Long circular loop of Giroussens and Saint-Anatole

This hike will allow you to discover the territory of the commune of Giroussens. Starting from the centre of this medieval village, you will enjoy beautiful views of the Agoût and Dadou valleys. After passing near Saint-Anatole, the route ends with a walk through the forest of Giroussens.

Details

720583
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.06 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 125 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 129 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 242 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 153 m

Photos

Description of the walk

There are plenty of parking spaces behind the Ceramics Museum on Route de Bel-Air. There are also a few spaces available on Place de la Mairie.

(S/E) The starting point is in front of the Ceramics Museum. Take Rue du Pont Saint-Salvi downhill (leaving the museum on your right). Follow the street to Place de la Mairie. After enjoying the view of the Agoût valley, turn right onto Grand Rue.

(1) Take the third street on the left, the Route des Crêtes. After passing under a bridge on the 631b, take the first right (Impasse de la Planette) then the first left. When you reach the three-way junction, go down the Côte du Tigou opposite.

(2) At the end of the road, turn left onto Chemin de la Manou. After about 100 metres, the road becomes a wide gravel path that leads to a tarmac road.

(3) Follow it to the left, pass Les Castex and then near the hamlet of Les Camboulives.

(4) Cross the D87 and continue towards Les Gélis.

(5) In this hamlet, take the path on the left. This path is a relatively wide trail. Turn left at the first gravel road and follow it until you reach a new tarmac road.

(6) Turn right and then immediately take the path on the left. This path leads to the Bousquetié farm, then turns left into a small path going up into the forest. This path leads to a road; follow it to the left until you reach the D87.

(7) Cross and continue along the road opposite for about two kilometres.

(8) Cross the D38 and follow the good gravel path opposite, which eventually joins the circular of the Potters (marked with a yellow line).

(9) Follow the Boucle des Potiers on the left, along a small path that crosses a small stream, then turns into a gravel road. At a three-way junction, follow this road to the right.

(10) At a new tarmac road, follow this road straight ahead. It passes under a road bridge after a couple of kilometres, then arrives at a three-way junction. Continue on the road on the right until you return to the Ceramics Museum (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 178 m - Ceramics Museum
  2. 1 : km 0.47 - alt. 190 m - Old school
  3. 2 : km 1.84 - alt. 178 m - Le Tigou
  4. 3 : km 2.89 - alt. 162 m - Road on the left near Les Perrières
  5. 4 : km 4.39 - alt. 166 m - Crossing the D87
  6. 5 : km 5.51 - alt. 156 m - Les Gélis
  7. 6 : km 6.64 - alt. 176 m - Turn right at the road
  8. 7 : km 8.07 - alt. 226 m - Les Galiniés
  9. 8 : km 10.31 - alt. 189 m - Crossing the D38
  10. 9 : km 11.42 - alt. 180 m - Pottery Circular
  11. 10 : km 13.41 - alt. 180 m - Patati
  12. S/E : km 15.06 - alt. 178 m - Ceramics Museum

Notes

This circular route is accessible all year round, without any special equipment. However, after rain, some paths can become very muddy. In addition, hunting sometimes takes place near this trail between September and February.

Please note: some parts of this path run alongside private forests, so dogs must be kept on a leash.

Worth a visit

This hike passes close to many points of interest:

  • The starting point is in front of the Ceramics Museum, which hosts numerous temporary exhibitions.
  • Near the town hall square, you will find the 14th-century Saint-Salvy Church and Belbèze Castle (not open to visitors).
  • The town hall square offers a breathtaking view of the Agoût.
  • Near the (1), on a small road on the right, below, is the recently restored Théron wash house.
  • After the point (2), there are beautiful views of Ambre and the Dadou valley.
  • At the point (7), you pass near the hamlet of Saint-Anatole.
  • Between points (9) and (10), there is a statue of the Virgin Mary in the forest.

There are many other activities available around this hike:

  • Visit the Martels garden.
  • The little train of Saint-Lieux-les-Lavaurs.
  • Swimming in the Tarn river at Rabastens.

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 26 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
3.2 / 5
User 3192318

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Route across the plains and partway through the Giroussens forest, where you will find the potters' trail.
Picnic at the St Pierre du Puy chapel, where there is a picnic table, an orientation table and a beautiful view of St Anatole and the entire
plain. Half of this route is on tarmac and the other half on dirt tracks. At the end of this hike, we
visited the village of Giroussens. You may or may not like this route, but we had a pleasant Sunday with friends.

