Amidst sandstone and olive trees, the church of Payzac and the Chapel of Sainte-Appolonie

Start from the village centre of Les Assions. Parking next to the church (limited spaces) or above, in front of the school.

Yellow markings.

(S/E) Take the D352 north-east for about 300 m, passing the church and the town hall.

(1) At a left-hand bend, head down to the right along the Chemin des Jalliberts, which serves as a shortcut before rejoining the D352. Turn right onto it for about ten metres until you reach a wooden fence on the left.

(2) Just before the fence, go down a small, steep flight of steps on the left which leads to a level path. Ignore the bridge on the right and continue straight on along a grassy path that climbs up the valley on the right bank. Cross the Ruisseau de la Boutonnette via a pretty little bridge and continue to a level path near the Mas de la Brugère.

(3) Turn right until you reach a small tarmac road, which you take to the left. Leave this road when it turns left towards a house, and continue straight on along a footpath. At the signpost for Champetier Haut, turn left and head towards the hamlet. Go round the houses on the right and take the small tarmac road on the left.

(4) At the last houses, leave the road and take a flight of steps on the right. Continue along a path that becomes a track through the vineyards, then turns left at the edge of the woods.

(5) Ignore the yellow markings, which turn left onto a road. Continue straight ahead and turn left at the three-way junction immediately after.

White-yellow markings

Continue, making sure to keep heading in the same direction without being tempted by the paths on the right. Pass a small reservoir and go straight on until you reach a four-way junction after a short descent: signpost for “Le Chazelet”.

(6) Ignore the paths to the right and left and continue straight along the track. Note the developed spring of La Grand Font on the left as you pass, and arrive at the signpost of the same name.

(7) Turn left. 150 m further on, leave the signposted path on your left and continue straight on to the D207 (Route de Lablachère).

No signposting

(8) Cross the main road and turn left onto the small road below. Keep left at the three-way junction about a hundred metres further on, pass a house on the left and go just behind the group of houses on the right. Next to a well, take a steep climb on the left between the houses and arrive at the small road called Chemin sous l'Église.

(9) Continue straight on, go round the last house on the right and arrive at the rear of Payzac church.

(10) Set off from the church square along the path that descends behind the war memorial. Continue along the tarmac road, turn right at the T-junction and arrive at the D207.

(11) Cross the road carefully and take the path on the left at the three-way junction that appears immediately.

White-yellow markings

Continue along this path, which becomes a track. Cross the small stream, then a road, and arrive at a tarmac road.

(12) Turn left towards the hamlet of Les Salles. Leave the road and go straight on between the houses. Continue to the road leading to Les Chaussiers.

(13) Turn left and head straight on to the “Péjural” signpost.

Yellow markings

Carry on straight ahead.

(14) At the next junction, turn left onto a road that becomes a track and then a tarmac road again (Route de la Chapelette). Continue to the signpost for Le Puech.

(15) Take the path on the left which climbs up the hill to the Sainte-Appolonie Chapel.

(16) Walk past the chapel and follow the path down the north-eastern slope of the hill. At the bottom of the path, follow the road to the right, then the D352 on the right to reach the car park (S/E).

The first part of the route is through sandstone. Between (5) and (6), the path is even carved directly into sandstone slabs. The sort of place where specialists might look for dinosaur footprints.
The return route is mainly through limestone and marl, a landscape of olive groves.

At point (7), you can take a short detour to the right to the hamlet of Barsac.