Le Mandialou from Verlac

de fr

Aurelle is a sanctuary of rural life. It has a 13th-century chapel, a communal bread oven, a few houses, a garden and a mill.
This village offers threePR®1,PR®2andPR®3hikes. This description applies toPR®2.

Details

n°45459
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.34 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 240 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 234 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,011 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 808 m
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Photos

the chapel in the hamlet of Aurelle
The Chapel of Aurelle

Description of the walk

Leave your vehicle in the village of Verlac on the village square. Signs indicate: Aurelle,PR®1,PR®2,PR®3. Next to them, on a post, is a kind of wooden letterbox containing the route maps for the threePR® trails of your choice. These cellophane-wrapped maps are available for you to borrow and return when you come back.

(S/E) On the village square in Verlac, take the tarmac road west for 750 metres, following the signs for Aurelle,PR®1,PR®2andPR®3.

(1) At a place called Verlaguet, turn left at the fork. Follow a dirt track marked Aurelle and cross a field. Continue along the side of Puech Mégié, heading west.

(2) At the crossroads (elevation 923), turn right and descend.

(3) You will come out onto a tarmac road; follow it to the left. After about 100 metres, turn right. Follow a path downhill. Cross the Mandialou and climb up the other side. You will reach the hamlet of Aurelle.

(4) Follow thePR®1,PR®2,PR®3. After 270 metres,the PR®3branches off to the left.

(5) About 200 metres further on, follow thePR®2on the right. Ignore the paths on the left.

(6) You will come out onto a wide path. Follow it to the right until you reach a crossroads with four paths

(7) Turn right towards Verlac.*

(8) At the next crossroads (elevation 1008), go straight ahead. You will come to a track; follow it to the left.

(1) Continue straight ahead in the opposite direction to the outward route to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 910 m - Église Saint-Jacques (Verlac)
  2. 1 : km 0.55 - alt. 951 m - Verlaguet
  3. 2 : km 2.27 - alt. 923 m - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 2.82 - alt. 923 m - Tarmac cross-country path.
  5. 4 : km 4.12 - alt. 844 m - Crossing Aurelle
  6. 5 : km 4.34 - alt. 868 m - Fork in the road
  7. 6 : km 6.04 - alt. 986 m - Intersection
  8. 7 : km 6.92 - alt. 997 m - Crossroads of 4 paths
  9. 8 : km 7.69 - alt. 1,008 m - Crossroads
  10. S/E : km 9.34 - alt. 910 m - Église Saint-Jacques (Verlac)

Notes

A non-potable water source in Aurelle.
Shelters in the villages of Aurelle and Les Escoudats.
Remember to bring a stick to impress the cows in case of hostile behaviour, without provoking them.
Equip yourself with high-top shoes, a hat, water bottles, a windbreaker, etc.
If you discover the face carved into a chestnut tree in the Aurelle forest, you earn the right to return...
A bit of history:
The Aubrac plateau was formed by volcanoes 1 to 2 million years ago. On the southern slope, numerous rivers, sometimes stormy, sometimes mysterious, called Boraldes, shaped the landscape down to the Lot valley below. Human hands completed the work: paths, meadows, hamlets, villages, water mills and burons, all built by hand.
Now, unfortunately, the inhabitants have left because there are no roads to get there, only footpaths, and no electricity. A good twenty of them left for Argentina, to Piguë with other comrades from the canton, between 1880 and 1900.
Other information:

Between Verlaguet and Aurelle, the dirt track carved into the side of Aubrac, like a balcony, offers a view of the Lot Valley below with a 600-metre drop, the Causses on the horizon, and further east, the Aigoual and Mont Lozère.
The hikes (PR®1,PR®2,PR®3) are secured by numerous signs, the markings are those of the FFRP, and these paths are registered with the PDIPR.
In spring, marvel at the extreme floral richness of the Aubrac meadows, and in autumn, admire the combination of browns, yellows and oranges in its forests.

Worth a visit

The church in Verlac, the key is at Lili's.
The Basalt Organs, just past Verlac on the D503, on the left.

