From Cours to La Rauze

Route starting from Saint-Michel-de-Cours, descending towards the Rauze stream to follow its course before climbing back up to the starting point through the forest.

Details

811116
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.96 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 184 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 184 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 342 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 177 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Cours (46090)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 44.529404° / E 1.524797°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2138OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

Start from the car park next to a tennis court on the D49.

(S/E) Go around the car park on the right to reach a path leading to the left. Descend into the valley. 500 m further on, leave a perpendicular path on the left and continue straight ahead on a slight incline for about 900 m until you reach an intersection (calvary from 1770 on the right).

(1) Continue straight ahead on a tarmac road towards a place called "Le Bout de la Côte" until you reach a sign indicating "Voie sans issue" (dead end).

(2) Turn left onto a sloping path. At the entrance to this path, immediately on the left, don't miss a well slightly hidden in the vegetation. Continue downhill towards the Rauze valley. Admire the Vers cliffs on the right. Continue to the junction with theGR®46.

(3) Turn left and follow theGR®46for 1.9 km.

(4) Cross the Rauze. About 30 metres further on, on the left, don't miss the ruins of a water mill. Continue on theGR®46for 1.2 km. Admire the motorway viaduct in the background.

(5) Leave theGR® and turn left towards Maquefave until you reach a tarmac road.

(6) Turn left to cross the Rauze and immediately take the path opposite, leaving the D7 and the house on your right. Note the spring at the entrance to this path. Continue for 1.5 km. The path follows the course of a stream, which is mostly dry. It climbs quite steeply in places to the plateau.

(7) Turn left and follow the path to a chain blocking the way (private property).

(8) Turn right. The path follows the bed of a stony stream for about 150 metres (a slightly tricky passage in wet weather) before joining a tarmac road leading to the hamlet of Les Naudils. Continue to the junction with the D49, turn left and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 339 m - Car park located next to a tennis court
  2. 1 : km 1.4 - alt. 329 m - Crossroads with a wayside cross
  3. 2 : km 2.38 - alt. 281 m - On the left, there is a sloping path. View of the valley of the - Vers (rivière) - Affluent du Lot
  4. 3 : km 3.44 - alt. 182 m - Turn left onto the GR
  5. 4 : km 4.28 - alt. 182 m - Crossing the - Rauze (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 5.44 - alt. 193 m - Turn left towards Maquefave
  7. 6 : km 5.89 - alt. 195 m - Crossing the Rauze
  8. 7 : km 7.28 - alt. 287 m - Path on the left
  9. 8 : km 7.37 - alt. 298 m - Stony path on the right
  10. S/E : km 7.96 - alt. 339 m

Worth a visit

Note that between points (4) and (5), the Rauze has been dammed: the water level is higher than that of the path.

Further on, shortly after a right-hand bend, the path opens onto a small valley where you can admire the graceful line of the A20 viaduct above the valley.

After passing the point (6), 20 metres after the entrance to the path, you will notice a spring (enthusiasts claim that its water has virtues, without being able to specify which ones).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Brumaire
Brumaire

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Walk taken in early March in dry weather. Very pleasant path with a magnificent crossing of La Rauze. Follow the green markings that correspond to the Visorando route, which takes 2 hours at a brisk pace with walking sticks (without breaks) and not 4 hours as indicated. 8km easy despite a slightly rocky climb towards the end of the route. The path is in good condition and very well maintained. Very well marked. Didn't meet a single soul. No signs of human activity (paper, plastic, etc.). A real pleasure. I recommend it.

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Nawah
Nawah
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, done in autumn. Encounters with foxes, horses and deer.
You need to wear good footwear as the paths are stony in places... yes, we are in the Causses.
Well marked from the start. The green route corresponds to the one on Visorando, and takes a good two hours rather than the four hours indicated. Unless you stop, of course.

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Piot39
Piot39
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A nice little hike along the paths of the Causse plateau. Follow the green signs (three different routes). The sign says four hours, but we did it in two and a half.
We set off at around 9:30 a.m. and were almost always in the shade. The car park is very convenient and quite large, with two picnic tables.
Nice scenery, but nothing exceptional. No difficulties, just a good climb at the end.
The path is well maintained except towards the end.
With the water sources and the stream, watch out for horseflies... they're voracious!

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Jean-Michel Joissains
Jean-Michel Joissains

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little hike on a quiet afternoon. Beautiful landscapes of the Causses and no difficulty. Great for children!

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CIM
CIM
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant, peaceful hike
Water source at the start and small pool with two waterfalls about 1.5 km before reaching the starting point
We only encountered one mountain bike and two quad bikes

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toffos
toffos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant, typical walk in the region, with a water source at the start and excellent signposting.

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Michèle Fontaine
Michèle Fontaine

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy, simple, pleasant hike, well signposted, longest route, completed in 2 hours instead of 4 for those who walk well.

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PVD visorando
PVD visorando

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very well-marked and easy-to-follow hike, with the option to extend it by 2 km as it is a little short.
thank you
Pierre

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jlucquimper
jlucquimper
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with a few hills.
Excellent signposting and description!

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AnaïsAnj
AnaïsAnj

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A nice little hike. Water source at the start. Three route options, with three different markings. 1 hour orange, 2 hours brown or 4 hours orange.
The 2-hour orange route: when you reach the tarmac road, turn left and continue to the end to find the path. However, the stream bed is difficult to access: there is a small path, but not much room to sit by the water. Nevertheless, the path is shaded and very pretty, and we saw three deer!

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jacques.boldron
jacques.boldron

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Vision Rando is an excellent app that offers a multitude of hikes for beginners and experienced hikers alike. Highly recommended for those who enjoy walking in peace and safety.

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DrFenouil
DrFenouil

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely walk in the countryside. A little challenging towards the end, but you get to see a variety of landscapes. The chance to cool off in the Rauze stream is a well-deserved reward after all your efforts.
You can also see wildlife and a beautiful collection of local plants and flowers.
A lovely walk to enjoy with the family

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maledeta23
maledeta23

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A short, easy and pleasant hike. The route is well marked and maintained, and the tricky sections at the end of the hike (points 7 and 8 in the description) no longer exist, even in very wet weather.

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ALAINMTHE
ALAINMTHE

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

beautiful hike

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blanjean
blanjean

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Tuesday, 1 May 2018
A very beautiful hike
The paths through the valleys and hillsides are very pleasant.

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