Cycle Tours of Charentefrom La Giraudière, Brossac, South West France |
BROSSAC AUBETERRE ROUTE
The village of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne has recently been officially voted as one of the most beautiful villages that France has to offer . Going on a Sunday to the market is one of the best ways to spend a morning in this region and it really is worth stopping by.Things to See: Church of Saint Jean; Aubeterre Market (Sunday morning); Montboyer
Circuit Difficulty: Medium/Hard, a bit of a way but hills are infrequent and you can take a long well-earned rest in Aubeterre
 Take a left out of La Giraudiere,
and continue through the centre of Brossac, passing the Marie and the
tennis courts on the left. You begin to wind down a hill into Brossac
Gare and down to a cross-roads, where you go straight over
to
Chatignac. There is quite a long hill up to the top, where you turn
right onto the D70. Go through the pleasant
village of Chatignac and
roll down the hill slowly as you come out to admire the view.  Take a right when you get to the cross-roads onto the D20, taking you
up a small hill, and then
take the next left, sign-posted to Montboyer.
After 5-10mins you bear
right, taking you along a great scenic path
which circles round to the left. When you reach a T-Junction take a
right onto the D137, and another right a little further on onto the
main road and into Montboyer, a nice little town where you could stop
and have coffee. From the centre of Montboyer there is a left (the D137) sign-posted to Courlac up a small hill. Carry on until you cross a bridge over the railway line, bearing left and then immediately up a herpin right, where there's a bit of a climb. After 5 mins or so you will come to a crossroads with the D198, where you take a  left to Bellon.
There is
then a steady climb
through the wooded area
before reaching Bellon,
where you take a right to St-Romain,
easing through the valley. As you
come down the hill into St Romain make sure you take the cycle route to Aubeterre,
which clearly marked on the left. When you get there you
will find a path which winds right to the top - don't feel you have to
take it - it's very
steep.. On the way back, make sure you get on the D17 to Bonnes off the D2. Bonnes is full of little restaurants so feel free to stop here before taking a right onto the D139 sign-posted to Chalais and Les Essards, which takes you on a steep climb.Continue on the same road, taking a right  before Les
Essards to Chalais, where you'll go sharply down and
then immediately up again
past Les Dougnes St
Quentin on the D77. There is a
bit of a hill out of the village before the road winds down into
Chalais, where you go straight
over the roundabout by the station to
get to the centre.  To get back to LG, take the
D20 out of Chalais towards Yviers. This
will take you up a steady hill and you will the take a right before the
aviation school on the D134. Continue through the centre of Yviers,
past the Marie on the left, bearing left again into the countryside.
There is quite a long but steady climb here up to a cross-roads with
the D89. Go straight over
and keep on this road for
around ten minutes
until you reach a T-Junction, sign posted to Brossac.
Take a right
here, and the turn for La Giraudiere is about a minute or so up on the
left... "Thank you to Tom Quayle who put together both the cycle route and the web page whilst staying at La Giraudiere as part of the working group of 2009." |