Thurins circular route via the slopes of the Garonne valley

Park in the large car park at Thurins Town Hall, Rue du Rampeau.

(S/E) Head towards the top of the car park; turn right and walk past the front of the town hall, then past the church (south-west) and its car park. At the end of this, cross the road opposite, walk down it on the left and take Rue de la Poste straight ahead. At the crossroads, ignore the arched passageway on the left; turn right onto Rue Merle, then left onto Place de la Poste and continue to a fork in the road.

(1) At the sign for “Le Bourg”, head down Chemin du Mathy to the left (south) towards Maison Familiale. Ignore the street on the left, then, at the narrowing, the one running parallel to the right. Cut across the cross-street at the bottom and take the steps opposite; cross the D311 road with care to reach the steps again. Head for the Chemin de la Grande Côte opposite, which, after the bridge over the Garonne, climbs towards a junction situated about twenty metres before the Maison Familiale sign.

(2) Turn left onto the Chemin des Rizottières, signposted GR®765 East. At the crossroads, ignore the dirt track on the right and the street on the left. Continue straight on along the GR®, then at the bottom turn left onto the Route de Rontalon, cross the Garonne and ignore the narrow lane on the left. Join the D311 and follow it straight ahead for about a hundred metres. At the first junction on the left, leave the^GR® which follows the D311. Cross the road and join the street opposite.

(3) At the unmarked sign (elevation 323), head up to the right (east) towards La Valotte via the Chemin de Chassagne, ignoring the entrances to the two housing estates. After a flat stretch, leave the path at its 90° left-hand bend and head down the dirt track to the right (south-east) to the D311. Follow it for a few metres to the left and reach a junction just before the roundabout (elevation 315).

(4) At the ‘La Valotte’ sign, head towards Quinsonnas by turning immediately left (north) onto the street, then right, following the signs for the Route de la Vallée du Garon at every bend. Pass the zigzags on the steep climb, continue straight on (north-east), ignoring the side paths. In the hamlet of Quinsonnas, note the old well-house on the right and head for the next junction (elevation 360).

(5) At the “Quinsonnas” sign, turn left towards Fourchenaimond onto the Chemin du Guillermin, ignoring any side paths.

(6) At the “Fourchenaimond” sign (elevation 502), continue straight on towards La Croisée des Chemins, ignoring a path on the left.

(7) At the “La Croisée des Chemins” sign, carry on straight ahead towards Plat Saint Romain until you reach a road. Follow it straight ahead to a crossroads (elevation 601).

(8) At the “Plat Saint Romain” sign, head left towards Grand-Croix for 200 m, then turn onto an uphill path going in the opposite direction. After a hairpin bend to the right, cross the Bois du Châtelet and reach a crossroads (elevation 657)

(9) At the “Grand-Croix” sign, continue towards Fontrobert and, 500 m further on, you’ll reach a road. Ignore the path on the left and take the short but steep climb on the right, which leads onto the Chemin de Fontrobert.

(10) At the “Fontrobert” sign, head towards La Modérat on the left (south-west). Enter the Bois de Py Froid and follow it for 2 km along a good, almost level path until you reach a junction at the end of a low dry-stone wall.

(11) The unmarked signpost set above the wall is not immediately noticeable. Leave the path heading straight ahead and take the path on the right, which runs in the opposite direction towards La Modérat; after two hairpin bends, you’ll reach a junction.

(12) At the sign for “La Modérat”, turn left towards the Py Froid Reservoir along a stony path that descends towards a junction (elevation 750).

(13) At the sign for “Le Réservoir de Py Froid”, continue towards Le Progrès along the road opposite, which joins the D25 after 200 m.

(14) At the sign for “Le Progrès”, follow signs for Le Planil. Cross the D25 with care and turn slightly right onto Rue Traverse du Planil, which joins Chemin du Planil. Follow this for 150 m until you reach a junction.

(15) At the “Le Planil” sign, continue straight on towards Le Phily. After 50 m, turn left down Chemin de La Cornelière until you reach the first junction.

(16) At the “Le Phily” sign, turn right towards Le Garon. Turn right before the farm. Walk alongside it on a grassy path that skirts the top of the Garon valley in a wide arc. Join a road at the hamlet of Le Servet. Head down the road opposite; 200 m further on, ignore the lane on the left and continue to the hamlet of Garon.

(17) At the sign for “Le Garon”, ignore the path straight ahead and head towards Le Biternay via the path on the left. This undulates for about 500 m through woodland until you come to a path, going in the opposite direction, on the left. Ignore this and continue straight on for another 500 m; at the junction, cross the D628 road (elevation 662).

(18) At the sign for “Le Biternay”, continue along a grassy track towards the dam. Ignore the side tracks and, after a hairpin bend to the left, rejoin the D628.

(19) At the unmarked sign, head down the road to the right for about 300 m to reach a junction.

(20) At the unmarked sign, leave the D628 and turn left towards the dam via the Route de La Mure. This continues along a path leading to the foot of the Garon Dam. The “Le Barrage” sign is located on the right, off the route. Cross the bottom of the valley, following the foot of the dam, and climb up the opposite slope via two flights of steps.

(21) Once you reach the lake, turn left onto the lakeside path and leave it 100 m further on to climb, to the right, an often muddy track that runs alongside a stream. After two hairpin bends, you’ll reach the lower part of the hamlet of La Cornelière. Leave the track and head for a clearing near a house. Follow its access path until you reach a junction.

(22) At the sign for “La Cornelière”, take the path on the right towards Les Bruyères. Further on, ignore a path leading down to the right (elevation 602) and, 50 m further on, a path leading up to the left. After two sharp bends, cross a stream. Ignore the path climbing to the left just before the hamlet of Les Bruyères, then cross another stream and reach a junction.

(23) At the “Les Bruyères” sign, take the path leading uphill to the left towards Les Pins. On the flat stretch, ignore the steep path to the left. At a bend, cross a stream, leave a path on your right and then, after a wide bend, another path on your right leading towards an orchard. Continue straight ahead to join the D 25 road. Follow it to the left; as you go, ignore the path on the right and reach a junction 50 m before a farm.

(24) At the ‘Les Pins’ sign, carry on towards Les Granges, ignoring the path on the right 200 m further on. Descend gently towards a road junction (elevation 526).

(25) At the “Les Granges” sign, head up the path on the left towards La Picolette. Pass the Picolette farm and continue along a stony path to a junction.

(26) At the “La Picolette” sign, head back down the path on the right towards Le Jaricot. At the fork, 800 m further on (alt. 600 m), ignore the path on the left and continue to the right. Pass a sharp bend to the left and, 100 m further on, join a track. Take this track to the left, ignoring the side tracks leading in the opposite direction, and you’ll come out onto a road.

(27) At the sign for “Le Jaricot”, head down to the right towards Thurins Village. At the crossroads marked by an unlabelled sign, turn left. Go round the Matillon farm on the right. Head down the path, which initially runs through open countryside before entering the edge of the woods. Once in the woods, cross the Ruisseau de Vallière, head straight up, walk alongside an orchard and reach a crossroads. Head down the street opposite, ignoring the side roads, and return to the car park (S/E)

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Route map.
The route is fully signposted and marked by numerous hiking signs.