La Salle loop starting from Saint-Symphorien

This loop allows you to discover the Causse in all its different aspects: cultivated areas, wooded areas, dry stone walls bordering the plots and the crossing of hamlets with typical Quercy houses.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.99 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 178 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 175 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 338 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 199 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Puylaroque (82240)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 44.23234° / E 1.680334°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2140E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

S3 loop marked by the La Symphorine association

Park below the church of Saint-Symphorien near the cemetery

(S/E) Below the former priory of Saint-Symphorien, with your back to the meadow and the information board, turn right onto the S3 marked trail. Continue for about 100 metres, then take the GRP® trail on the left for a few metres.

(1) At the fork, take the path on the right (leaving theGRP®). You will soon reach another crossroads. Turn right onto the path (be careful, as this section of the circuit is prone to flooding after heavy rain). Continue along this path until you reach a crossroads with a road.

(2) Continue along the road to the left. Then leave it and take the path to the left. You will reach the hamlet of Racanière (a 17th-century Quercy-style dovecote).

(3) At the road, take the path on the left and follow the signs to the hamlet of Cavaillès Basses.

(4) Continue along the road to the left. Leave it at the first crossroads on the right. Cross the hamlet of Quercy.

(5) Follow the road to the left, then immediately turn right onto the path to reach the hamlet of La Salle.

(6) At the road, continue to the right. Cross the road at the hamlet of Pourouyou and continue south to join the GRP®.

(7) Take it on the right and walk gently along a virtually flat section. You will come to a road at the hamlet of Gusounat.

(8) Keep left on theGRP® and S3 shared path, heading towards Saint-Symphorien. You will come to a 90° bend.

(9) Turn left and enter the forest: be careful, as the descent can be slippery in wet weather. At the bottom of the descent, follow the boxwood path on the right that runs alongside the Travers de Saint-Symphorien and the Sietges stream to reach the meadow and the information panel (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 199 m - Meadow and information panel
  2. 1 : km 0.32 - alt. 202 m - Carrefour S3 and GRP
  3. 2 : km 1.33 - alt. 261 m - Road junction
  4. 3 : km 1.88 - alt. 276 m - Racanière
  5. 4 : km 3.32 - alt. 309 m - Cavaillès Basses
  6. 5 : km 4.31 - alt. 316 m - Quercy
  7. 6 : km 5.54 - alt. 338 m - La Salle
  8. 7 : km 7.22 - alt. 255 m - GRP crossroads
  9. 8 : km 8.6 - alt. 268 m - Gusounat
  10. 9 : km 9.56 - alt. 260 m - Forest crossroads
  11. S/E : km 10.99 - alt. 199 m - Meadow and information panel

Notes

Loop marked S3 by the La Symphorine association
It is necessary to stock up on food in Puylaroque or Caylus as this loop runs alongside small hamlets and quiet paths with no villages nearby.

In good weather, the meadow at the start (owned by the municipality of Puylaroque) is a perfect place for a picnic break. You will also find an information panel about the La Symphorine association. For the comfort and respect of all, please leave this place as clean as you found it

During the hunting season, from late August to late February, please stay on the marked paths, which are all rural paths open to the public and listed in the PDIPR (public network of footpaths and trails) of Tarn-et-Garonne (the land on either side of the path is private property).

Worth a visit

Saint Symphorien, a place hidden away at the bottom of a valley: La Siétges.
- A 15th-century church listed in the inventory in 1948, but with older origins.
- Miraculous spring and its legends.
- A peaceful cemetery, facing the sky and the sun.
- Paths lined with dry stone walls.
- The fauna is varied. From spring to autumn in particular, you can see rabbits, hares, red squirrels and deer in the morning, numerous butterflies during the day, some of which are protected, reptiles such as the ocellated lizard, amphibians such as the green tree frog, the agile frog or the salamander, and in the evening, at dusk, bats, owls and barn owls. With a little luck, you may even spot the friendly black and white badger.
- As for the flora, at the end of winter, snake's head fritillaries (or water tulips) appear on the edges of paths near the stream and in wet meadows. Then, from spring to summer, 30 varieties of orchids bloom one after the other, along with many other plants. The festival of colours ends in late autumn with the blooming of purple colchicum in the wet meadows.
- Boxwood, curiosities of nature, picturesque, vaguely disturbing in the autumn mist, providing protective shade in the heatwave, conducive to the wildest imagination.
- Stunted and thirsty oaks, yes, but downy oaks at the foot of which fragrant truffles can flourish
(if all the conditions are right!).

