(Boucle des Orchidées & Les Coteaux Calcaires de Saint-Victor / Circular Orchid Walk & The Limestone Slopes of Saint-Victor – 6km / 2 hours)
St Victor is about 5.5 km from La Treille. What a beautiful day… after the last few days of constant rain the sun has finally come out and I’ve just done the best walk so-far. With some of the most beautiful views accross the Dronne Valley – I’ll definately be recommending this one to everyone although I must come back in the Spring to see the ‘Orchids’!!!
I started the walk in the centre of the village and took a few snaps, one of the church, the signpost showing the canton walks and ‘Le Saint-Victor’ – the village restaurant, which is very good by the way!

The snaps below show the start of the walk, leaving the village and passing the cemetary all the time following the yellow signposts…

This snap shows one of the many wells that are dotted all along the walks.

Past a grapevine and then the down to a small lake. Ruby loved it around here!

Leaving the lake we followed the path through a wood and then passed through a tiny hamlet called La Bregere which again had it’s own very pretty little well…

The path circled around La Bregere and then climbed a steep hill for about 200 mtrs. At the top, spotting a yellow post accross the road we then took a footpath that led us along a hilltop path with absolutely glorious views accross the Dronne Valley and the river below…
There was a couple of signs up here explaining about how the Limestone Slopes have evolved over the years and a lovely little directional plaque showing ‘where you are’ and all about the Orchids along the path. You can’t really make it out in the snaps but you could really see the flooding from up here. Following the path along the top of the hill it then went down a narrow path.

We came accros this lovely little well half way down the path and where Ruby decided to take a dip…

Nearly done now if you’re getting bored… The bottom of the path bought us out on a small road. Couldn’t see any yellow posts but took a chance on turning right. About 100 mtrs on we came to the small hamlet of Le Breuilh. We spotted our first lambs of the year here, a little early for Spring but a lovely site…

Just past here I spotted a yellow post with an arrow pointing to the right. Turned right only to come face to face with the steepest hill so far! Oh well, onwards and upwards… luckily at the top it bought us out right opposite Saint Victor. What a super walk!