From Puy d’Eau to Rochechouart via the forest

Start from the hamlet of Puy d’Eau, near the Étang de la Pouge.

(S/E) Leave the hamlet via the south-west and you’ll soon reach a road; turn right onto it. At the Stop sign, on the D58, turn right.

(1) Turn left onto the footpath towards the observatory and walk alongside the Étang de la Pouge.

(2) At the hamlet of La Pouge, turn left onto the Chemin de la Pouge (marked by a Stop sign).

(3) At the three-way junction at the top of the steep La Pouge hill, continue to the right towards Saint-Auvent.

(4) At the top of the hill, turn left onto the D102.

(5) At the first junction, turn right towards Le Theil.

(6) At the junction with a wayside cross on your right, continue to the right for about a hundred metres until you reach the next fork.

(7) Follow the road to the left, joining the^GR® 48 some 600 metres further on at the four-way junction just after a power line.

(8) At the crossroads, carry on straight ahead, cross at the next fork and look out for a path starting on the left.

(9) Ignore this path (which leads back) and carry on straight ahead until you reach a small road.

(10) Turn left towards Les Houmeaux. At the Maison Neuve crossroads (gate on the left), turn right, go under a bridge and you’ll soon come to a fork in the road.

(11) At Les Houmeaux, turn left towards La Chassagne.

(12) At the left-hand bend, continue to the right along the downhill track.

(13) At La Chassagne, leave the hamlet on your left and carry on straight ahead along the path (^GR®48).

(14) At the four-way junction, carry on straight ahead.

(15) At the small pond, take the path straight ahead, slightly to the right.

(16) At the D41, turn right.

(17) Carry on straight ahead to Rochechouart. At the Stop sign, cross the D675 and then head towards the château near the town hall.

(18) At the castle esplanade, the end point of the walk, take in the surroundings, then turn round and head back down, following the one-way system, to the D41.

(17) Turn right onto the D41 and follow it for 3.5 km. Pass the ‘Chez Combard’ turn-off on the left and you’ll soon come to the start of a path on the left.

(19) Follow it towards the Pont du Bois, rejoin the D41 and continue for a few metres.

(20) Just as you come out of the bend in the road, turn left onto the path which climbs steeply. At the house, turn right and pass through the hamlet of Les Bâtiments.

(21) At the bend to the right, leave the tarmac and take the path on the left. Follow it straight on for 1 km.

(22) At the edge of the forest, go round the house on the right and head uphill through the woodland.

(9) Back on the^GR®48, turn right and follow the path you have already taken for about 1 km.

(8) Leave the route you have already taken and continue to the right towards La Grange du Noir. Carry on straight ahead to La Nouzille.

(23) In the village, turn left onto the D102 for 400 m.

(24) After passing a power line, turn right onto the first track you come to.

(25) At the road, turn right.

(26) At Le Mesnil, by the two tunnel-shaped buildings, continue left until you reach a junction, Allée de la Peyrade. Walk a few metres to the left.

(27) Just before the woods, turn right onto the track leading down towards the Pouge footbridge and head straight up to the D58.

(28) Turn left onto the D58, then right at the first junction and head towards Puy d’Eau (S/E).