Tour of the Monts de Blond (Haute-Vienne)

Starting from the village of Blond, the trail quickly plunges into the Monts de Blond, a mysterious massif dotted with rocky outcrops and steeped in Druidic legends. Passing through Maillofray and Les Forêts, hikers walk beneath a canopy of ancient chestnut and oak trees, where nature reigns supreme. The route then branches off towards Oradour-sur-Glane, a poignant memorial to 20th-century history. The path continues through the bocage countryside towards Javerdat and Arnac, offering rolling landscapes where verdant meadows alternate with small streams. The climb to Montrocher provides a commanding view of the surrounding hills before reaching Mortemart, listed among the most beautiful villages in France for its castle and medieval convent. The return to Blond via Villerajouze takes you through typical dry-stone hamlets, testaments to a well-preserved rural architecture.

The Monts de Blond, the westernmost foothills of the Massif Central in Haute-Vienne, form a granite archipelago steeped in mystery and legend. This unspoiled massif is distinguished by its landscapes of moors, peat bogs, and deep forests where enormous rock formations with evocative names, such as the Rocher des Fées (Fairy Rock) or the Pierres Jaumâtres (Jaumâtres Stones), emerge. The built heritage is remarkable, marked by squat Romanesque churches and the famous menhirs and dolmens that bear witness to human occupation dating back to the Neolithic period. The wild landscape boasts rare biodiversity, with paths bordered by dry-stone walls winding between ancient chestnut trees. From the summits, the view encompasses the plains of the Charente and the valleys of the Limousin region in a light that is often ever-changing and poetic.

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Distance: 80km, Elevation maximum: 495m, Elevation minimum: 236m, Elevation gain uphill: 1237m
IGN Maps: Oradour-sur-Glane (1930E). Nantiat (2030O).