Loop around Belcastel

A tour around the valley of one of the most beautiful villages in France, Belcastel, with several viewpoints over its castle, its old bridge and the village below. You will also pass by the Fort du Roc d'Anglars, and on the way down via the Way of the Cross, you will discover the Lourdou cave with its Virgin Mary.

Details

397903
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.62 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 271 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 264 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 543 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 403 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Road access: from Rignac, follow the signs. Several car parks in the village.

(S/E) Head towards the village, take a road on the left that climbs up following a stream. Leave the road that crosses the stream and take the path that climbs up opposite, still following the stream.

(1) Take a path (PR® Jaune) on your right to cross the stream. Follow the path on the left that winds uphill to reach the first viewpoint of the castle (founded around 1040 and completed in the 15th century) on a stony area. Keep on this path uphill until you reach a road.

(2) Follow it, keeping to your right. At the hairpin bend, stay on the road to reach the village. At the next intersection, turn left to cross the Riou Nègre and reach the village. Continue on this road until you reach the D285

(3) Follow it to the right until you reach the old bridge.

(4) Cross this 15th-century bridge, known as the "à dos d'âne" (donkey's back), from where you can see the 15th-century Sainte-Madeleine Church. Take the road on the right (above the hotel). Then follow the second track on the right that goes uphill (at the toilets), then right onto the road/track. At the next junction, take the track that goes downhill on your right.

(5) The Fort du Roc d'Anglars is a little further down. Stay on the track towards a field and pick up the Way of the Cross on your right. The path of the crosses descends under the cliff.

(6) You will arrive at the Lourdou cave with its statue of the Virgin Mary. Cross the Aveyron river on the bridge (be careful, it can be slippery in wet weather) and go back up the road, which you will follow to the left. At the next junction, take the road on the right that goes uphill and follow it, passing a hairpin bend. The road then turns into a track (GR® andPR®) which you follow straight ahead.

(7) Shortly after the hamlet of Mazens, take the road on the right that descends to the village (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 413 m - Car park at La Barrière
  2. 1 : km 0.3 - alt. 444 m - Ford
  3. 2 : km 0.86 - alt. 519 m - Junction with a road
  4. 3 : km 2.21 - alt. 428 m - D285
  5. 4 : km 2.61 - alt. 406 m - Old Bridge - Aveyron (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 3.81 - alt. 445 m - Fort du Roc d'Anglars
  7. 6 : km 3.99 - alt. 403 m - Lourdou Cave
  8. 7 : km 5.99 - alt. 502 m - After the hamlet of Mazens
  9. S/E : km 6.61 - alt. 413 m - Car park at La Barrière

Notes

Toilets: in the village at the blacksmith's, on the path to the Fort, with water point.
Picnic tables: at the old bridge, on the road to the Fort.
Several paid car parks: €2 for 4 hours or €3 for 8 hours. Some car parks are not accessible to motorhomes (see signs in the village).
A guidebook for the walks is available for purchase at the Tourist Office.

Worth a visit

The village
Blacksmith's house
Chestnut grove

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

4.5 / 5
Based on 39 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Elizabeth
Elizabeth

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

• A beautiful hike around the magnificent village of Belcastel, where you can see the village illuminated by the morning sun.

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Cay
Cay

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Steep path

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MARIEFO28
MARIEFO28

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with stunning views. The path is a little steep at the beginning and slippery when wet. The visit to the castle is an added bonus.

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jipe12
jipe12

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike.
However, we skipped the last hairpin bend on the road and went straight down to the old bridge through the village, which is magnificent.

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montagnejeanmarc
montagnejeanmarc

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a lovely walk to discover Belcastel... The description is a little confusing before the Roc d'Anglars... It's chestnut season, so make the most of it!

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Marianne et Heidi
Marianne et Heidi

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had a very pleasant walk starting from point (6) and stopping in Belcastel halfway through. Most of the route was shaded, except for the winding climb at (1), which was tough in the July sun. The walk was a little longer than expected: 7.5 km, as we didn't do the small loop at (3). Between points (4) and (5), the directions are unclear: after the hotel, take the first track on the right, which leads to the public toilets, then take the left-hand track that climbs in front of the toilets and joins the road. At the fork, there are many signs encouraging you to continue on the road (which is what you should do, as the track on the right appears to be private). Then a small path branches off to the right and joins the Way of the Cross, which we followed to the left (steep descent), arriving at the bridge. We saw the Lourdou cave and its Virgin Mary statue (surprising!), but we missed the Anglars rock fort.

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aline.viguier@hotmail.fr
aline.viguier@hotmail.fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed on 23 June 2023

Well-marked trail with magnificent views of Belcastel Castle

Best done in sunny weather if possible!

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Christian Gilard
Christian Gilard

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike with a steep climb at the start. A small change to the route is necessary because following the signs takes you across private property. However, just continue along the road for a few metres and then turn right. The change is clearly indicated on site.

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Christian REY
Christian REY

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Interesting hike, but be careful, the map is wrong. It takes you over the new bridge and turns left after crossing the bridge, which leads nowhere. In fact, you need to turn right and go up the path on the left just after the bridge to rejoin the route described. Very good route.
If you follow the description, you cross the Aveyron near the fort of Lourdou, which is shorter.

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Anouchkaf
Anouchkaf

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The hike could not be completed because we came across a private property that was closed off by a gate.

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Algerard1
Algerard1

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a lovely little circuit with beautiful views.
We did this hike in spring when the weather was pretty average, which is why there weren't many people around.
Thanks to the poster.

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michelB90
michelB90

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very disappointed with the description of this hike. This hike is not easy. There is a steep incline at the start, which should be mentioned, and good walking shoes are required. It was then impossible to pass by the mill, as the path was blocked by a gate indicating private property with no trespassing. There was a "Beware of dog" sign and a surveillance camera. The only option was to turn back, which meant only half the hike. It's a shame, as the views of the castle are very beautiful.

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francoislherm
francoislherm

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk around an exceptional site. The castle, of course, but also the bridge over the Aveyron and the village buildings.
very well described. We will return to this beautiful village for more walks.
This route is certainly busier in summer.

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janaser
janaser

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Lots of tarmac. Beautiful views.
At the end of the first "keep to the path that climbs", it descends towards the end to rejoin the road.
But the views of the village are worth the detour.

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Soulié Maurice
Soulié Maurice

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pretty views of the village, we were lucky to have bright sunshine and autumn colours.

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