The loop of pine trees and Labarde marshesThe loop of pine trees and Labarde marshes
©The loop of pine trees and Labarde marshes

Historical walks

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  4. Strolls in the land of history

Looking for nature, authenticity and wide open spaces? Welcome to the Médoc, where forests rub shoulders with vineyards and every path tells a story. We invite you to explore an unspoilt destination, between parks, forest loops and local traditions.

The Pine Loop

A stone’s throw from Bordeaux, the Pian-Médoc forest opens its 1,800 hectares of maritime pines, cork oaks and lush ferns to you. The star route? La Boucle des Pins, an 11.8 km circuit, accessible on foot or by bike, perfect for getting some fresh air with the family or on your own.

The fully signposted route immerses you in living nature: you’ll come across stealthy roe deer, forest birds nestling in the canopy, or heather in bloom in the summer months. A real open-air forest bath!

A natural… and cultural heritage

  • The Boucle des Pins is much more than just a trail. It’s a journey through local history, punctuated by some amazing stops:
  • The Lande de Jousta lake, a former gravel pit site that has become a haven for waterfowl.
  • The Château de Malleret, an elegant 18th-century estate nestled between vineyards and forest.
  • La cabane de l’ermitage Lamourous, a discreet testimony to the Médoc’s rural past.
  • L’église Saint-Seurin du Pian-Médoc, a 12th-century Romanesque jewel to be discovered in a green setting.
The loop of pine trees and Labarde marshesThe loop of pine trees and Labarde marshes
©The loop of pine trees and Labarde marshes
    The pigeon-holes of the Labarde marshesThe pigeon-holes of the Labarde marshes
    ©The pigeon-holes of the Labarde marshes
    Church Le Pian-MédocChurch Le Pian-Médoc
    ©Church Le Pian-Médoc
    Le Pian-Médoc - Ermitage Saint Germain LamourousLe Pian-Médoc - Ermitage Saint Germain Lamourous
    ©Le Pian-Médoc - Ermitage Saint Germain Lamourous

      Castle parks to explore

      To extend the escape, head for the parks of the châteaux du Médoc. These exceptional places combine wine heritage and remarkable gardens:

      • Château Lanessan in Cussac-Fort-Médoc: 8 hectares of parkland with flower garden and Dutch greenhouses.
      • Château Kirwan in Margaux-Cantenac: romantic atmosphere guaranteed in its alleys lined with century-old trees.
      • Château d’Agassac in Ludon-Médoc: a bucolic setting between lakes and a medieval castle, perfect for a picnic or wine tasting.
      • Château Giscours in Labarde: designed by landscape architect Eugène Bühler, this park is a showcase of biodiversity with its ponds, meadows and rare species.
      Entrance to Château GiscoursEntrance to Château Giscours
      ©Entrance to Château Giscours
        The loop of pine trees and Labarde marshesThe loop of pine trees and Labarde marshes
        ©The loop of pine trees and Labarde marshes

          Les Palombières :

          Let’s discover a well-kept secret of the Labarde marshes:the palombières, these huts suspended more than 25 metres in the trees. The heritage of a thousand-year-old tradition, they are still today the preferred observation posts for hunting pigeons, the majestic migratory pigeon.

          Here, everything is strategy, respect and listening to nature. Camouflaged in the foliage, these complex structures bear witness to an art of living to the rhythm of the seasons, to an intimate bond between man and forest.

          La Boucle des Palombes, a trail accessible to all, invites you to walk along marshes, poplar groves and floodplain woods, in the heart of a fragile ecosystem where marsh irises, kingfishers, cistudes and summer snowbirds cohabit.

          In the footsteps of the gemmage

          You are walking on land shaped by man. In Pian-Médoc, the forest did not develop by chance. As early as 1857, an imperial law imposed the mass planting of maritime pines, giving rise to a unique crop: gemmage.

          The resin workers, armed with their hapchòt and pitèir, harvested the precious sap to make turpentine, soap or rosin. This trade, now almost extinct, remains inscribed in the landscape and collective memory. As you travel through La Boucle des Pins, you follow in the footsteps of these men and women who lived in symbiosis with the forest.

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