Circuit of wells and wash houses from Aujols

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Wells, wash houses, gariottes (dry stone shepherd's huts), abbey ruins, remains of a fortification and a cluster of old rural houses are the main attractions of this rich and varied walk, which is very typical of the Lot region's heritage.

Details

n°4902
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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.58 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 156 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 152 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 269 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 196 m
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Photos

Aujols wash house
The 13 wells of Laburgade
Lavoir de l'Escalier
Aujols,

Description of the walk

Start from Place de la Mairie.

(S/E) Follow the lake on your left. At the fork, take the road on the right and climb up to the church, opposite the old priory.

(1) Continue straight ahead and after 300 m.

(2) Take the dirt track that branches off to the left opposite a stone cross. The path descends, climbs and then descends again.

(3) At the bottom of the descent, take a small path on the left that leads to the rocks and the Grotte des Conquettes. Continue for about 300 m.

(4) Take the first path on the right. Follow it uphill until you reach a small water source. Continue along this path until you reach a beautiful house typical of the Quercy region on the left.

(5) Take the path on the right until you reach the D22.
Cross it and arrive at Lac du Fraysse.

(6) Leave it on your left and head right towards Laburgade and rejoin the D22.

(7) Cross it and, a few metres further on, take the dirt track on the right which leads back to the D22 after 200 m. Follow it to the right until you reach the entrance to Laburgade.

(8) After a small lake, take the first road on the right and admire the row of typical wells. Continue to the centre of the village.

(9) Take the D10 on the right towards Aujols. Leave the village and after about 500 m, take the wide path on the right (horse trail, orange signposts).
Pass three gariottes (traditional stone huts) and continue to a small road. Turn right onto this road and continue for 50 m, then turn left to rejoin the D10.

(10) Follow this road until you reach the hamlet of L'Escalier.
At the crossroads marked with a cross, leave a road on your left and 50 m further on, at the fork, follow a small road that becomes a path. Continue to the wash house. When you reach it, turn slightly to the right and pass an old well. Further on, leave a path on your left and, at the next intersection, turn left.

(11) Pass the old Payrot windmill and you will come to a road. Turn right onto this road and continue to the Place de la Mairie (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 229 m - Aujols Town Hall Square
  2. 1 : km 0.5 - alt. 245 m - Church
  3. 2 : km 0.82 - alt. 254 m - Path down to the left
  4. 3 : km 2.16 - alt. 210 m - Path on the left
  5. 4 : km 2.7 - alt. 196 m - Path on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.05 - alt. 262 m - Typical Quercy house
  7. 6 : km 4.85 - alt. 256 m - Lac du Fraysse
  8. 7 : km 5.38 - alt. 237 m - D22
  9. 8 : km 6.76 - alt. 264 m - Small lake
  10. 9 : km 7.03 - alt. 266 m - D10
  11. 10 : km 8.55 - alt. 268 m - D10. The Staircase
  12. 11 : km 9.77 - alt. 266 m - Payrot windmill,
  13. S/E : km 10.58 - alt. 229 m - Aujols Town Hall Square

Notes

Picnic tables near the starting lake. Refreshments and food are available in Lalbenque (5 km) to the south.

Worth a visit

Three other circuits depart from Lalbenque.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 43 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
loustic94
loustic94

Looking back and reviewing the photos, I think the walk was really well suited to our physical condition...

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Nicolas le randonneur
Nicolas le randonneur

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent, Quercy in all its splendour with drystone shelters and truffle fields galore, the Lot in its purest form 🤩

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Jean-Y
Jean-Y

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 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, the wells are a sight not to be missed.

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loustic94
loustic94

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Very pleasant, some very pretty spots. Easy route for all ages.
Gérard

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jano le doc
jano le doc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route with lots to see, including cherry trees, lakes, wash houses and numerous wells. No major difficulties, an easy route.

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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

We did this tour in autumn 2024. You could call it a water tour, given the number of wells, lakes and wash houses, which is quite surprising in a country of stone. It's one of the tours we'll be doing again in spring.

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ChristianQ
ChristianQ

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 24, 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, even in winter drizzle... with many points of heritage interest, and fairly easy..
Definitely worth doing..

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Piot39
Piot39

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk through the beautiful countryside of the Lot. The wash houses and row of wells are a curiosity.
Varied landscapes. Undergrowth, ravines, paths, all steeped in history (the murderer of the fountain, etc.)
Not to be missed.

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frederic.seguy@wanadoo.fr
frederic.seguy@wanadoo.fr
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy and pleasant hike that I did a few years ago
Magnificent woodland in autumn
Be careful on the few sections along the roads, as cars can drive fast
Completed the loop in 2 hours and 45 minutes, taking time to enjoy the scenery

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jano le doc
jano le doc

unfortunately, we only managed to walk 2 km because something happened, but we'll be putting our shoes back on soon.

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Gisèle Lallement
Gisèle Lallement

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful discovery for me... butterfly wash houses and wells, a real treat.
An easy route to follow, with no technical difficulties.
A very pleasant route.

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jlo68
jlo68

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Wash houses and wells.
No difficulty walking around.

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gabriel4
gabriel4

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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


A varied route, never monotonous.
Points of interest: The series of wells at LABURGADE. The butterfly wash houses, the beautiful stone buildings, the Templar village of AUJOLS.
The paths through the La Joyeuse and La Conquête valleys are pleasant to walk along.

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KDec
KDec

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route with varied landscapes throughout the hike. Beautiful heritage sites to discover.
Walk with no difficulty whatsoever

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norbert.maisonneuve
norbert.maisonneuve

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice route but signage a bit unclear

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