The Aubrac in the heart of Saint-Urcize

From Saint-Urcize, head to the town centre located on the heights of the village. Park next to the tourist office or opposite on Place du Ters.

(S/E) Opposite the tourist office, go up the street on the right towards the town centre. At the bend, at the corner of a café, turn right onto Rue Jean Vaissier towards the town hall. Opposite the fountain, continue on the left towards the church.

(1) A few metres before the church, turn right onto Rue du Poustel. Reach the bottom of the village via a series of steps. Turn right onto Rue Julien Gracq.

(2) Carefully cross the D112 to take the^PR® Vert "Aubrac au coeur" marked path opposite. Walk alongside the houses and stay parallel to the D122 until you reach the cross.

(3) Cross the small stream and continue along the Hère river on your left. The^{PR® trail} climbs up the Hère valley, passing close to the Gouteille waterfall.

(4) Continue south-west. At the crossroads, continue on the left below a housing estate of wooden chalets.

(5) Ignore a track on the left (this will be the way back) and continue south-southwest between the peat bogs. Enter the Bois de Saint-Urcize.

(6) At the crossroads, take the path opposite (cross-country ski trail). Continue through the woods, staying on the main marked path.

(7) At the ski lift pylon, below the Croix des Goutals, cross the fence via a footbridge and walk along a low stone wall on your right that borders the forest.

(8) At the end of the wall, climb a few metres up to the left and climb over another stile. Walk along a wall on your left. Cross a track and, before the slope, cross the plot, veering to the right to reach the low wall opposite.

(9) Turn right and walk along the low wall on your left until you reach the end (markers). Then head south-west and follow a fence on your right towards the strip of woodland at the edge of the road. Cross another footbridge to reach the D15.

(10) Follow the road to the left through a strip of coniferous trees. N.B. Fallen trees make the path dangerous in places. This will take you to the Croix des Trois Évêques.

(11) Continue along the D15 to the Buron de Canuc car park. Note the Aubrac National Forest and the Truques summit on your right.

(12) Continue left on a single path that leads through peat bogs and pastures (follow the green markings). This will take you to the^GR®65.

(13) Then follow the track on the right (green and red and white markings). Walk south-east then south-west to join the D987 at the former Royal-Aubrac sanatorium.

(14) Cross the road and continue on the path opposite (still following the same markings).

(15) At the crossroads as you approach the hamlet, continue straight ahead and leave the old farmhouse on your right. When you reach the tarmac road, turn right to reach the centre of the hamlet and the Tour aux Anglais.

(16) Follow the D987 to the right. After about 100 metres, turn right onto a path that quickly leads to the junction you took earlier.

(15) Turn left.

(14) Cross the D987 with caution, leave the old sanatorium on your left and follow the^GR®65in the opposite direction to the one you took on the way there.

(13) On the way back, go through the metal gate, taking care to close it behind you as you are entering summer pastureland. Continue on the^GR® to the right (north-east) towards Nasbinals. Cross vast grassy expanses. Pass the ruins of the Ginestouse buron and continue along the single track to the road that leads to Pascalet.

(17) Follow the road to the left and cross the Chambouliès stream to quickly reach a crossroads.

(18) Turn left and follow a wide track that climbs partly through the woods (still following the^GR®65).

(19) At the next intersection, turn left (leaving the^GR®). Follow a wide path between the pastures until you reach a small road.

(20) Follow the road to the left, which further on becomes a wide track.

(21) Cross the Chambouliès stream again and turn left onto the track. After about 150 m, turn right at an acute angle onto a path that heads north-northwest then northwest. Cross the Cabre stream and come to a crossroads.

(22) Cross carefully and take the tarmac road opposite, which climbs uphill. You will reach the hamlet of Les Salces.

(23) Turn left to cross the hamlet. Ignore the track on the right and continue to a triangular crossroads (cross).

(24) Cross carefully and take the path opposite (north-west). You will arrive at the intersection you took at the start of the hike.

(5) Turn right and take the track that runs alongside the stream on your right. Follow the outward route in reverse, via the Gouteille waterfall, to reach the footbridge over a stream.

(3) At the end of the footbridge (cross), keep left to climb up to the D813. Follow the road to the left. At the crossroads, go straight on along Rue du 19 Mars 1962 to return to the starting point (S/E).

This route crosses private property and summer pastures. From May to October, access is prohibited to hikers accompanied by dogs or pack animals, as well as mountain bikes and motorised vehicles. From Aubrac to the Pascalet bridge, a mandatory detour is possible. To do this, take the D987 and then head towards the Vincente farm to reach point (18).

This route is not accessible during the winter months.

Take the time to visit the pretty village of Saint-Urcize, one of the oldest on the Aubrac plateau. You will be charmed by its narrow streets, the remains of the castle ramparts and its old houses decorated with carved lintels.

Near the town hall, you will be surprised by the ornaments on the façade of the Podevigne de Grandval house (a listed building).

(7) From the cross, enjoy a superb view of the Buron des Goutals and the Puy de Gudette volcano.
Afterwards, you can see the burons of Jas de Patras in the distance. Until the early 1960s, most of these burons were used to make Fourme d'Aubrac cheese during the summer grazing season from May to October.

The Cross of the Three Bishops is the meeting point of the three departments to which Aubrac belongs: Cantal, Lozère and Aveyron. The monks of La Domerie are said to have erected it in 1238 to commemorate a meeting in the year 500 between the bishops of Rodez, Saint-Flour and Mende. However, this is only a copy, as the original cross was stolen.

In Aubrac, you can visit the church of La Domerie, a former monastery and hospital founded in the 12th century on the Way of St James, as well as the Maison de l'Aubrac and the botanical garden.
You will also be surprised by the imposing Royal Aubrac building, a former sanatorium built in 1902.

(3) On the way back, as you climb the hill, you will see the pretty Jiou-Jiou waterfall on your left.