On the hills above Courgeac and Saint-Eutrope

Park in the car park at Courgeac Town Hall.

(S/E) Walk up to the town hall, turn right and take the small road leading down Rue des Gâtes-Fer. Walk past the back of the cemetery.

(1) At the crossroads, cross over and take the path opposite. Follow the grassy path, crossing the bridge over the Ruisseau du Plain.
Continue along a very narrow path (not shown on the IGN map) which climbs steeply, follow the edge of the woodland and descend slightly to join a road.

(2) When you reach the road, turn left, follow it for about 150 metres and turn right onto the first path after the house.
Follow the track; in the woodland, keep to the right and, on emerging from the woodland, head towards the vineyard.
Follow the path with the vineyards on your right and the house on your left, and head down to the road.

(3) At the road, turn left and then immediately turn right onto the other road. Follow it for about 20 metres and take the first path on the left. Follow this grassy path just past the vineyard (about 150 metres), turn right and walk up along the edge of the vineyard. Please note that the vines may have been pulled up; you’ll need to walk up to reach the main path.

When you reach the end, turn left onto the main track, enter the woods and then follow the small path. In the woods, head slightly to the right; do not turn left. Continue to the fence.
Walk along the fence on your right-hand side until you reach the road and the village of Le Marchais.

(4) Turn left, cross the village and continue straight ahead along the road. Pass the ‘Maison d’accueil Spécialisée La Châtaigneraie’ care home on your left and carry on straight ahead along the same road until you reach the major junction with the D24.

(5) Cross the road with great care (visibility is not very good as you are between two bends).
Take the road opposite towards Fresignac. Immediately after the first houses, turn right onto the first path, which runs alongside the house. Follow this path without any difficulty as it is very clearly marked. It turns left, then right, then left again, and descends to join a cross-path through a meadow.

Turn right onto this track, cross a small stream and head uphill alongside a copse on your right.
Once at the top, follow the track as it bends first right then left, leaving the ruins of the hamlet of Puyfillou on your left: they are hidden away amongst the ivy and brambles.
Head uphill towards the small wood, keep to its left and follow the path to the road.

(6) Follow the road slightly to the left, and after about 350 m, turn left at the first junction. Follow the road; on the descent, you’ll see Chabreville Castle on your right. Continue until you reach the first houses in Chabreville.

(7) Turn right onto a path just past the rubbish bins, opposite the Chemin de Chabreville, which leads down into the valley. Ignore the paths on the right, cross another small stream and reach the road.

(8) Cross the road and take the path leading uphill opposite. Ignore the two paths on the left, continue through the woods, ignoring the first path on the right, keep on the same path and head right to reach the vineyard you can see.

Once you reach the vineyard, turn left and walk through it to the other end (there’s a path between two rows). When you reach the end, turn right and head uphill to join the cross-path.

(9) Turn left, follow the grassy path straight on and enter the woods; the path is damp, but you can avoid the puddles by walking on the sides. You’ll come to a road.

(10) At the road, turn left, follow it for about 400 m and turn right onto the first path as it heads downhill. Follow this path until you reach the edge of the woodland.
At the edge of the woods, the path turns right and then immediately left, skirting a fence around a meadow on the left.

(11) Do not go all the way to the houses in the hamlet of Le Breuil; turn right just before the row of trees.
Walk down the path, cross the embankment of the pond and head back up the small path on the opposite side. When you reach the road and the crossroads (there’s a cross on the left), head towards Courgeac and make your way to the town hall car park (S/E).