Route completed on 26 October 2025

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User 10954639

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

This is not a hiking trail, as 90% of it is on tarmac! You end up on the pottery trail, which is the only interesting part of the walk. Otherwise, there are no views and nothing of interest. This trail should be classified as a cycling or hybrid bike trail, but that's all!

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JMZAHN
JMZAHN

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This route is not particularly interesting and is too much on the road, although this did allow us to keep our shoes clean during this rather wet winter season.
The time indicated is really for 'leisurely' walkers; we completed this circular route in less than 4 hours, for good walkers.
We set off at 10 a.m. and arrived at Saint-Pierre-du Puy chapel at noon, where there is a beautiful view and a small orientation table. We were able to enjoy the wooden table and benches for a snack.
It is probably at point 8 that you cross what appears to be private property, but just after that, you come to a public road.
Is there a "right of way" if it is an "official" path? It may be difficult to bypass this short "private" section. Are the people who live there "tolerant" (we didn't meet anyone)?
So there you have it, an easy circular to share, with a little detour to GIROUSSENS.
And as we were back at the car at 2.30 pm (large car park below the Ceramics Centre), I took the opportunity to visit the nearby village of SAINT-SULPICE-LA-POINTE, land of red brick (church and 40-metre bell tower, beautiful dovecote, still "inhabited", castle ruins, metal bridge, ...).

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Claude81
Claude81

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful, very easy hike, but with a lot of road. That's a bit of a shame. Accessible to all.

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Beltegeuse
Beltegeuse

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A relatively easy hike with beautiful views. However, it includes many sections on tarmac.

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Shrando31410
Shrando31410

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike. Interesting visit to Giroussens, beautiful view of the Agout, inexpensive and friendly bar Le Girou to refresh yourself upon arrival. Photo of the Giroussens wood crossroads attached.

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MACHUT
MACHUT

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk despite the tarmac... A total of 16 km and 240 metres of elevation gain. Lovely views over the Agout valley.

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surpilix
surpilix

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike under the warm autumn sun with beautiful scenery and distant views, but far too much tarmac, around 80%. Admittedly, the roads are quiet or deserted, but still...!

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Ralph Doe
Ralph Doe

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

We really liked this circular that we started at point 4.

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Balaitous
Balaitous
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
There is a discrepancy between the map and the terrain at the crossroads at the entrance to the hamlet of Les Galiniers, after the chapel of St Pierre du Puy. Point 7 in the direction of 8-7-6...
Information obtained from a local resident indicated that there were two possible paths. The signage is inconsistent at this point: there is a barrier cross when you should continue on this path, and a fork leading to a passage that seems to go to a private property. Someone finally guided us.
A long period of wandering forced us to shorten the route and return to St Anatole at the hamlet of Les Massals, then follow the rather unpleasant road to point 4...
second comment about the start at the ceramics museum. The car park is behind the museum, whereas the road to take is in front of the museum entrance: two roads run parallel, behind and in front of the museum... It would be good to clarify this.
Thank you for your routes!
i see in the reviews that the same orientation problem was noted at point 7... in 2018.

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hcrando
hcrando

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An easy walk, particularly interesting when crossing the woods. Lovely views and a very pretty village. Quite a lot of road, but at this time of year, that's what we chose to avoid the mud.

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TUOVETCIL
TUOVETCIL

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Uninteresting route, lots of roads, except for the last few kilometres of "la boucle des potiers" in the forest. However, the village of GIROUSSEN is very pleasant and beautiful

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misar
misar

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Landscape not particularly interesting as it is very flat and therefore uneventful. Lots of small roads but very pleasant forest section. No signposting. Beautiful village and lovely view of Giroussens.

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los caminaïres del sidobre
los caminaïres del sidobre

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

the route is not signposted, but if you have the Visiorando description, many of the tarmac roads may be marked on the description.
A gentle hike with beautiful views.

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MOULINDECROS1930
MOULINDECROS1930

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Hike on almost uniformly flat terrain, more than half of which is on tarmac (small roads with very little traffic)
The landscape is not particularly interesting, but it is not unpleasant either and is relaxing – in short, it is ordinary countryside.
No signposting (except for the last few kilometres), but this is not a problem if you have the Visorando description and map.
Main attraction: the pottery village of Giroussens (pottery museum and viewpoint)
In summary: a gentle hike (3½ hours) that can be done in the afternoon if you have nothing better to do.

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