From Saint-Saturnin to Notre-Dame de Randol Abbey

This walk begins in Saint-Saturnin, a village between the Monne Gorges and the Veyre Valley. The village is home to one of the most important Romanesque churches in Auvergne and a royal castle. The walk continues to Notre-Dame de Randol Abbey, passing through green, rolling countryside.

Details

1637491
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.88 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 191 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 191 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 698 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 506 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: A75, exit 5, towards Aydat (D213). After 5 km, turn left towards Saint-Saturnin (D96).
Parking: Place du 8 Mai.

Markings: Yellow ("Randol" sign on the square).

(S/E) From the car park, with your back to the café, take Rue des Farges opposite. Cross Rue Côte Gros Jean and continue along Rue de la Boucherie to the church.

Go around the church on the left, turn right and continue to Place de l'Ormeau. Pass by the foot of the castle and continue straight on Rue de la Chantelle.

(1) At the crossroads (chapel), turn left onto Rue Principale. After about 150 metres, turn left onto Chemin du Bec. Ignore all turnings on the left and continue to Route de Champeix (D28).

(2) At Route de Champeix (D28), turn left and, after 50 metres, turn right onto Route de Randol (D28A). At a fork, stay on the road and ignore the turn-off on the right. After about 300 metres, take the path on the left. Climb up through the woods, ignore a turn-off on the left and rejoin the D28A near a large cross.

(3) Follow the road to the left towards the abbey car parks (pass to the right of the cross). At the three-way junction, go right and cross the car park. At the next three-way junction, turn left, pass close to the water reservoir and continue to the junction with a path coming from the abbey.

(4) Then turn right twice and head north-northwest. Cross a ladder over the fences (elevation 695). About a hundred metres further on, ignore a path on the right. Pass under the power lines and cross a grazing area that descends and then climbs up to a hedge separating two grassy areas (PR® sign on a tree).

(5) At the sign (note that the sign is ambiguous), climb over the hedge and turn right. Follow the path that winds through the wild broom and joins a track (several gates between plots must be opened and closed). At the next junction, take the track on the right. Descend and join a track suitable for vehicles.

(6) Cross the carriageway and continue on the path opposite. Cut across the next cross path (elevation 588) and continue straight ahead. Pass a cistern and cross the Tourelle industrial estate.

(7) Cross the D8 with caution, take the path opposite and immediately take the first path on the right.
Cross a road (elevation 549) and, at a place called Vocan, continue straight ahead.

(8) At the three-way junction, take the path on the right. Ignore the first path on the left and cross Chemin de Naja. At the next junction, turn left. At the next intersection, turn right onto Rue des Granges and head for the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 507 m - Parking at Place du 8 Mai. Passage near the - la Monne
  2. 1 : km 0.71 - alt. 519 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.35 - alt. 517 m - Champeix Road D28
  4. 3 : km 2.48 - alt. 607 m - Route D28A
  5. 4 : km 3.47 - alt. 680 m - Crossroads with Chemin de l'Abbaye
  6. 5 : km 4.52 - alt. 686 m - PR sign
  7. 6 : km 5.3 - alt. 628 m - Carriageway
  8. 7 : km 6.35 - alt. 563 m - Route D8
  9. 8 : km 7.23 - alt. 525 m - Three-way junction
  10. S/E : km 7.88 - alt. 507 m - Car park: Place du 8 Mai

Notes

Please note that there are several signs indicating private hunting grounds and the presence of vipers. In France, the number of serious accidents involving wasp stings is much higher than those caused by snakes. Nevertheless, closed-toe shoes are recommended and particular attention should be paid in the areas indicated.

Worth a visit

The village of Saint-Saturnin.
Royal Castle of Saint-Saturnin.
Notre-Dame de Randol Abbey.

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 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
randololo63
randololo63

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

thank you ☺️

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Gilles Ribereau
Gilles Ribereau

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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monique01*
monique01*
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

we got lost at a field we had to cross. We had to go down and then back up. Down to where? And back up to where? And which field? We needed a sign to be sure we were in the right field. We found each other again anyway. It was a very beautiful hike nonetheless

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Fredo42270
Fredo42270

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant start, arrival in ST Saturnin less interesting

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Mfdg
Mfdg

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I recommend this hike with its beautiful views

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meilhaud christian
meilhaud christian

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, lovely village.

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Agnès ROUSSEAU
Agnès ROUSSEAU

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A hike done on a day with very bad weather, rain, snow and cold, but which is very beautiful and very pleasant. I will do it again in the summer to see different landscapes.
Thank you for what you do, I think your website is very well done

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tisserav
tisserav

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied walk: nature, meadows, low mountains, a medieval village and a modern abbey in the mountains. In short, a very beautiful route that I highly recommend.

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Chris481
Chris481

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant route, partly wooded. Beautiful panoramic views. Some sections of road. Stony, steep path, rutted in wet weather at the end of the route. Beautiful porches and houses in the village, which also has a very beautiful church. Masses sung at the abbey every day at 10am.

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mayekeul
mayekeul

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route despite a stretch on the road at the beginning... Beautiful views halfway through the hike... A fairly steep and rocky descent at the end of the route requires suitable footwear.

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Lardon
Lardon
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We extended the hike by visiting Randol Abbey and the village of Randol, which are well worth a visit.
We then rejoined the route at point 4.
Point 5 is indeed ambiguous, especially during haymaking season.

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CLAUROUX
CLAUROUX

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk with interesting views.

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F84606
F84606

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I know Randol Abbey, but I didn't know about this hike. The route is nice, but be careful as there are some sections on the road. This could be problematic with children or animals. The signage is adequate.
I also use the GPX file that I download to a Garmin GPS. So far, I've never had any problems with the downloaded routes.
It's a very beautiful viewpoint, and I recommend that those who don't know it visit the Romanesque church of Saint-Saturnin.

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RROGER63
RROGER63

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The old butcher's quarter in St Saturnin is nice, the view above the abbey is worth a photo, and we came across a hoopoe bird, which made the walk even better.
The return trip through the industrial zone isn't great.

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Martine F
Martine F

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Lovely walk. Actual time taken: 2 hours 20 minutes.

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