The banks of the Dordogne in Libourne

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Discover a little-known part of Libourne after a few minutes' drive, leaving the traffic behind for the vineyards and then the tranquillity of the banks of the Dordogne. If it is hot and the sun is strong, you will be in the shade and cool on your return. The presence of the menhir is surprising.

Details

n°398290
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.45 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 5 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 5 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 13 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4 m
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Photos

The garrouilh
The grands crus
Through the vineyards
The vineyards

Description of the walk

Exit Libourne Route de Castillon after Citroën and Peugeot Cantenac No. 160 small car park shopping centre.

(S/E) Just after and before the Foirefouille, on the right is the "Chemin de Carré" which leads to the Dordogne.

(1) Follow the banks of the Dordogne on the left and continue to Jean Meulin.

(2) At the fork, turn left and go up to the D19 (beware of heavy and fast traffic). A word of advice: cross over and walk along the right-hand side for 100 metres, then cross back over to reach the menhir.

(3) Retrace your steps and take the D19 on the right until you reach the Y-junction.

(4) Leave the D19 for a quieter route and turn left. After 200 metres, a path on the right leads through the vineyards. Cross the first road and continue straight ahead.

(5) Turn right onto the second road after the "Chapelle de Lescours".

(6) Return to the D19 for 50 metres on the right, then take the road on the left that leads back to the banks of the Dordogne.

(7) At a place called "Le Quai", turn right and ride gently along the Dordogne, admiring the beautiful residences and charming little hamlets (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 9 m - Small car park at the shopping centre
  2. 1 : km 0.52 - alt. 6 m - Banks of the Dordogne
  3. 2 : km 1.02 - alt. 5 m - On the left, Jean Melin
  4. 3 : km 1.38 - alt. 13 m - Menhir
  5. 4 : km 1.58 - alt. 12 m - On the left
  6. 5 : km 2.87 - alt. 13 m - Right towards the D19
  7. 6 : km 3.24 - alt. 12 m - Junction with the D19
  8. 7 : km 4.09 - alt. 5 m - The Quay
  9. S/E : km 6.45 - alt. 9 m - Small car park at the shopping centre

Worth a visit

(3) The menhir is located about 50 metres from the road from Libourne to Branne and 200 metres from the Dordogne, where the port of Saint-Émilion once stood. It stands at the top of the northern slope, opposite the Dordogne.
Its dimensions are impressive (5.20 metres high, 3 metres wide and 1.50 metres thick). The megalith is estimated to weigh 50 tonnes, taking into account the part that is buried. It is the most imposing menhir in south-western France.
The menhir consists of a monolithic block with a quadrangular cross-section and a slight incline, carved from asteriated limestone. It was probably extracted from outcrops of this type of rock located about 2.5 km from the site in Saint-Émilion.
Its lower section has a narrowing, which may have been created by those who erected it or by more recent work by quarrymen. On one of its sides, 0.70 m above the current ground level, there is a circular "offering hole" dug in the Middle Ages.
As with all menhirs, in the absence of stone tools or ceramics found nearby, it is difficult to date. The menhir is located near the region with the highest concentration of covered passageways. It is probably contemporary with the many covered passageways visible in the region, which are traditionally dated to the late Neolithic period (2600-2300 BC).
(Wikipedia)

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
User 26900951

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A discovery for both your website and this trail. Easy access and approach for "short" walkers. The setting is very pleasant on the banks of the Dordogne, shaded on the section we walked. As it was getting hot and the second part of the trail is through vineyards with less shade, we turned back and decided to save the rest for another time. The description and map were accurate for the part we used.
Thank you for this opportunity

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isèrevercors
isèrevercors

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A short, easy hike for the whole family. It was too short, so we went on the one that runs along the Dordogne
in Castillon as an extra.

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Tigram
Tigram

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, very easy hike between vineyards and the river, with a visit to the impressive menhir. The section on the D 19 is certainly not pleasant but it is quick to complete. We hesitated to take the path that runs along the Dordogne at the end, as it was marked "private property", but in the end it only affects one or two houses and then the path becomes public. It would have been a shame to miss this very pleasant part of the walk.

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41nath
41nath

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, accessible to all.
However, the section along the D19 is dangerous. It is a very busy road with no real footpath for pedestrians.
The section along the Dordogne is very pleasant in warm weather.

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Closparadis
Closparadis

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

a superb walk along the Dordogne
but the rest of the route is a bit disappointing: part of it is on a very busy road, the rest is through vineyards, but with a beautiful view of the hill of St Emilion

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Nautix54
Nautix54

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk between vineyards and the Dordogne River.
No private property crossed, only open paths.
The section along the road (70km/h) is not safe, so avoid it with children, or walk in the ditches.
Allow a little over an hour's walk for adults.

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Yglith
Yglith

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk, but there are "Private Road" signs all along the route along the Dordogne, so I'm not sure if you can walk on this path.

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Thibaultlr
Thibaultlr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Beautiful scenery, but unfortunately the road back along the Dordogne is closed due to a prefectural order issued on 6 April 2020 during lockdown due to the risk of COVID-19 contamination. Hopefully access will be restored soon...

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback.

due to a lack of signage, I often had to turn around or stop to find my way back...

Finding your way when hiking is not easy. If you are not confident with navigation, I recommend using the Visorando GPS app in addition to the description and map.

The app will answer the following essential questions in real time:

1. Where am I?
2. Where have I come from?
2. Where should I go?
3. Which route should I take?

See you soon!

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clager
clager

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

good description on the website, but once there, lack of signage meant
i often had to turn around or stop to find my way again...

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natureln
natureln

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Thank you for this hike. Watch out for possible flooding as the path can be completely flooded and therefore impassable. A dog that had escaped from its home (Le Garrouilh) blocked my access in front of its house, so a motorist gave me a lift to get past! H

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Moune33
Moune33

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very pleasant, easy walk. The pleasure of walking through the vineyards and along the Dordogne river

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youssouf77
youssouf77

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We didn't complete the entire hike due to scheduling issues, but the beginning is encouraging. We recommend it...

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lous camins
lous camins

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant little walk. Even the first street leading to the Dordogne took us away from it all: under the sun and surrounded by flowers in the gardens, we felt like we were in a seaside village... The path along the water did not disappoint, and the old port of Pierrefitte was a discovery even for the natives of Libourne.

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Mailfran
Mailfran

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Just for the view of the dolmen rising majestically above the vineyards, this walk is really worth doing. It is very easy and very pleasant along the Dordogne river, which is so close! The only slight downside is crossing the D19
where vehicles drive fast! Fortunately, it's only a few metres.

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