Day 10 of Travel in France dawned a fine day and so we drove into the hills to walk around the village of Pradeleix using the GR40 and then the PR29.
The path ran along the Corrèze through woods of pine and beech with moss everywhere.
We passed a ruined, 13C-14C fortified mansion, the Maison Forte de Montamar, built by the Lords of St Yrieix.
Shortly after this the PR26 turns to the right, over the river, and we followed tracks through the forest and along old ways.
At the top of the hill there were grand views over the surrounding hills although at times it felt like peering out through a curtain of leaves, like a Green Lane.
Bread ovens are a feature of this area and this one was at Les Pradeleix.
The walk completed we meandered back to the gîte through small villages, wide views, and forests. The verges were all neat, having been cut earlier in the day – you could still smell the cut grass. And in all the villages there was a memorial to those killed in the Wars, frightening numbers died in WWI – 20-50 men from even the smallest villages.
Then is was time to pack up after a wonderful week.
You may be interested in
A longer version of this walk and a description with photographs
Walks in the Millevaches Plateau – a long list of walks, with maps
The ‘lost’ village of Cledat in this area
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