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The route starts at the car park of the Auberge du Petit Nice in Croignon. Electric vehicle charging facilities are available.
(S/E) Leave the inn on your left, walk downhill for about 250 m and turn left onto Chemin du Gestas until you reach a Y-junction.
(1) Turn left and head up the Chemin de Virel for about 200 m.
(2) Leave the main road and continue to the right along the Chemin de Vireli, which winds through the woodland and then crosses a pasture where sheep are often grazing.
(3) At the crossroads, turn right onto the steep track leading to Le Gestas. Cross the bridge over the stream and continue to the tarmac road.
(4) Turn right, then take the first path on the left, before the house. The path climbs through the woodland. Pass through the cattle grids and carry on. On the left, a pidgeon hunting hut. Continue to the tarmac road.
(5) Turn right and carry on. Walk past the town hall and the Church of Saint-Martin du Pout. A little further on, on the right, is the first castle on the route, dating from the 17th century: Château Rivalan.
(6) Turn left onto the Chemin des Marches. Walk through the small hamlet and carry on straight ahead along the dirt track which descends through woodland to the tarmac road.
(7) Turn left onto it and carry on until you reach the Stop sign. Then turn right, and immediately turn left onto the Chemin des Chevreuils. At the end of the tarmac section, carry on along the dirt track that winds between the edge of the woods and the vineyards. Cross the Route de Camarsac and carry on straight ahead through the vineyards. There’s a lovely view of Camarsac Castle on the right.
(8) Turn right onto the road that winds its way down towards the hamlet of Brochard to reach the stream of the same name.
(9) Take the path on the right after the bridge over the stream and continue along its left bank. On the right bank are some lovely properties and a pond.
(10) Leave the bridge on your right and continue left along the path that climbs towards Camarsac Castle. You’ll pass not far from the magnificent circular dovecote (17th century).
(11) Facing the vineyards, turn left at the foot of the imposing Château de Camarsac (the second on the route), built in the 14th century and remodelled in the 16th and 18th centuries. Legend has it that the Black Prince, son of Edward II, King of England, stayed here to defend his father’s lands. Walk along the outer wall to the right, then turn left and continue to the D936.
(12) Cross the road with great care and head left for about 100 metres. Then leave the D936 and turn right. Pass the entrance to the property on your left and continue straight on.
(13) Turn right onto a beautiful, straight avenue lined with some magnificent oak trees. This is the former route of the tram line that linked Bordeaux to Camarsac between 1900 and 1949. In 1924, there were up to ten return journeys a day at a speed of 35 km/h, with the journey taking 55 minutes.
(14) Cross over and take the Chemin des Trams.
(15) Turn left, then walk alongside Camarsac Pond, fed by the River Gestas: an idyllic spot for a short break or a picnic.
(16) Leave the pond and take the road that runs alongside the Gestas, as far as Avenue Georges Rivière.
(17) Turn right onto this road. Cross the Gestas, then head uphill towards Saint-Germain-du-Puch.
(18) Turn left towards Sales (misspelt on the IGN map) and pass through the hamlet. The road then turns right into the vineyards and passes through the hamlet of Cordes.
(19) Continue along the Chemin de Cordes.
(20) Leave this and carry on straight ahead along the lane between the vines until you reach the Château du Grand Puch farm. The imposing silhouette of the château stands directly ahead. Construction is thought to have begun between the end of the 13th century and 1330. It is believed to have been completed between the mid- and late 14th century.
(21) Take the road to the left. At the bend, carry on straight ahead along the Route du Grand Puch.
(22) Turn right on the Bol d’Air route, which leads further on to the Château du Petit Puch.
(23) Walk past the front of the château and continue through the vineyards to the Route de Sallebœuf. Turn right, then immediately left onto the Chemin de Pingat and continue through the vineyards.
(24) Turn right into the vineyards and then follow the boundary wall of the château grounds: take a quick look at one of the park’s entrances!
(25) Turn left onto the tarmac road and go straight on at every junction you come to.
(26) Leave the road and head down to the right through the vineyards towards the boundary wall of Château Jonqueyres. Walk along the wall to the left until you reach the front of the château. Then walk down the château’s driveway until you reach the D936.
(27) Turn right and walk down the D936 with care. Cross the Gestas again, then cross the D936 at the pedestrian crossing and continue to the town hall.
(28) Turn left and continue to the church of Camarsac, which is dedicated to Saint Saturnin, Bishop of Toulouse, who died a martyr in 250. It has been listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments since December 1925.
(29) Turn left onto the Chemin de Croignon.
(30) After the sewage treatment works, turn right. At the fork you passed at the start of the route, veer left and head for the Auberge du Petit Nice (S/E).
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