The Path of Jean Guitton
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The Path of Jean Guitton
Champagnat

The Path of Jean Guitton

Heritage site and architecture
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This walk follows the paths once travelled by Jean Guitton during his holidays in Creuse, at the Château de Fournoux.
"My youth was spent in the Château de Fournoux, my grandfather's home [...] I bought a cottage opposite Fournoux, where I find a little bliss. I think I've come full circle, crossing that slow brown river that separates my past from my present, the thoughtful "Tardes"." Jean Guitton

3 points of interest

  • River

    The Tardes valley

    The Tardes has its source in the commune of Basville. It is a popular river for fishermen, especially for brown trout. Its valley is gradually deepening and from Chambon/Voueize to its confluence with the Cher, the river is classified as a ZNIEFF (Zone Naturelle d'Intérêt Ecologique Faunistique et Floristique).
  • Heritage site

    La Chaumière (private property)

    After the Second World War, Jean Guitton bought this building, from which he built a chapel named "La Pensée", in reference to Blaise Pascal, and which he inaugurated on July 16, 1971, in the presence of the bishop and the academician Maurice Druon.
  • Heritage site

    Château de Fournoux (private property)

    Jean Guitton spent his childhood holidays in this house belonging to his grandfather Henri Bertrand. He wrote, "Fournoux is perfection...an improbable meeting of a river in a gorge, a vast canopy of woodland and human habitation, dominant and dominated."

Description

  1. Go up the walled road for 20 m. and take the small sunken path on the left. Continue straight on for about 2 km until you reach the D19.
  2. Take the road on the left and then immediately turn right towards La Roche. Go through La Roche, keeping left, and follow the green signs to the hamlet of Montfrand.
  3. Go down the road on the left (the route follows the GR 46 marked in red and white).
  4. Before the village of Théolet, take a right turn after a small tarmac road for about 700 m to reach the D28.
  5. Cross the bridge on the left. Leave the major road and continue on the departmental road for about 500 m.
  6. Turn onto a sunken path below you to the left. Cross a stream and go straight on up. You'll reach a small asphalt road: go across it. Continue to follow the path until you reach the road.
  7. Fork left towards Le Deveix, go through the hamlet and go down to the valley of the Tardes (the viewpoint overlooking the Château de Fournoux).
  8. At the D19, turn left and cross the bridge. Continue for 300 m and turn right to reach the hamlet of La Châtre.
  • Departure : Hamlet of La Châtre, Champagnat
  • Arrival : Hamlet of La Châtre, Champagnat
  • Towns crossed : Champagnat and Lupersat

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Take care: The Chaumière de Jean Guitton and the Château du Fournoux are private properties.

Information desks

Rue de l'Etang, 23700 Auzances

05 55 67 04 99

Access and parking

From Champagnat, take the D9 towards Bellegarde then the D19 towards Mainsat.

Parking :

Hamlet of La Châtre

Accessibility

Emergency number :112

More information

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