The Fortified Villages

Start: Take the street alongside the war memorial and fountain (a listed sixteenth-century monument) towards Espirat, pass the inn and, 100 m further on, turn right onto Rue Martagère. On leaving the village, take Rue de l’Aullière on the right. At the D 81b (views of Tour de Courcourt on the left, Château de Ravel slightly left, Espirat and the Monts du Forez straight ahead, and Petit Turluron with its chapel and Château de Mauzun on the right), follow it to the left, then take the first earth track on the right. At the end, turn left; 100 m further on, continue straight ahead. At the T-junction, turn left to return to the D 81b. Follow it to the right to its junction with the D 997.

1. Cross it (caution: fast traffic) and take the grassy track straight ahead. At the end of this broad track, after crossing the former railway line, turn right to reach the cemetery.

2. At the cemetery, take the road on the right, cross the stream and enter Espirat. By the gateway, take the street on the right alongside the fortified village. At the end of the fortifications, branch left into the first narrow street entering the fort. Pass the church on its left and continue straight ahead, passing beneath the gateway to leave the fort. On leaving, immediately turn right behind Salle Marcel Fournier (dovecote on the left), then continue straight ahead along Rue des Marronniers. At the Reignat sign, turn right alongside the fort walls. On leaving, pass behind the bar by taking Rue du Moulin on the right. Continue straight ahead on this street to leave Espirat (view of Château de Montmorin straight ahead).

3. Just before Moulin de la Verse, descend to the right on the track. At the next junction, turn left, cross the bridge and follow the Jauron stream. At the T-junction, turn right; cross the railway line to the right of a retting pit, then cross the D 997 (caution: fast traffic). Take the earth track straight ahead and climb to the reservoir (looking back, views of Espirat and Ravel straight ahead, Moissat slightly left, and the Monts du Forez and Château de Mauzun on the right).

4. At the reservoir, turn right (views of Chas straight ahead, the Chaîne des Puys and Puy-de-Dôme slightly left, and the Monts du Forez on the right). Continue straight ahead on this track; by the fine stone cross (view of Chas), descend towards the village. At the T-junction, turn right, then at the D 81 continue straight ahead into the village. At the junction, continue uphill on the D81 (towards Chauriat), then take Rue des Fichaux on the left. Turn onto the first narrow street on the right (Petite Rue des Fichaux, polychrome house). At the end, turn left (ignore Rue de la Source on the left), then 30 m further on turn right alongside the town hall; pass through the gateway on the right and enter the fort. Walk around the church, turn right alongside the school, then branch left to return to the war memorial.