 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.

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Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 13 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
drgre
drgre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike with beautiful views, varied landscapes and very well-maintained paths.

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Lucy.muir
Lucy.muir

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 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 winter, just before the snow! Varied landscapes, incredible views, magnificent beech trees filtering the generous sunshine... and water everywhere: high boots and walking sticks are essential at this time of year. The reward is a picnic in the village, which is currently being restored. Note that between points 1 and 2, you have to cross a meadow, and we followed the GPS track (you have to scramble a bit under or over a barbed wire fence, but it's nothing too difficult). Thank you for sharing this, I'll be back in the spring to see the periwinkles in the undergrowth.

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randobaissac
randobaissac

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I went to the start of the route in VERLAGUET (where you can park your car, and I avoided the tarmac)
a very beautiful trail for the first two-thirds, then more monotonous towards the end.
It could do with being cleared as it is also a short PR hiking trail

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brousse
brousse

Hello,
I'm sorry, but at the time I didn't go beyond the Vallon des Hourcières, or rather the Boralde Merdanson... There must have been an old path starting from the Pont de Pierre bridge over the Merdanson, which must have led to Born. But I haven't heard that it has been reopened.
Best regards.

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ADRYADE
ADRYADE

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very pleasant route to do in autumn, with varied landscapes and no difficulty with a GPS. Thank you.

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brousse
brousse

The signpost indicates 2 hours 30 minutes, which is the duration for the circular route, including the return trip.
You do need to follow Mandialou, because pr1, pr2 and pr3 are replaced by Mandialou, and Vallon des Hourcieres for Pr3. As for me, I'm off the route because I'm not responsible.
I still enjoy doing these hikes.
Pierre Brousse.

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babeth007chat
babeth007chat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2021
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! With sublime views. Discovering the hamlet of Aurelle is magical.The directions to Aurelle are perfect, but between points 4 and 5 we couldn't find the Pr 2 or Pr 3 signs. We followed the direction of Le Mandialou to the crossroads where the direction of Verlac was indicated. Just one small downside: there are some very muddy sections and slightly slippery descents, which are best tackled in dry weather.
To date, this is one of my most beautiful hikes. Thank you.

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GMIT
GMIT

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route, scenery and villages. We loved this little hidden corner where the Aurelle chapel is located (which is home to bats, privileged and protected guests, no entry).

However, take a GPS or a good map , as the signage is contradictory. The three PRs are marked in the same way (in yellow) and they intersect, overlap and contradict each other... For example, when following the PR2, you will at one point find two yellow crosses, one below the other! Ignore them and continue on the PR2!

Finally, a quick question: why "extreme floristic richness" and not simply "extreme floral richness"?

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BernardMiquel
BernardMiquel
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A small correction would be desirable in the section entitled "A bit of history": the BRGM dates the volcanism of the Aubrac to between 6 and 9 million years ago, not 1 to 2 million years ago as stated ( http://geolfrance.brgm.fr/sites/default/...).

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brousse
brousse

The signpost indicates 2 hours 30 minutes, which is the duration for the circular route, including the return journey.

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Jean Paul G1.
Jean Paul G1.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A varied hike accessible to all... a few muddy sections between Verlac and Aurelle, but it's so nice to find yourself in this abandoned village. Splendid meadows full of daffodils... Depending on the weather, you can either lengthen or shorten the end of the route as there is a network of small paths and roads.

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quichotte
quichotte

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I printed out the Aurelle PR3 map and drew the PR2 in case...
A very beautiful hike with the wonderful landscapes of Aubrac. The abandoned hamlet of Aurelle is... magical. And I didn't see the sign with the PR2/PR3 fork, so I improvised a bit before finding myself on the right PR3 trail.
When I had to cross a field with cows, as I had a dog with me, I didn't want to disturb the ladies, so I turned back... to catch up with the PR2 via another path.
To be done again!

