Filhols loop

A route for skipping merrily across streams and admiring the scenery from above!
Fed by the Garonne, the Tarn flows gently through the surrounding countryside. This long walk takes you along its banks, with hillsides offering exceptional views and shady valleys with discreet streams.

Due to bad weather, the route along the stream has been badly damaged after the (6) (after crossing the D29). However, it remains accessible if you take care.

Details

3380647
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.95 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 181 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 185 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 192 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 88 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from Place du Souvenir in Villemur-sur-Tarn.

(S/E) Head away from the Tarn and take Rue des Stradelis on the left, towards Greniers du Roy. Pass the school, continue along Rue Henri de Navarre and then Avenue du Quercy. You will come to Rue de la Bataille. Cross carefully and continue a few metres to the right.

(1) Turn left and go up the Côte des Filhols (D 29). Pass under a power line, ignore the first turn on the left and take the next one.

(2) Leave the D 29 and take the small Route de Combe Salbe on the left. Continue right at the next fork and join a three-way junction.

(3) Continue right onto Route des Strabols and join the first carriageway on the left.

(4) This road descends and, after crossing a small stream, climbs back up and joins the D 29. Cross with caution and continue straight ahead towards Les Filhols. Pass the hamlet and continue straight ahead into the cul-de-sac.

(5) Take the track on the right at the Colombe farm, follow the buildings on your left and continue between two fields. Enter the woods and reach the bottom of the descent.

(6) Turn left and immediately after (there is a yellow mark on the tree), take the shaded path on the right that follows the stream. Cross the D 29 with caution andcontinue along the path opposite in the woods.

(7) At the fork, turn left onto the track. When you reach the plateau, ignore the path on the right and continue to the left. Pass a house on your right and reach a path on the right.

(8) This follows the Crête de Cambourel and then descends to the D22. Note the stone cross on the left and the panoramic view of the Tarn.

(9) Turn left onto the D 22, then further on, turn right onto the dirt track that runs alongside the Tarn. Join the D 22, passing in front of the cemetery.

(10) Continue straight ahead to enter the old town via Rue Saint-Jean. At the beginning of the street, note the plaque marking the 1930 flood. Pass the town hall and continue to Place du Souvenir (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 98 m - Place du Souvenir
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 103 m - Côte des Filhols (D29), on the left
  3. 2 : km 1.05 - alt. 114 m - Route de Combe Salbe on the left
  4. 3 : km 1.82 - alt. 183 m - Three-way junction, right
  5. 4 : km 2.2 - alt. 173 m - Carriageway on the left
  6. 5 : km 2.99 - alt. 173 m - Ferme de la Colombe, track on the right
  7. 6 : km 3.57 - alt. 116 m - Fork, turn left then right
  8. 7 : km 4.89 - alt. 99 m - Track, on the left
  9. 8 : km 6.12 - alt. 180 m - Path on the right
  10. 9 : km 7.85 - alt. 94 m - D22, on the left at the edge of the - Tarn (rivère)
  11. 10 : km 10.5 - alt. 95 m - Quai Scipion de Joyeuse
  12. S/E : km 10.95 - alt. 98 m - Place du Souvenir

Notes

(5) A smaller part of this loop can be done from higher up, starting from Filhols.

(3) You can turn left and rejoin (8) nearby.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 33 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
RME
RME

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk. Very little traffic on the quiet tarmac road; we passed two groups of hikers and a mountain biker. Shade throughout the route, with two or three trees that had fallen across the stream, but no major difficulties. Beautiful views at the end of the route before descending to the banks of the Tarn.
No worries about parking your vehicle, as there are plenty of car parks conveniently located at the start of the route.

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Fa54
Fa54

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike, fairly shaded and varied, discovering Villemur sur Tarn, a charming town

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User 22233130

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An accessible and very pleasant walk. Very little traffic on paved roads. Plenty of shade along the route and some beautiful views. The dry weather in August meant we had no trouble walking through the area near the rivers. At the end of the walk, we visited Villemur sur Tarn (the starting point of the walk), a small town with an interesting past and some very pretty buildings. All in all, a very nice walk!

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emico63
emico63

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful, varied hike with lovely views of Villemur on the way back. The banks of the Tarn at Villemur are very pleasant and well worth a stop.
In the middle of summer, section 6-7 is fine, but definitely avoid it after rain.

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Lolita82
Lolita82

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Villemur hike, "la rando des Filhols", with very pleasant weather. Trail through the woods, a little mud, few difficulties.

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Ludi
Ludi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a beautiful hike in the hills above Villemur, with magnificent weather and unobstructed views of the Tarn. I can confirm that the entire section in the woods between points 6 and 7 along the stream is very muddy and slippery, but fortunately secured by barriers . Bring walking sticks. The trail is very well marked!
visit Villemur: see the church of Saint Michel, enter the royal granaries to admire the half-timbered buildings
a beautiful discovery in Villemur! Not to be missed

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Daviid
Daviid

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on Sunday, 16 February 2025. Great hike in beautiful winter weather. We stumbled upon a hunt between points 2 and 4, and the entire section in the woods between points 6 and 7 was muddy, with some very slippery sections (wear appropriate footwear).
It is possible to turn left before point 9 to avoid walking along the road and rejoin the path below the Tarn.
Otherwise, a very beautiful circuit, with a short visit to the charming village of Villemur-sur-Tarn. We highly recommend it!

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hcrando
hcrando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A beautiful trail that is easy to follow, with pleasant sections along the stream and along the ridge on the way back. However, even after a dry spell, the trail along the stream is quite muddy. This does not prevent you from admiring the undergrowth, but fortunately there are improvements at the most difficult points.

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Michel Gazeau
Michel Gazeau

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Very pleasant loop completed on 11/8 in very hot weather.
Little tarmac apart from at the start, lots of shaded trails
Signposting and route easy to follow
A lovely walk that I would recommend

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geneviève crokaert
geneviève crokaert

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent, very varied route, with ridges offering superb views and valleys...
Roads at the start, then paths and trails.
The section along the Pontous stream, although very muddy, was a real treat. Very well laid out, safe and full of flowers (chickweed, primroses, violets, wild flowers...).
Best done in dry weather.

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cclo6381
cclo6381

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with excellent descriptions and signposting.
If possible, choose a day with good weather so you can enjoy the views.
Avoid planning this hike in rainy weather.
As for how busy it is, the tracks on the trails indicate that it gets a fair amount of use. Today, on a Monday afternoon, IN GRAY WEATHER, there were only four of us, so I stand by my assessment of how busy it is (I'm surprised by the "NO" answers I've read)
Congratulations on the maintenance of the circuit, the stairs with handrails and the cable guards at dangerous points.
We will be back soon!

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AACR
AACR

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

At present, the ground is wet and muddy, but cables installed in the slightly sloping passages prevent you from getting stuck. Thank you to those who installed them

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randonnéesenmontagne
randonnéesenmontagne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
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, well marked and with magnificent weather and beautiful views of the Tarn

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emmathena
emmathena

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very varied, beautiful landscapes, clear explanations and signposting. Well-maintained trails. Perfect!

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Ocean
Ocean

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great route, alternating between shaded and sunny landscapes. Avoid in rainy weather due to the muddy banks of a river.
Thank you!!!

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