Walking in the Dordogne - Janette Norton

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      Vineyards near le Tonibru

      Walk down the side of the church and take the road on the left towards le Pezaud/les Maules. Walk out of the village towards the vineyards, and follow the yellow markers and signposts for the Boucle de Monbazillac. Turn left on a grassy track between vineyards and then turn right onto a small road to the end of the houses, where the road becomes a grassy track again to reach another road 1. Turn left on the road, opposite the farm of la Roche, and continue up the road past the farm of le Tonibru to a T-junction. Turn right and after a few metres turn left, towards les Croux. This smaller, unsurfaced road goes into the woods and through stone gate posts which lead to the large estate of les Croux. Bear left on a track at the side of the estate, and at a yellow marker go left round a vineyard to reach a signpost where you join the red/white signs of the GR6. Go straight on, initially between woods and then vineyards, approaching more farms and houses. At the first house continue straight ahead on a surfaced track to the next yellow marker at a T-junction. Turn left on a larger road and at the next junction you leave the GR which goes straight on 2 (50min).

      Turn left towards the hamlet of les Bruyères, and where the road bends right, go straight on a grassy track with woods on the left. You rejoin the road at a communications pylon and continue into the hamlet of Peyrelevade to the main road. Turn right and at the next yellow marker turn left onto a jeep track, past a farm on the left. At the next yellow marker go straight on at the side of a vineyard on your left. From here you can see the château beyond the vines, and the river and Bergerac, with the tall spire of Notre Dame church, down in the valley to the right. Turn right at a yellow marker and go round the vineyard to rejoin the road opposite a house (1hr 15min).

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      Walking past the Château de Monbazillac

      Turn left and walk down the road to a large house where you turn left between the houses of la Cattie. You are now on the GR6 again, so follow the red/white markings. The track bears to the right and goes downhill into woods and then vineyards as it winds along below the Château de Monbazillac. At a T-junction turn left and walk up to the road past the grounds of the château and the entrance. Continue up the road to the Maison du Tourisme et du Vin, another good place for free wine tasting, and then cross the road back to the church and your car (1hr 45min).

      Flaugeac to the Château de Bridoire

Start/Finish Flaugeac, 130m
Distance 12km
Total ascent 160m
Grade Medium
Time 3hr 45min
Maximum altitude 170m
Maps IGN Série Bleue 1837 O Eymet 1:25,000
Access From Bergerac, take the D933, towards Eymet/Marmande for 13km, and then turn left onto the D15 into the hamlet of Flaugeac. Park at the side of the church.
Signposting Good − wooden signposts and yellow waymarkers (mostly posts)

      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.

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      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).

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      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

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