarmac road and continue to the right (south-west) along this ascending path, which joins a tarmac road at the top.

(22) Turn right and walk a few hundred metres to pass between two vineyard plots.

(23) Turn left to follow the GR® 65, which winds its way through the vineyards and sunflower fields along small dirt or grassy paths until you reach a junction signposting the direction of the Relais du Haguet.

(24) Do not follow this direction; instead, continue straight ahead (north-west) to reach the vicinity of the Chapelle de l’Hôpital (water point here).

(25) Continue along a dirt track (note: the actual route does not match the IGN map), through a grove of oak trees; turn left before the D522 to follow it for about a hundred metres along the edge of a vineyard.

(26) Turn left onto the path further to the right and continue downhill to the hamlet of Pehour.

(27) Continue south-west to reach the bottom of the descent at the Midouzon stream.

(28) Follow the stream on your right for 300 m, then head back up to the hamlet of Le Razet. Turn left in front of the house and continue to the next junction with a dirt track.

(29) Turn right and continue across the fields and then through the woods until you reach the small tarmac road at the edge of the woods.

(30) Continue to the right along the Route de Cravencères to the Ruisseau de Saint-Aubin.

(31) Carry on through the hamlet of Villeneuve before reaching a ‘Give Way’ sign at the junction with the Route de Sion.

(32) Turn left towards Sion, then, at the large oak tree, head right along the vineyard to go round Pouy de Bouit and reach the D522.

(33) Turn left towards the south-west, then enter the small town of Nogaro. Cross an old level crossing and continue to the Stop sign.

(34) Continue straight on towards the town centre along Avenue du Midour until you reach a large junction (with the arena on your right).

(35) Keep heading towards the town centre and the Tourist Office along Rue Nationale to reach Place du Bas Armagnac (refreshments available at the SPAR shop and bakery).

(36) Continue straight on, passing to the left of the town hall before arriving in front of Saint-Nicolas Church.

(37) At the crossroads, take the right-hand lane towards Laujuzan on Rue Broque. Stay on this main road, which climbs gently. Pass a water tower at the top of the hill and continue across the plateau until you reach a second water tower.

(38) Head towards Arblade le Haut, keeping to the same direction, then at the Y-junction, just after the sign for ‘Toutes Directions’, take the path branching off to the right. Cross the vineyard along a wide stony track. Pass under a high-voltage power line before crossing a stream and arriving on Chemin d’Espagnet.

(39) Continue to the left, cross the Ruisseau La Jurane and then follow the high-voltage power line before reaching the hamlet of Claverie.

(40) Turn right onto Rue du Château and continue along the GR® 65 until you reach a T-junction in front of a large meadow.

(41) Head left until you reach the junction with the D931.

(42) Turn right and walk carefully along the verge of the main road, cross the Ruisseau l'Izaute and continue to the roundabout. Exit the roundabout towards Pau and walk on until you reach the row of trees running perpendicular to the main road.

(43) Turn left onto Chemin Labarbe, a poplar-lined road heading south. Continue until you reach a series of bends.

(44) Head south-west and continue to Lanne-Soubiran. Head towards the church and the Presbytère lodge on the right, where you can find a place to camp (E).

Supplies available in Nogaro (37) at the SPAR shop and bakery.
Camping around the church in Lanne-Soubiran. In case of bad weather, you can set up camp under the church porch; otherwise, please feel free to ask the lodge manager for advice.

Nogaro is also renowned as a major centre for the Course Landaise. In the bullring, built in 1929, the ‘Corne d’Or’ takes place every 14 July. Along with the French Championship for the ‘écarteurs’ (cattle herders), held every three years, this event represents the major highlight of the Course Landaise in France. The public is invited to vote for the best cow (also known as a ‘coursière’), which will then be awarded the Corne d’Or, as well as the best ‘cordier’ (rope handler).