Flaugeac, 130m
This is an attractive, peaceful walk in undulating countryside, with sweeping views of fields and vineyards. You pass through several sleepy hamlets and villages, as well as by the turreted Château de Bridoire, which has recently been renovated. There is an information board in the car park about the windmills around Flaugeac, so look out for these old towers without sails, and for millstones ornamenting the courtyards of farms. The towers are recognisable as mills as they always had two doors so that the miller could get in, whatever the position of the sails.
From the parking area by the church, turn right and walk out of the village on the C206 road, passing the school on the left, and a few minutes later go straight over at the crossroads with the C203, towards Maurillac/le Castel/Clapier Bas. Here you see your first yellow marker. There are sweeping views of big fields and woods in all directions, and the tower of a windmill without sails on the right. Shortly after the crossroads bear left on a grassy path, passing the cemetery down on the right and a solitary family tomb on the left. The path continues, slightly raised, with a ditch on the left and vineyards on the right, with lady orchids in the grass at the side in springtime, to reach a road at a corner with a yellow marker 1 (20min).
Continue straight on along the road. If you turn right here, there is a shortcut to Maurillac. Where the road turns to the left to a house called le Caillou, go straight ahead on a track between vines. At the end of the vineyard take the central sunken path (yellow marker on the right) going through and round the edge of attractive woodland to reach a T-junction at a narrow road and wooden signposts. Turn right, signposted ‘Château de Bridoire 3.8km’, and continue along the side of a shallow, wooded valley with la Gardonnette stream running through it. You pass a house on the right and a larger house on the left, called le Seytieux, to reach a T-junction and a post immediately after. The track goes right and continues through the side of the wooded valley into open fields and then between two fences to join the road at the hamlet of Maurillac (55min).
Turn left past the Manoir de Maurillac on your left. Here there are three old millstones beside a tree on the left. Shortly after you reach a crossroads where you turn left again, signposted to Château de Bridoire. (Do not follow the yellow markers here as they are for a different walk.) The road goes down and then up, past Clapier Bas on the right and the Centre équestre (riding centre) of la Jumenterie, where you get your first view of the many turrets of the château down on the left. The road goes down and crosses the stream of le Grimoudou. Immediately after, bear left on a jeep track that is a shortcut to the château, passing a dovecote on stilts, to stop the rats getting in (1hr 30min).
Château de Bridoire
The turreted, fairytale-like Château de Bridoire opened to the public only in 2012, after more than 20 years of dereliction. First built in the 12th century round a central keep, it was partially destroyed in the Hundred Years’ War, and rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. The towers were constructed at that time, and the beautiful gardens were created in the 18th century. The château is open from mid-April to the end of September, and during weekends and holidays until mid-November. See the website for opening times: www.chateaudebridoire.com.
Walk past the entrance to the château, which has a children’s play area and a large chess set in the grounds, to a wooden signpost where you briefly join the GR636/654. Turn right, on the Boucle de Ribagnac, past a statue of the Virgin Mary, to a small crossroads where there is another millstone. Go straight on, up to the hamlet of les Costes. Walk straight through the hamlet, and immediately after the houses at a small crossroads (yellow marker) leave the GR and go down to the right for about 500 metres, then turn left opposite a farm on the right. This path goes into a shallow valley of large fields sweeping down to the narrow, bush-lined stream of le Grimoudou. Do not turn left on another jeep track but continue downwards on a narrow path and cross the stream at a bridge. The track goes gradually upwards through open fields to reach a more defined jeep track at the top (2hr).
Turn left to walk into the hamlet of Clapier Haut, passing a solitary family tomb on the left. Walk through the hamlet and bear right at a fork. Continue down the road to reach a T-junction (yellow marker). Turn right (the D107 is over on the left) and go down the gently descending road. At a yellow marker opposite a pond on the right 2, turn off left onto a wide track, past a sign saying that the wood to your left is called ‘le Bois de la Dame’. Continue through fields, bending to the left at a yellow marker and passing the house of la Coste on the right, to reach a crossroad of tracks and a fallen signpost. Turn right through fields and vineyards until the track becomes a tarmac road at a cemetery on the left. Continue on the road to a T-junction and turn left into the village of Singleyrac to reach the square and church (2hr 45min).
Look for the signpost at the side of the information board in the square and follow the sign saying ‘Liaison Flaugeac 2.6km’ down the hill to the D15 at a crossroads with more wooden signposts. Turn right towards Flaugeac and go along the D15 for a few minutes, passing the lake and ‘Village Vacances’ over on the left and vineyards to the right. Turn left off the road at Chez Cinquet/Bois de Petit, at a yellow marker where the D15 bends to the right 3. After two houses the road turns into a grassy jeep track leading into a sunken lane and woodland. Follow the track and yellow markers through the woods and ignore any turnings off. In the middle of the wood there are more wooden signs at a junction where you go straight on towards Flaugeac. You pass a hunting platform on the left and another signpost, and after about 100 metres the track comes out of the woods. Here there is an open view to the right across to the hamlets of le Marsalou and le Maine. The track goes back into the woods for a few minutes and then reaches a road where you turn right and then immediately left at a yellow marker by a house (3hr 30min).
Keep to the left of the house on a track going through vineyards and then fields. You can see the church of Flaugeac ahead and there are wonderful panoramic views over to the right. Follow the track and yellow markers to arrive at the D15 again where you turn left into Flaugeac to reach the church and your car (3hr 45min).
WALK 4
Around Monestier
| Start/Finish | Monestier, 95m |
| Distance | 15km |
| Total ascent | 210m |
| Grade | Medium |
| Time | 5hr |
| Maximum altitude | 130m |
| Maps | IGN Série Bleue 1737 E Duras 1:25,000 |
