Going up the Aveyron river

A long circular route that follows the course of the Aveyron river via theGR®36and gently returns to Laguépie from the plateau dotted with hamlets and livestock farms.

Details

1518367
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 22.60 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 417 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 416 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 501 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 149 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) Depart from the central square in Laguépie, head towards the town hall and cross the bridge over the Aveyron.

(1) Turn left immediately after the bridge: there are numerousPR® trailheads and pass under the bridge.

(2) Continue on theGR®36, which, on this section, is part of the route linking the Way of St James from Le Puy to Santiago de Compostela and the route from Arles to Toulouse. The path follows the Aveyron river.

(3) At the three-way junction, continue to the right along the Averon river, then head up towards the Mergieux holiday village.

(4) Continue climbing steadily until you reach a small tarmac road that leads to La Gasquie, still on theGR®36.

(5) Continue left uphill.

(6) At the next intersection, leave theGR®36and turn left onto the D564.

(7) Go up the D564 on the right to reach La Crouzille and then a crossroads with four roads.

(8) Continue straight ahead on the D564, then take a path on the right about 300 metres from the crossroads.
Follow this path, which passes near an antenna and turns left to cross the D564.
Turn left onto a tarmac road near the Barthe farm (cross at the intersection).

(9) Continue right on the tarmac road until you reach a crossroads.

(10) Cross the D47 and take the wide dirt track opposite, then immediately left, for 150 metres.

(11) At a fork in the road, take the left-hand path which joins a road. Follow it to the left until you reach the hamlet of Saint-Salvary.

(12) In Saint-Salvary, follow the D47 to the hamlet of Le Cun.

(13) Just before the houses, take a path on the left that descends gently to the junction with a road.

(14) When you reach a tarmac road, turn left and then, at the second fork, turn right towards the hamlet of La Rainie.

(15) At La Rainie, leave the road and take a path on the right, following it towards the Aveyron valley.

(3) Return to the path along the riverbank that you took on the way there and follow it to the right to return to the square in Laguépie. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 151 m - Central square in Laguépie
  2. 1 : km 0.27 - alt. 156 m - Departure from the PR
  3. 2 : km 0.43 - alt. 150 m - Start of the GR36
  4. 3 : km 2.73 - alt. 157 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  5. 4 : km 7.29 - alt. 285 m - Mergieux holiday village
  6. 5 : km 9.49 - alt. 383 m - La Gasquie
  7. 6 : km 10.22 - alt. 394 m - End of the route on the GR36.
  8. 7 : km 10.36 - alt. 391 m - Junction with the D564
  9. 8 : km 11.19 - alt. 376 m - Crossroads
  10. 9 : km 12.61 - alt. 478 m - Near the alluvial plain.
  11. 10 : km 12.93 - alt. 493 m - Crossing the D47
  12. 11 : km 13.17 - alt. 494 m - Ridge path
  13. 12 : km 15.39 - alt. 394 m - Saint-Salvary
  14. 13 : km 15.95 - alt. 398 m - Le Cun
  15. 14 : km 16.52 - alt. 384 m - Small tarmac road.
  16. 15 : km 17.11 - alt. 371 m - La Rainie
  17. S/E : km 22.6 - alt. 151 m - Central square in Laguépie

Notes

Toilets 50 metres from the central square, at the town hall.
A short passage over rocks at the edge of the river.
Hike not recommended when the Aveyron river is in flood.

A shorter version (15 km) will be available soon.

Worth a visit

Several mills on the river.
Vast panorama on the ridge path between (10) and (12).
Bar and shops in the village of Laguépie.

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

4.7 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 28891604

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. We stopped at checkpoint 10 (left the car there) because we had a 10-year-old with us.
And we were right to do so, as the path continued in the sun and it was quite hot. We didn’t have enough water.
Thanks

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defosse lydia
defosse lydia

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, lots of forest, a good part of it along the Aveyron river – we loved it.

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ecapekip
ecapekip

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb walk, well balanced in terms of scenery and profile (ascents and descents).

The GR36 along the banks of the Aveyron is very wild and the ridge path offers remarkable views of the surrounding area.
The last part of the route (downhill and flat) allows you to take in the length of the route.
Thank you.

Anne and Pascal

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Roxane Maine
Roxane Maine

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike.
Tip for travellers: you can take the train from Laguepie to Najac (a superb site) and return to Laguepie via the GR. I enjoyed it.

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chantoul
chantoul

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike with views of Najac (the trees have no leaves)

Quite physically demanding

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mcvinel
mcvinel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

at the limit of my physical abilities (aged 65) but I was happy to finish. The contrast between the river valley and the plateau is striking; I was able to see the last slopes of the Aveyron from the Tarn and Garonne, and in particular the small villages (Béteille-Belpech) that I used to visit forty years ago.
Thank you
I will post some photos.

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