The quarries of Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie

Depart from the shaded car park in Saint Quentin, in front of the primary and nursery schools.

(S/E) Head back up towards the village (north), then turn left onto Grand Rue. Turn right onto Rue de la Fontaine and continue straight ahead, past the town hall square. Continue left onto Rue du Général Sorbier, where you will see a yellow sign.

(1) Follow the signs, turning right onto Chemin des Escarougnardes, then, when it forks, turn left onto Chemin de Vallabrix until you reach the Les Termes Rouges signpost.

(2) Take the road on the left towards Carrières de Meules, Lacoste, until you leave the road and start the trail.

(3) Turn left onto the trail, following the yellow markings and the sign for Poterie Bleue on a wooden sign, until you reach the Lacoste signpost.

(4) Take the path on the left towards the quarries. The trail leads to a small road, which you take to the right for a very short distance before coming out onto a larger road.

(5) At Font Clarette, turn right onto this road, still heading towards Les Carrières, then immediately turn left onto Chemin de la Tuilière. When you see the houses of La Tuilière, take a grassy path (slightly to the right), walk along the vineyard and take the grassy path opposite that leads towards the woods.

(6) Enter the forest, going uphill. Follow the yellow mark on the right and continue along this path until you reach the Tour de Cantalure signpost.

(7) Take the path on the left and continue to the quarries.

(8) The site is relatively large and worth exploring. Retrace your steps.

(7) Turn left towards Vallabrix. Cross the road, keeping slightly to the left, and take the path towards Méchant Pas and Vallabrix.

(9) At the "Le Méchant Pas" signpost, go down the path on the right until you reach the small road called Chemin de Castelnau, which you follow on the left until you reach the Domaine de Castelnau.

(10) Take the path on the right to Sauzède and Condamine.

(11) Take the road on the right, then leave the tarmac on the left via a grassy path, which you follow between the olive trees on the left and the vineyard on the right until you reach the forest (yellow markings). You will then come to a road, which you take on the right for a short distance until you reach a crossroads in the vineyards.

(12) Turn left onto the grassy path in the middle of the vineyards and follow it until you reach the signpost Sous le Serre de Plangaon.

(13) Take the track on the left, at the barrier, which climbs towards the village. Be careful when leaving the sewage treatment plant area: do not go straight onto the road, but continue along the path on the right, which follows a hedge. Return to the car park via the Chemin du Terrier, which becomes the Chemin de la Pinède.

(14) Turn right onto Avenue Léon Pintard, which you leave at Place du Fournalin, turning left onto Avenue François Jean, in front of the schools (S/E).

Visit the village of Saint Quentin, route available from the tourist office.

You can visit the pretty village of Saint Quentin and its many potters.