L’Échappée Belle – Route Violet – P4

Park at the Plateau d’Argentine.

(S/E) Head south-west along the small road. At the start of the descent, keep to the right of the sheep farm fence. Take the small, steep path, then cross the old railway line to reach the old Seguignas wash house.

(1) From there, head to the junction on the left and cross the D12 with care, heading towards Fontaine. Follow the small road uphill to the Fork in the road marked by a stone cross.

(2) Turn left towards the hamlets of Seguignas and then Lutardias.

(3) At Lutardias, turn left; a little further on, cross the small wood known as Les Gros Chênes. Once at the edge of the wood, turn right to follow its edge until you reach a crossroads.

(4) Turn right again (north-west), towards the hills of Les Masdonnaux. Continue straight on until you reach the tarmac road.

(5) Turn left, continue for 1 km towards Fontaine and reach the next crossroads. You are now on the boundary between the municipalities of La Rochebeaucourt and Fontaine.

(6) Take the path on the right, follow the line of truffle oaks and carry on straight ahead.

(7) Turn slightly right into the Péricaud Forest. A little further on, leave the Violet P0 route on your right and head into the undergrowth opposite to join the ridge path.

(8) Follow this path, which is still bordered in places by a low stone wall.

(9) Turn left on the heights of the Combe du Prieur, walk past an imposing pidgeon hunting hut and continue to the Chaussade Bridge at Gué de Pompeigne.

(10) Leave the bridge on your left and follow the tarmac road to the right, alongside the Lizonne (or Nizonne in its upper reaches), to the hamlet of Nadaillac.

(11) Ignore the Violet P1 route, which heads up to the right, and cross through the hamlet. Continue along the banks of the Nizonne. After 1 km, you’ll come across the Violet P2 route, which joins from the right; ignore this too.

(12) Once you reach the village of Les Fieux, carry on straight ahead, leaving the purple P3 route on your right. Pass beneath the charming château of the former lord, the Baron de Feuillade, then walk past the small wash house and continue to the road.

(13) Cross the D12 carefully and follow it to the left towards La Rochebeaucourt for about a hundred metres. Turn right onto a small, steep path, beneath the gaze of the Baron de Galard carved into the rock. At the end of the path, you’ll reach the castle ruins, the setting for the legend of Aurore d’Argentine and Arthur de Feuillade.

After passing the Church of Saint-Martin and the cluzeaux, head for the Plateau d’Argentine (S/E).

Stone picnic tables and benches on the Plateau d’Argentine.
Dry toilets in the plateau car park.
A cool, shaded river, which runs alongside the path for much of the way.

Goose farm at Lutardias.
A 180° panoramic view towards Vendoire and the Château de Villebois-la-Valette.
The Lizonne, which forms the boundary between Charente and Dordogne.
Fieux Castle or the ruins of the de Galard castle.
The little Church of Saint-Martin on the Plateau d’Argentine.
Cluzeaux d’Argentine.
Former stone quarries.