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 19 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
G.P.
G.P.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk: beautiful woodland, low walls, moss and old stones. A magical atmosphere.

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Charles Enderby
Charles Enderby
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk through superb mossy woodland with a ‘druidic’ feel, paths lined with low walls; towards the end, the trail runs alongside a small river, a very beautiful setting in the late afternoon light.
Well signposted (S3) by the La Symphorine association. The only hiccup was just before point 6, where we mistakenly took the path on the right towards Perard – but that was my fault; we shouldn’t have, as there was no S3 signpost.
Please note if you’re arriving by car via Lavaurette: the last 800 metres are unpaved, with protruding stones in the middle of the path; if you have a low-slung car, it’s better to go via the north. Park near the cemetery – there’s space there – as it’s a shame to see cars parked in front of the chapel.

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emico63
emico63

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, shaded walk among holm oaks. In places, the moss-covered trees give the forest a mysterious, fantastical feel. There are lots of pretty blue butterflies and flowers at the end of spring. The paths are very well marked and signposted. As a bonus, you can enjoy a picnic next to the pretty wash house between 6 and 7. Well done for this route. A word of advice: unless you have a 4x4, it is best to arrive in Saint Symphorien from the north, as the end of the road from the south is unpaved and marked as dangerous.

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christine3111
christine3111

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

very nice walk, shaded and makes you want to learn more about the history of this region (old ruined houses, paths lined with stone walls).
Just one small comment: the signs marked S3 are not very legible, as the blue colour on the wood does not stand out well. They should be repainted in yellow, for example.

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Amélie 82
Amélie 82

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike, done with two children aged 12 and 6.
The start of the path was flooded, so we had to take a small detour to avoid it.
After that, no more problems, with little road and a fairly shaded path.
A slightly steep but short climb at point 9 😅 with a significant elevation gain and large rocks.
The signposting is very good.
We didn't need the app.

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lupi001
lupi001
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This trail is very well marked with small signs marked S3, so you don't need anything else.
This walk, with very little tarmac, is really beautiful and even in very wet weather there is no mud. Right at the start, a stream has flooded the path, but you can go around it by taking the higher route
I will be back

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GT.Fab
GT.Fab

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful, well-maintained trail, well done. Marked C3. Easy to do, we ended up arriving at the hall, a pretty little village. Almost no tarmac. No difficult climbs. Rocky paths, no mud. We'll do it again in the spring when nature awakens, it will certainly be another spectacle! Don't hesitate

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Ko
Ko
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant short hike with a variety of landscapes and sights of all kinds. Worth doing again and again! Thank you again for the excellent signposting! On your marks, get set, go!

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mazeron
mazeron

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very well marked trail (S3).
No difficulty. Accessible climbs, even for children.
Varied route, often shaded and very pretty finish with a few cliffs and, above all, the magnificent church lost in the countryside.
Well done to the association that takes care of the signposting, cleaning and the church.
I showed my support by donating a small amount to the Heritage Foundation.
It's well deserved.

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jeanphidrums
jeanphidrums

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike on a sunny autumn Sunday... an area marked by stones and paths with low walls shaped by man over centuries.

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Vendinielle
Vendinielle

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent views of the Siétges valley. I started the hike in La Salle, where you can park in the church square. The trail is perfectly marked.

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pommade
pommade

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a great hike that I would happily do again, taking the detour via Lassale that I didn't have time to do last time. Pleasant paths to walk on, not too much elevation gain, beautiful heritage sites, plenty of shade for summer
the only slight problem is the description at point 8, but as the association has signposted the route well, if you follow their directions it's impossible to go wrong
i recommend it to everyone

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pascale.sartre
pascale.sartre

Good evening and thank you for your positive feedback. The association for the preservation of the St Symphorien site (La Symphorine) has now opened trails that allow you to return to Perriere without using the road. A short detour via Lassale completes this 12 km hike. Visit the association's website to download this hike.
Have a good evening.

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Apsara
Apsara

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

If you love mossy white stone walls and enchanting woodlands with moss and lichen covering the tree trunks, this beautiful hike is for you... We found it fairly easy, well marked (S3) and very pleasant as it is almost entirely on well-maintained paths. The area around St Symphorien Church and the stream is truly beautiful, although inevitably a little busier than the rest of the route. Highly recommended!

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biscardel
biscardel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

well-marked route with no particular difficulties.

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