A walk through the forests around Marignac and near Château d'Ardennes

Parking is available in a car park near the Post Office and the Church (next to the junction of the D146 and D249). Alternatively, you can park near the Village Hall by continuing north on the D146.

(S/E) Leave the car park by taking Rue de la Meauffe north-west. This section of the route follows the^GR® de Saintonge.
At the first junction, turn right onto Rue du Tour d'Orlac, which climbs up to the plateau at the last houses.

(1) Pass Rue du Claud on your right (which leads to the cemetery), then Rue du Logis on your left, and take the farm track opposite, which runs between two plots of vineyards.
Continue straight on until you reach the woods, which you then enter. The farm track turns into a forest lane.
Cross straight through the woods, ignoring the paths branching off on either side: the forest track first climbs slightly and then descends gently to a four-way junction

(2) Turn left onto a narrower forest track (though wide enough for a forestry tractor) which leads downhill.
The path leads to the hamlet of Saint-Blaise, which you reach after skirting a vineyard on your right and leaving the woods.

(3) Cross the small road with care and continue straight ahead on the road leading to the houses of Saint-Blaise before it turns into a farm track heading towards the woods.
The path climbs. Ignore the first path on the right, which leads directly to Château d'Ardennes but whose first section is not maintained (numerous branches across the path, making it difficult to walk on).
Continue along the path that climbs into the woods.

(4) Once at the top of the hill, take the first forest track on the right. Follow it to a T-junction (note, on the right, the end of the impassable track mentioned above). Turn left into a forest lane that leads straight to Château d’Ardennes.
At the edge of the woods, the forest track turns into a beautifully laid-out tree-lined avenue leading to the château.

(5) The avenue ends near the entrance to the château, which still bears traces of its former drawbridge, its moat, and fine medieval architecture. It is a private property with a small adjoining farm. You can at least walk part of the way round it to admire it properly.
Retrace your steps to the previous junction, then turn right to rejoin the route taken on the way there.

(4) When you arrive, rejoin the original forest path by turning right. Continue straight ahead.
Further on, the forest path emerges from the woods (near Chez Moreau on the right) before reaching the edge of the Bois des Rentes, then the Bois de Chez Dumaine. Leave the farm track on your right leading to the hamlet of Chez Moreau, which is recognisable by its water tower.
The path then turns left and crosses the Bois de Clône. It emerges from the woods and becomes a forest track running along the hillside until it joins the road leading to the hamlet of Chez Le Geay.

(6) Cross the road and take the slightly uphill forest track opposite, which soon enters the forest and turns into a lovely forest lane.
Continue straight along this forest lane until you reach the clearing at the hamlet of Chez Thérot.

(7) At the four-way junction, turn right onto the downhill forest lane that crosses the Bois de Galante.
At the next junction of forest paths, turn left onto the steeply ascending forest path.
Further on, at a Y-junction of forest paths, take the left-hand path. Continue along this forest path until you reach the small road leading to the hamlet of Chez Thérot.

(8) Almost immediately, turn right onto a farm track that climbs towards a mill, running alongside a vineyard on your left.
When you reach the hillock at the foot of the mill, turn left onto the path that winds between the vineyards, keeping close to the houses on the right. The path runs along the edge of their property
then passes between two buildings to join Rue de la Meauffe, which you follow by turning right.

As you walk down this street, you will soon return to the car park (S/E).

This hike across varied terrain requires suitable footwear.

This route, which presents no real difficulties, is unmarked, although some sections follow the^GR® 360 de Saintonge (marked in white and red) or paths marked in yellow. It is advisable to follow the directions in the description and on the map and to cross-check them with a good understanding of the landscape. The choice of route is the result of a journey taking in as many paths of all kinds as possible, whilst keeping road sections to a minimum.

Hike completed by the author of this guide on 4 December 2017.

Marignac

The parish church of Saint-Sulpice is Romanesque and dates from the 12th and 14th centuries. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1896 due to its interior decoration.
The former parish church of Usseau, now a chapel, also dates from the 12th century. The chancel and bell tower were rebuilt following the destruction of the Hundred Years’ War; the portal and nave are original. It has been listed as a historic monument since 2000.

The Château d’Ardennes

This small castle, rather modest in its architecture, nevertheless attracts attention because of an illustrious figure who once resided there. It was in fact owned by Lord Pierre Dugua de Mons, a member of a noble family who converted to Protestantism during the 16th century and the little-known founder of Acadia. He was also Governor of Pons from 1610 to 1618. He resided in this house during the final years of his life, enjoying a peaceful retirement there until his death in 1628, the year of the siege of La Rochelle and the surrender of the Huguenot city. This small castle is of medieval origin; it was founded in the 12th century, then enlarged and rebuilt in the 15th century. It has retained a drawbridge which was fitted out during the 18th century.

Pierre Dugua de Mons, born around 1560 at the Château de Mons in Royan and died in 1628 at his Château d’Ardennes in Fléac-sur-Seugne, near Pons, was the first coloniser of New France, with Samuel de Champlain as his lieutenant.