Around Aubazines

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A winding route through the woods, between greenery and running water...

Details

n°776201
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.48 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 230 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 221 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 465 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 279 m
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Photos

canal
just before the monks' canal
coiroux
starting point

Description of the walk

Departure from the Lac du Coiroux car park, heading north.

(S/E) Take the path on the left marked in blue (follow the blue markings throughout the circular route) towards Aubazines.

(1) After passing the large rocks, turn left. Continue on the right towards Aubazines Bourg. At the farms, turn right and continue downhill

(2) Cross the D48 on the left and turn right onto the path after the bridge. Follow signs for Aubazines village (4km).
Follow only the blue markings down a long descent through the woods. Ignore the paths branching off to the left and right.

(3) Cross the stream (small wooden bridge) and follow the stream to Chemin des Moines.

(4) Cross the stream via the wooden footbridge, then continue left along the Canal des Moines (enjoy the scenery...).

(5) At the fork, turn left and follow the blue markings. Be careful, as the path is stony and slippery when wet!
At the D130, turn left then immediately right, towards "Le Bourg" via the Chemin des Moines. In the village of Aubazines, continue straight ahead along the street then turn right to pass under a porch. After the porch, turn right onto Avenue Brugeilles and leave the church on your left.

(6) Turn left just after the church and, opposite the abbey, turn right. Continue and pass in front of the museum (on your right).
Cross a road and continue uphill. Cross the stream (Canal des Moines) towards Rochesseux and join the D48 at the top of the stairs. Turn left and then immediately right. Continue uphill towards the dolmen.

(7) Turn right onto the tarmac road and follow it towards the hamlet of Rochesseux. Cross through the hamlet.

(8) Turn left onto a tarmac road, then right between two houses. You will reach a road which you follow to the right to return to the D48.

(9) Turn left and at the next crossroads, continue along the road opposite and follow the sign for "centre touristique du Coiroux". At the Quatre Routes crossroads, continue straight ahead.

(1) Go straight ahead and follow the same path as on the way there to the Lac du Coiroux car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 447 m - Car park at Lac du Coiroux
  2. 1 : km 0.27 - alt. 457 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 0.91 - alt. 435 m - Crossing the D48
  4. 3 : km 2.24 - alt. 398 m - Wooden bridge
  5. 4 : km 3.04 - alt. 351 m - Canal des Moines
  6. 5 : km 3.71 - alt. 353 m - T-junction, left
  7. 6 : km 4.65 - alt. 293 m - On the left after the church
  8. 7 : km 5.87 - alt. 447 m - Turn right onto the tarmac road
  9. 8 : km 6.56 - alt. 452 m - Rochesseux, on the left on the tarmac road
  10. 9 : km 7.38 - alt. 450 m - Turn left onto the D48
  11. S/E : km 8.48 - alt. 447 m - Car park at Lac du Coiroux

Notes

Blue marked route
All shops in Aubazines.
A water point at (9).

Worth a visit

Canal des Moines.
Aubazines Abbey.
The dolmen.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 14 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 22708715

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Cross the canal in single file and don’t look down into the ravine at this time of year, as the trees haven’t grown leaves yet, but the walk is absolutely stunning
Above all, wear suitable footwear for the ascents and descents
A very beautiful route – please respect the canal banks and the stones

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saint victor
saint victor

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route. We started from Aubazine and did the route in reverse. The path up to the canal is a bit steep but not very long. There's no need to go all the way to Lake Chastagnol as it's not particularly interesting. The section through the woods is very pleasant. Thank you for this beautiful route

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COUDERT Isabelle
COUDERT Isabelle

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant stroll along the shaded Canal des Moines. Easy going, although there is a gentle climb on the way back to the lake.

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FRAUZIOL JEAN LOUIS
FRAUZIOL JEAN LOUIS
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We have just done this hike again, including the climb up Puy de Pauliac from the dolmen. We followed the light green signs heading north-west. This allowed us to discover the Maison de l'Ermite (a magnificent miniature hamlet), the cromlech and the superb 360° viewpoint. This time, we took the precaution of bringing binoculars with us.
We were able to descend to Rochesseux to rejoin the original route.
Photos and glossary on the website: http://aupaysdelameteorite.eklablog.com/....

