Canal des Moines

This easy hike will take you along the Canal des Moines in a bucolic, shaded setting, starting from one of the prettiest villages in Corrèze.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.86 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 151 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 152 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 444 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 292 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The walk starts from the centre of Aubazine, where there is a car park in the village square.

(S/E) With your back to the tourist office and the abbey on your left, continue straight ahead. Take the first street on the left, then the first on the right, and you will see signs indicating the start of the walk at the junction with Avenue Jean-Baptiste Laumond.
The climb is a little steep until you reach the canal.

(1) Follow the canal until you reach the crossroads with a path that leads to the canal. This is the path you will take to return after completing the loop via the Calvary.

(2) Continue along the canal: you will be in the shade under the trees, the path widens and you will come to a small wooden bridge.

(3) You will arrive at the source of the canal in a cul-de-sac. Turn around and you will see a path climbing up to your right: take this path. Climb up through the forest, cross the road (D48) and continue climbing until you reach the Calvary

(4). From this promontory, you can enjoy an almost 360° view of the valley.
Then begin your descent, continuing west. Cross the road and the canal and rejoin the path you took on the way there.

(2). Turn right and follow the same route you took on the way there to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 293 m - Village square in the centre of Aubazine
  2. 1 : km 0.5 - alt. 348 m - Start of the canal
  3. 2 : km 0.75 - alt. 353 m - Fork in the road towards Calvaire
  4. 3 : km 1.81 - alt. 361 m - Source of the Canal
  5. 4 : km 2.53 - alt. 436 m - Calvary
  6. S/E : km 3.86 - alt. 292 m - Village square in the centre of Aubazine

Notes

This hike is a beautiful, very easy and fairly quick walk, so there is no need for heavy hiking boots.
However, you should wear good walking shoes to be comfortable on the climbs and descents, which can be quite steep.

In the village square, you will find a fountain, a bar with a lovely little terrace, two restaurants and a bakery.

Please note: for safety reasons, dogs, motor vehicles, mountain bikes and pushchairs are not permitted on the trail.

Worth a visit

Canal des Moines: a listed structure since 1966, the canal was built to supply the monastery's fishpond, irrigate meadows and gardens and power three mills.
The section that clings to the hillside is 1,500 metres long, with a gradient of 0.5%, and some parts overlook precipices of over 40 metres.
The village continues to benefit from the canal's water, and many plots have water intakes.
Monks' Canal

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 30 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
arbizon
arbizon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Easy hike

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Moielo
Moielo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant walk, which I would nevertheless classify as a hike, as suitable footwear is recommended. Avoid with elderly or disabled people or young children, as part of the walk is along the edge of a ravine.
This hike can be done in hot weather as it is very shaded.
A must-do!

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LARROUDÉ
LARROUDÉ
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice hike. No problems on thefirst part of the hike to the source of the canal. On the way back to Calvaire, after Saut de la Bergère and crossing the canal road, we got a little lost. The forest is dense, with steep paths in all directions and poor signposting. We were glad to have VISORANDO to get us back on track!
I highly recommend this app!

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Yolande Berche
Yolande Berche

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

a beautiful hike in nature with flat sections and climbs, shaded and cooled by the canal.
very nice for families.

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Bost24
Bost24

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Short hike completed at the end of January 2024 in good weather. Exactly as described. Historic and very pleasant.
Perfect for getting back into shape.

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Gero34
Gero34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk that lives up to its description, with beautiful scenery and interesting heritage sites. Starting from the Cistercian abbey is a real bonus, and the grocery store opposite is very well stocked and has excellent customer service. Great for families

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Fofie M
Fofie M

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, enchanting setting.
Access to the water supply is diverted at the end due to construction work.

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lionthebest
lionthebest

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is very well signposted from the abbey and quite steep at the start, as indicated in the description. Beautiful views of the hills as you pass the Calvary at the start of the canal.

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Philippe Seguin
Philippe Seguin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the tour on 15 September 2022. It was the end of the holidays for some people, which is why there were so few people around at 8.30 a.m. (very early).
A very beautiful, short walk, best done in the afternoon for better light to see the spring. It is in the shade, which detracts a little from its appeal. No difficulty, tricky sections on rocks are very well secured by handrails. A magnificent view from the Calvary. The village of Aubazine is beautiful.
I'll be going back in May or June 2023 with the club I belong to, the Club des Randonneurs du Pyla et du Bassin d'Arcachon 33

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elisa3687
elisa3687

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pretty walk in the shade, not very long, best done in the afternoon in my opinion, so that the sun shines on the spring. In the morning, it's in the shade, which takes away some of its charm. No major difficulties, the tricky sections on rocks are secured by handrails. Beautiful view from the Calvaire. In response to the comment by "brenugat" on 13 August, this route does not go to the lake, so there is no descent to the Calvaire, but rather an ascent.

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natdu
natdu

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Morning walk, leaving at 8:45 a.m. to avoid the heat. Very pleasant. We missed the climb up to the Calvary, but we don't regret the walk with our 9-year-old son. The village of Aubazine is picturesque and the scenery is beautiful.

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ceic
ceic

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very good, after the steep climb from the village, it's flat and cool under the trees.

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Capichien
Capichien

I couldn't go hiking because dogs aren't allowed.

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irouleguy
irouleguy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very pleasant walk. No particular difficulties, except for keeping an eye on young children as the ravines along the path are dangerous for them

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guychass
guychass

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk along the canal to the top of the Calvary. Be sure to keep to the left when you reach a wooden barrier in the forest. The path is clearly marked. Take care with children!

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