Fleurie means flowery, which this village undoubtedly is in spring and summer. But on my winter weekend break it was wet and windy. The weather only worsened as time went on. The rain turned into downpours. But after almost two days of rain, the forecasts called for a two to three-hour break in the rains. I decided to embark on one of Fleurie’s four circuit trails before leaving the area. Four great trails, seemingly designed for someone like me: wanting to hike, but with some time constraints. A great and convenient feature of the Entre Vignes et Bois (Between Vines and Woods) series of trails in Fleurie, is this: They are circuits that radiate out from the village in increasingly wider circles. Therefore, hikers can choose between one or another depending on time, capabilities, or in this case, weather.

Optimistically choosing the 12 kilometer (red) circuit, I set off from the Place de l’Eglise. But within 10 minutes, rain began to fall. A quick look at the sky confirmed that thick black clouds were rolling in faster than anticipated. So I switched to the four kilometer circuit instead. It was an easy decision to make on the spot. Should the downpours suddenly return, the map showed that this circuit also allowed for a couple of possible shortcuts, on tarmac, no less. This kind of flexibility created by interconnectivity is another great feature of the Entre Vignes et Bois trail series.

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