Circuit - PR 16 - Bazauges

BAZAUGES - Circuit de Bazauges (11.5 km - 3 h - altitude difference: 65 m) The village of Bazauges was located on the border of three provinces: Angoumois, Poitou and Saintonge. 1 - Cross the meadow to join the D223E3. Turn right and leave Les Madeleines. Turn left. The tarmac road becomes a dirt track. In Rue des Pruniers, take note of the well-preserved 17th century façade in the style of a "saintongeaise cell" (numerous rooms used to house farm workers): lintels decorated with a bracketed arch, projecting sink, one of which is decorated with an oeil-de-boeuf, "chanterelle*" cage where the inhabitants used to hide a partridge in order to attract females. 2 - At the fork in the road, turn right onto a grassy path. There is a fine view to the south-west over Font Brochère, La Trappe and Bazauges, with its water tower. To the south-east is the tower of Château d'Orfeuille. Cross the D223E3. At the end of the gravelled road, turn right and then left after 800m towards Château d'Orfeuille. d'Orfeuille. 3 - At the bottom of the slope, take the first dirt track on the right, then turn left again. Fork right onto another track and climb towards a pine wood. Go past the foot of the Château d'Orfeuille. Turn right twice. Go right down a gravel path. 4 - Continue left on a gravel path passing near the Font au Rat spring (Font au Rat was originally called "Font aurea" from the Latin "aurea" meaning "golden"). Continue and take the second path on the left. 5 - Follow the road to the right. After a bend to the left, continue due north and then turn left towards Bazauges. Go down into the village on rue des Grands Champs, rue de l'Ancienne Forge and past Place de la Mairie to the village hall. At the back of the church are small crosses carved by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. above the entrance door, on the lintel, is written in Romanesque characters: "I was restored completely new in 1789". *chanterelle: name given to the partridge that was placed in a cage to attract males with its song. This "cage" was made of stone with one or more slits or oddly shaped holes on the outside, while on the inside a white wooden or wire mesh door closed the opening. On rare occasions, hives could be identified by the large number of holes. The males were then caught in nets or shot with a piston gun or slingshot.