Orches from La Rochepot

fr

A beautiful hike from the Château de La Rochepot to Orches and back. Beautiful views make this a most enjoyable walk, and there are plenty of picnic tables along the way for well-deserved breaks.

Technical sheet

n°541633
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.60 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 383 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 383 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 548 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 324 m
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Photos

Orchis mascula
Tower
Catchment sources
Fountain of Châgne

Description of the walk

Start from the château car park on the D111d.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, take the small path that climbs steeply and turn left. At the end of the wood, with a panoramic view of the village of Baubigny, turn left onto the path leading down to the Croix du Pèlerin.

(1) Cross the D111d to take the tarmac road in front of you. At the junction with the D906, immediately take the track on your right. Pass the remains of the ancient village of Dracy (14th century) and continue for approx. 300m.

(2) When the path rises and forms a left-hand hairpin bend, leave the PR® and turn right onto a path that follows along the cliffs and leads to a picnic area and orientation table.

(3) Rejoin the GR®7 and follow it north towards Orches. Turn left onto a tarmac road. Before reaching the top of a hill, turn right onto the path leading to the Châgne fountain.

(4) With your back to the fountain, follow the path down to Orches. Enter Orches, leaving the GR® on your left, and take the first hairpin bend on your right. Pass the spring and take the second turning on the left.

(5) At the crossroads, take the small left-hand road (18% gradient) down to hill 353. Turn right onto the small road leading to Melin.

(6) Reach an iron footbridge, which you take on your right. The path rises, bends to the right and veers left at the top. Continue south-west to the Croix de Choux.

(7) Take the grassy path alongside the lime trees. This path bends to the left and descends to a vineyard. Turn left onto a tarmac road.

(8) Follow the road to the right. At the crossroads, turn right onto the D111d for about 150m. When the road bends to the right, continue straight ahead on a dirt track. Continue along a vineyard to the Chemin de la Cité crossroads.

(9) Then turn left and pass through the bottom of a vineyard. The path rises gently through the box trees.

(10) Arrive at a fir-tree wood and turn slightly left. The path takes you back to Château de La Rochepot. Turn right onto the small road leading to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 438 m - Château de la Rochepot car park
  2. 1 : km 0.41 - alt. 457 m - Pilgrim's Cross
  3. 2 : km 2.19 - alt. 514 m - Leaving the PR
  4. 3 : km 2.96 - alt. 545 m - GR7
  5. 4 : km 4.14 - alt. 529 m - Fountain of Châgne
  6. 5 : km 4.9 - alt. 473 m - 18% downhill cross
  7. 6 : km 5.98 - alt. 336 m - Gateway
  8. 7 : km 7.44 - alt. 408 m - Croix de Choux
  9. 8 : km 7.95 - alt. 364 m - Tarmac road
  10. 9 : km 8.98 - alt. 392 m - Chemin de la cité
  11. 10 : km 10 - alt. 469 m - Pine woods
  12. S/E : km 10.6 - alt. 437 m - Château de la Rochepot car park

Practical information

Stony passages - good walking shoes required. No drinking water (except in villages). Small snack bar at Château de La Rochepot.

Yellow trail PR® between (1) and (2) then between (6) and (S/E). Red and white trail GR® between (3) and the entrance to Orches.

In the nearby area

Visit to Château de La Rochepot.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
cece.b
cece.b

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

This walk took 2 hours 50 minutes on a cloudy day. It should not be done in very hot weather and you should be in good physical condition as there are some good slopes to climb. Beautiful scenery, cliffs and a charming Orches village to discover. We encountered 1 problem that day: after point 9, it was difficult to find the small path and as we were looking for our way along the side of a vineyard, we were badly received by the owner...

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Mongouachon
Mongouachon

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A very pretty and varied route with magnificent views from the top of the cliffs at Orches .

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Michnou
Michnou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Pleasant walk, beautiful cliffs, picturesque villages, fine views, but some steep slopes.

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Barpoub
Barpoub

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lovely, varied walk: through undergrowth, over ridges, limestone cliffs, through Orches. Lovely views on either side of the valley. Don't forget your hats and water, as some sections are very exposed to the sun and the rock can be quite hot at the end of a summer's day. The Châgne fountain is a welcome spot to cool off.
Please note that during our hike, the passage between points 2 and 3 was forbidden due to the risk of the cliff falling. You have to go around it by climbing a little higher onto the plateau.
It's also worth noting that it's tempting to go straight on towards Baubigny at point 9, especially if you're in a group and chatting! The path is a very small footpath in the undergrowth, the access to which is barely visible through the vegetation if you are not careful.

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JeanBoivin
JeanBoivin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Varied walk with beautiful views. First part on the edge of the cliff was a bit muddy. Picnic tables at the orientation table and at the Fontaine de Chaigne.

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Viviane03
Viviane03

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb walk with many points of interest and views. The fountain is superb and historically interesting.
Very nice walk and discoveries.
Thank you

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bggb
bggb

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A fine walk despite the bitter cold, with a few exposed sections. The route is well signposted.
A lot of fun on this walk. The time indicated is realistic without sustained effort.

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grandin
grandin ★

Ringed, the distances are indicated in the section "Crossing points".

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Ringué
Ringué

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The explanations given for following the route are, in my opinion, sorely lacking in any simple indication of the distance between the particular points specified, which would make it easier to "stick" to the reality of the terrain and would therefore be more accurate.

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teddy.masson
teddy.masson

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

circuit completed in 2h 48mn without a break at a normal average pace of 4km

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grandin
grandin ★

Thank you for your opinion manaosi. At what level of the description does this prohibition apply?

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manaosi
manaosi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Warning: the path above the cliff is forbidden by municipal by-law.

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Chavirot
Chavirot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice walk, thanks to the author of the itinerary.

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Guy Bailly
Guy Bailly

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hiking in a highly varied setting.
Several walks in one!
Be careful, though, as the path along the cliff edge is unsafe, and there's a sign saying you can't go on it!

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Serge71100
Serge71100

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant walk with a variety of paths. Beautiful views from the Orches cliffs.

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