Source du Bué in Pichanges

This circular will take you to the Source du Bué with its curious legend. You can also explore the village, its chapel and its equally anecdotal history, the Templar house, the manor house and the fortified church.
In May and June, you can see wild orchids in bloom.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.15 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 45 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 49 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 311 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 261 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Pichanges (21120)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.463289° / E 5.150651°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3122SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park next to the Pichanges wash house.

(S/E) Walk slightly downhill towards the picnic table and turn right onto the Chemin du Potet path.

(1) Pass the remarkable willow tree and continue straight ahead. After the hedge on the right, turn right then left towards the Source du Bué. At the end, walk along the grove for about 50 metres then enter it until you reach the spring with the information panel.

(2) Retrace your steps and take the first path on the left.

(3) About 300 m further on, walk along the small scrubby field where the wild orchids are, then take the path on the left that climbs slightly and take the first path on the right. Join the second path on the left.

(4) Follow this path and further on, after the copse, turn right. Stay on this path which runs alongside another copse and soon turns to the right. At the end, turn right onto the path that climbs uphill and reach a path on the left.

(5) Take this path and continue towards the entrance to the village.

(6) At the chapel, turn right to cross the village.

(7) Pass in front of the Templar house.

(8) Pass in front of the stately house with glazed tiles and continue towards the church.

(9) At the church, follow what is now a path. About 20 metres before the Calvary, turn right and go down to the road. First turn left then right to take a farm track. At the end, turn left. Then take a grassy path on the right. This will take you back to the remarkable willow tree.

(1) Turn right to return to the wash house car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 276 m - Parking at the wash house.
  2. 1 : km 0.32 - alt. 271 m - Remarkable willow tree
  3. 2 : km 1.3 - alt. 261 m - Source du Bué
  4. 3 : km 1.71 - alt. 278 m - Scrubby field where the wild orchids grow
  5. 4 : km 2.28 - alt. 289 m - Crossroads
  6. 5 : km 4.47 - alt. 289 m - Crossroads
  7. 6 : km 5.26 - alt. 289 m - Chapel
  8. 7 : km 5.28 - alt. 289 m - House of the Knights Templar
  9. 8 : km 5.44 - alt. 291 m - Manor house
  10. 9 : km 5.64 - alt. 296 m - Church
  11. S/E : km 8.15 - alt. 275 m - Parking at the wash house.

Notes

If you wish to shorten the circular, you can go directly from (4) to (5) without completing the circular.
To see wild orchids in bloom, visit in May or June.
Picnic table at the wash house and the Source du Bué.
Most of the paths are exposed, so take precautions in hot weather.

Worth a visit

(S/E) Pichanges wash house.
(1) Willow tree several hundred years old.
(3) Field with wild orchids.
(6) 18th-century Pichanges Chapel.
(7) House of the Knights Templar.
(8) Manor house with glazed tiles.
(9) Fortified church in Pichanges.

Pichanges

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
GIFFARD Michel sosthene
GIFFARD Michel sosthene

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Educational trail on plant identification

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MJCtalant21
MJCtalant21

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike focusing on the village of PICHANGE

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Cousis
Cousis

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did not find the Templars' house.

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Chabanis
Chabanis

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The description of the hike is not very clear, we had to turn back several times, luckily there was the app to put us back on the right track...!

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chafouine21
chafouine21

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A peaceful route best enjoyed in spring when the orchids are in bloom and the temperature is below 25 degrees, as there is very little shade.
We did not see the Templars' house (not signposted).

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Eymard Franck
Eymard Franck

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting hike to discover wild orchids

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Violette
Violette

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk through the fields.

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Steve PetitPas
Steve PetitPas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Enjoy your walk, which might inspire you to sing a ballad at this time of year.
There were only a few people, but everyone kept their distance.
The observation panels are well placed along the path. At one point, I felt like I was walking on a Roman road, raised between two fields. We are not far from Lux, a town rich in archaeological remains.
Perhaps there is a Gallo-Roman villa in the vicinity?

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DEMA0906540
DEMA0906540

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk in the countryside, peaceful and with beautiful views of the surrounding area.
Accessible and easy. It is possible to shorten the route by following the signposts.

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