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Baobab34
Baobab34

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Undoubtedly a very beautiful hike! A wide variety of landscapes, sublime views, flowers everywhere in early June, magnificent meadows, and what can I say about the hamlet of Aurelle, which is simply magical with its wonderful little chapel. I hike a lot, and this hike is one of the most beautiful I have ever done.
One small downside: it's not easy to understand what "the village square" is at the start, and the signposting on site indicates 2½ hours, which is an underestimate, but the information on Visorando is accurate

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Leny81
Leny81

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a very beautiful hike, accessible to many, where you can discover the abandoned village of Aurelle with its chapel.

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brousse
brousse

I'm glad to hear it, and since you like the country, I suggest you visit www.aurellerandos.fr, where you'll find five other hikes...

Best regards.

Pierre

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Other walks in the area

Walking The Bois des Hourciéres by Aurelle

Visorando member
Le Bois des Hourciéres par Aurelle
↔16.18 km ↗+587 m ↘-578 m ◔6h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Aurelle-Verlac (Aveyron)
In Verlac, three circular routes (PR®1,PR®2andPR®3) all pass through Aurelle and follow the same path up to that point. These three hikes will dazzle you in spring with the extremely rich flora of the Aubrac meadows and in autumn with the combination of brown, yellow and orange colours of its forests.

Walking The Escoudats woods

Visorando member
Le bois des Escoudats
↔7.78 km ↗+219 m ↘-216 m ◔2h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Aurelle-Verlac (Aveyron)
In Verlac, three circularPR®1,PR®2andPR®3loops all pass through Aurelle and follow the same route up to that point. These three hikes will dazzle you in spring with the extremely rich flora of the Aubrac meadows and in autumn with the combinations of brown, yellow and orange in its forests.

Walking The Grandes Solitudes circular starting from Les Mazes.

Visorando member
La boucle des Grandes Solitudes au départ des Mazes
↔17.63 km ↗+563 m ↘-566 m ◔6h 40 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Aurelle-Verlac (Aveyron)
Grandes Solitudes is in fact a continuation of the PR®6 "Solitudes" route in the Chamina guidebook, but with an extension. The lower part of Solitude in the Chamina guidebook is impassable. The route starts from Les Mazes heading north, then gradually follows the drovers' road and soon, with your head increasingly in the sky, you will gain 300 metres in altitude and enjoy sumptuous panoramic views. The return journey follows the Mardonenque boralde (small river).

Walking In the woods of Combetalade

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↔10.84 km ↗+451 m ↘-452 m ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint-Geniez-d'Olt (Aveyron)
This walk through the woods offers panoramic views of the Lot valley and the villages of Saint-Geniez-d'Olt, Pomayrols and its castle. In fact, it's the Aveyron as we love it.

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⚑Departure from Pierrefiche (Aveyron)
A delightful route for exploring Sainte-Eulalie-d'Olt and its surroundings. A very pleasant walk through the valley, which forms a circular route with a visit to Sainte-Eulalie halfway along the route.

Walking Around Mailhe Biau

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↔15.92 km ↗+297 m ↘-297 m ◔5h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Aurelle-Verlac (Aveyron)
A very scenic hike over the Lot valley, the Aubrac plateau and Auvergne in the distance. The route is very pastoral, crossing numerous pastures where herds of cows graze (from May to October). The slopes are gentle and there are a number of fences to cross.

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Circuit du Cerf dans la Vallée du Lot et des Boraldes
↔15.65 km ↗+639 m ↘-640 m ◔6h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Castelnau-de-Mandailles (Aveyron)
This circular, which is very varied in every respect, is a wonderful way to discover the limestone plateaus, chestnut groves and pastures of the Lot valley. It offers views and passages through remarkable villages and hamlets.

Walking From the Refuge des Rajas to Nasbinals

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↔22.25 km ↗+312 m ↘-463 m ◔7h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Les Salces (Lozère)
Second stage of a four-day tour through the Aubrac countryside, between the Refuge des Rajas and Nasbinals via Aubrac. On this stage, you will mainly use the GRP® Tour des Monts d'Aubrac and part of the Way of St James in the opposite direction (GR®65).

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