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FRAUZIOL JEAN LOUIS
FRAUZIOL JEAN LOUIS

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

How lucky to find a trail so well marked in light blue. It can be done in hot weather because two-thirds of it is in the woods, well cooled by the stream flowing like a torrent and the small canal.
At point 4, we followed the canal on the right for 100 metres to see where it starts, then turned back.
This hike is not recommended in rainy weather, as the path is slippery and muddy.
At the dolmen, we headed towards the orientation table via the green-marked path on the left. There is a 360° view stretching over 200 km. On the way down, we found the blue markings again and ended the hike with a well-deserved picnic on a table in the shade by Lake Coiroux.

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Celineetfrederic
Celineetfrederic

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk that we highly recommend (especially the first part, from the lake to Aubazine).
Be sure to follow the blue markings, ignoring the GPS app.
The GPS track is incorrect (at point 1, we hesitated to turn right as indicated in the description and on the markings. We went straight ahead, following the GPS. We ended up in tall grass and brambles before reaching point 2. Similarly, point 4 on the GPS does not correspond to point 4 on the route and the map. When we found the footbridge, the GPS indicated that it was even further away)

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sourdine
sourdine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

combined with the "Monks' Canal, Hermitage and Cromlech of Puy de Pauliac" route

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danfrom18
danfrom18

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful route, some muddy sections after rain, even several days later. For the final descent, bring at least one walking stick if you are not used to walking in the mountains. The Canal au Moine is well worth seeing

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vegefra
vegefra

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

i followed the signs from the Corrèze General Council anyway. Lac Torrent Canal Coiroux

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l'espérance
l'espérance

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The section of the route from Lake Coiroux to Aubazine is by far the most beautiful: beautiful forests, streams, hills and the monks' canal... So much so that the return trip is perhaps preferable to the entire route.
With an abundance of chestnuts at this time of year!

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Dali 2018
Dali 2018

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Sunday walk with three friends. The route was perfect and the estimated time was reasonable. We took a few detours as I knew the route along the monks' canal. As a result, at point 5 we joined the D130, then headed for the women's monastery (where we stopped for lunch) and then set off again on the D130, avoiding the immediate return to the village. A small path marked with garnet took us to the other side of the Coiroux to its waterfalls, then back up to the village. We visited the small Greek Christian church, then tackled the long, uphill path from point 6 to point 8. Unfortunately, we "missed" the dolmen and the orientation table, which are not signposted...
It was a beautiful day, sunny and pleasant in the morning, warmer in the afternoon, but the paths are often shaded by tall trees. The monks' canal was full of flowers at this time of year. Weeding work will be needed to secure the high retaining walls, and once they are cleared, we will be able to appreciate the enormity of the work undertaken by the monks to bring water to the Abbey. The whole history of this place has something magical about it, which adds to the enjoyment of a short walk. With detours and breaks, it took us 5 hours to cover 15.4 km and the equivalent of 30 floors... which meant we didn't have time to visit the abbey and the museum. Maybe next time, on another walk.

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jo1703
jo1703

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

An easy and very pleasant walk through the woods and along the stream, allowing you to discover the Canal des Moines and the village of Aubazines, with the option of visiting the monastery.
At the entrance to Aubazines, take a short detour of a few hundred metres to see the ruins of the former women's monastery.
The return trip to the Coiroux lake offers the chance to enjoy water sports.
This is the perfect hike for a hot summer's day. Highly recommended

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Mamizouli
Mamizouli
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike extended by a visit to Puy Pauliac for a magnificent view. Walking along the Canal des Moines and imagining the colossal work that went into its construction is incredible.

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Flox94
Flox94

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It is possible to make a short detour via Calvary by continuing a little further along the canal, which offers a beautiful 360° panorama

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