Medieval town and banks of the Garonne

Departure from Place du General de Gaulle, at the entrance to the medieval city. Pass under the Porte de la Benauge and go down the street for 50 meters, passing in front of the Saint-Macaire Tourist Information Office. In addition to the traditional tourist information, you will find a wine cellar, juices and other souvenir items.

Turn left on Rue Carnot, towards Place du Mercadiou. Take the time to admire this square, lined with covered arcades, in blond stone, and beautiful houses from the 200th and XNUMXth centuries. Go down rue Carnot again for XNUMX meters. Turn slightly left then go under the stone door. On your right, you can observe the Maison de Tardes, a medieval fortified house with up to five levels, which can be spotted by an arrow slit on the town side.

Descend 130 meters towards the banks of the Garonne along the tree-lined path and turn left to the old port of Saint-Macaire. You can descend on the stone path to the edge of the Garonne. Then, from the port, take the loop and at the fisherman's hut, continue straight on the dirt road. Walk 850 meters along the Garonne, you will come across horses in a meadow and a magnificent poplar grove. At the fork, turn left to return to the medieval city. You continue straight in the direction of the caves of Saint-Macaire, where stone has been quarried since the Middle Ages, the fountain and the La Barette washhouse, built in the XNUMXth century. Join the park along the ramparts.

You pass at the foot of the Saint-Sauveur Priory, priory church, Historic Monument of the XNUMXth century.

For about 2 kilometres, you follow the banks of the Garonne and can observe the town of Langon on the other bank. An imposing crane on the banks of the Garonne reminds the walker that in Langon, the components of the Airbus A 380 transported by barge from Pauillac, are unloaded from a boat lift and stored. Wings, fuselage elements, empennages are then transported by road to the final assembly line located near Toulouse.

Once you arrive at the bridge over the Garonne, retrace your steps to the Priory.

Turn left and go up the stone passage then pass again under the stone door, you reach the city center and the starting point of the circuit.