Around Espalion

Between the Monts d'Aubrac and the Causse Comtal, the capricious Lot river has made itself at home on either side of Espalion. Visitors are charmed by the valley's mild climate.

Details

52451
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 341 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 343 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 642 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 332 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the Place de la Mairie, follow the main street north towards the Lot. Leave the church on your left. Before the Pont Neuf, turn left onto theGR®65(white and red markings), follow the Quai du 19 Mars 1962, staying on the left bank. At the cross, turn left between the houses. At the crossroads, turn right into Rue Eugène Salettes. Continue straight ahead on a dirt track turning at a 90° angle and leading to a housing estate via a short slope. Continue towards the D556.

(1) Follow the road to the right for 1.3km. Turn left towards the Romanesque church of Saint Pierre de Bessuéjouls (a pink sandstone building with a bell tower housing an 11th-century chapel in its upper part). Continue towards the bridge.

(2) Cross the bridge, leave theGR®65, turn left (yellow markings) to reach Bessuéjouls. At the bridge, continue along the small road on the right for 1.5 km. Take a sharp left turn towards Bois Petit. After the farm, climb through the woods along a dirt track to the road leading to La Croux.

(3) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead towards Najas. After the hamlet, 100m before the D920, turn right then left to pass under the road (viaduct). Follow a wide track to the scrapyard. Descend towards the D28 (view of the Causse Comtal and Aubrac).

(4) At the crossroads, turn right onto a grassy path for 400 metres, then turn 90° left onto a Causse path lined with low walls. Return to the D28. Follow the road to the right to Biounac (view of the old railway line and engineering structures).

(5) After the church, 100 metres away, opposite the café, turn left onto a stony path to descend to Les Firmilles. Continue along a small winding road to reach the valley. Cross the bridge and follow the road to the left to reach the Romanesque church of Perse (open all year round).

(6) Go around the building on the right (gravel path) and you will come out on theGR®65(Way of St James). Continue straight ahead to the sports complex. Cross over and follow the banks of the Lot on the left (white and red markings).

(7) Turn left again at the Pont Vieux, then left again at the Pont-Neuf (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 342 m - Parking: Place de la Mairie
  2. 1 : km 1.84 - alt. 359 m - D556
  3. 2 : km 3.66 - alt. 332 m - GR and PR crossroads bridge
  4. 3 : km 7.11 - alt. 542 m - La Croux crossroads
  5. 4 : km 9.66 - alt. 620 m - D28
  6. 5 : km 11.28 - alt. 642 m - Biounac
  7. 6 : km 15.6 - alt. 354 m - Church of Perse
  8. 7 : km 17.21 - alt. 339 m - Vieux Pont Espalion
  9. S/E : km 17.46 - alt. 342 m - Parking: Place de la Mairie

Notes

Markings: from (S/E to 2) white and red, from (2 to 6) yellow and from (6 to S/E) white and red.

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
kala05
kala05

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Please take care when driving along the narrow road with numerous bends after Saint Pierre de Bessuejouls.

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vettebesset
vettebesset

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very hot day. A pleasant route to St Pierre de Bessuéjouls, easy on the first half and very well signposted. Difficult to find a shortcut.
In the end, the D 108, which was almost unused and well shaded, was superb for returning to the starting point.

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sagesse
sagesse

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very beautiful hike with lovely views along the pleasant Lot river.

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gayraud catherine
gayraud catherine

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

It's a shame about the industrial estate and the scrapyard. We extended the walk by 5 km and thoroughly enjoyed passing through the hamlet of COMBRIES and the lava flow. The weather was superb too, so we
had a wonderful time.

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coucou12
coucou12

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

This route is fairly well marked (yellow and white/red) and described in an FFRP guidebook. There are no particular difficulties, apart from its relative length. The route offers some views of the valley, a visit to Espalion and the banks of the Lot, as well as the church in Bessuejouls. However, there are also some monotonous sections and a little too much tarmac.

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taureaujaune
taureaujaune

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

beautiful hike; original

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Clécuyer
Clécuyer

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very pleasant route.
Two sections are more difficult because they are poorly maintained.

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rosalieborie
rosalieborie

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Beautiful hike. Worth doing.

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fm6342
fm6342

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

Too much tarmac, uninteresting route. Very disappointed.

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de saint steban
de saint steban

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful hike above Espalion, very well signposted...

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garageon
garageon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very nice! Towards the end, I added a little detour along the Combret road on the way up to Combres in order to join the GR65 earlier. This allows you to go back along a small path and do a short climb, to get a beautiful view of Espalion when you arrive at the statue of Mary, and you can also see a beautiful geological formation in the quarry next door!

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lydybet
lydybet

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike with a lovely view of Espalion and the surrounding area.

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