Walking the GR4

The walking season has started and we are starting to receive gortex-clad guests who have walked in from our local Grand Randonnee footpath, the GR4.

Walkers are some of my favourite guests. Because they have come here slowly, through the chestnut woods of Limousin they are already in tune with the tenor of the place and always appreciate its tranquillity and hospitality. I enjoy taking in weary travellers, giving them a hot meal and a good night sleep and sending them away in the morning after a good breakfast refreshed and ready to face the next leg of their trip. Normally they are travelling from Piegut Pluviers to Cussac with a stop off at Pensol in between.

Last night we had two Germans come and stay. They were vegetarian which is the type of cooking I am most comfortable with, so I was happy to provide them with an evening meal as well as somewhere to dry their clothes and boots as it was a very wet day yesterday. Today is sunny and bright so they should have a more pleasant walk ahead of them.

The GR4 is also part of a circular walk called the Sentier du Bandiat. The Bandiat is the little river that flows through Le Moulin de Pensol. This walk is 16.6Km and is one of the most popular routes with the Parc Naturel Régionale Perigord-Limousin.

Le Moulin is also conveniently situation on one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela – the network of pilgramge routes that begins at Finisterre leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain.  The route we are on is the one that begins at Vézalay and passes through Limoges, Perigeux and Ostabat. Known in English as “The Way of St James” the symbol for the route is famously the scallop shell that pilgrims used to carry with them to eat and drink from. Or were they just taking home a souvenir – who knows.

The official route was changed a few years ago and now passes a few miles to the east of us at La Coquille. We are happy to come and pick you up and then drop you off again on the route in the morning for a small fee.

For general walking around Pensol we recommend the apps Cirkwi and/or AllTrails. Several routes are saved on Strava by us and our guests. Ours begin with the letters MDP.