The Saint-Étienne de Florac circular route

A short, easy walk through the hills of the Pays de Cocagne, north of Puylaurens, suitable for families on foot or by mountain bike.
Yellow markings.

Details

3033661
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.02 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 173 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 172 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 353 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 199 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Puylaurens (81700)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.570872° / E 2.013186°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2243E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park on Place du Foirail in Puylaurens.

(S/E) Head back up to Place du Ravelin via the steps, head towards Avenue de Toulouse, turn left to reach the pedestrian crossing in front of the grain market and cross. Head up towards the church via Rue de la République, passing the tourist office and the town hall, then turn left onto Rue Foulimou. Walk through the entire old village and, at the bottom of the Foulimou bridge, turn right to join the Route de Vielmur (D92). Continue carefully along this road to the right for about 150 metres.

(1) At the corner by a shop window, head down the steep path on the left, which becomes grassy, until you reach the tarmac road.

(2) Turn left onto the tarmac road, which turns to a gravel track, until you reach the crossroads just after Saint-Étienne Church.

(3) Take the road on the right and continue for 500 m.

(4) Take the grassy path on the right which climbs between two cultivated fields, following the signposts.

(5) Pass the two cattle grids and continue straight on, due south, along the tree-lined sunken lane. Do not go through the hamlet of Les Ouliès but stay on the signposted path. Head up towards Puylaurens, passing through Pratmoure to Barrau.

.(2) Turn left off the tarmac road to join the Route de Vielmur (D92). Turn left and continue for 150 m with care until you reach the grassy path leading uphill to the right after the crossroads..

(6) Take the grassy path leading up towards the village, pass the so-called “Protestant” cemetery and continue to the ramparts. After the ramparts, take the street on the right to reach the church and head straight down to the car park on Place du Foirail (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 338 m - Place du Foirail in Puylaurens
  2. 1 : km 0.69 - alt. 325 m - D92 path on the left
  3. 2 : km 1.13 - alt. 272 m - Crossroads (road/path) (locality known as Barrau)
  4. 3 : km 3.45 - alt. 201 m - St-Étienne crossroads
  5. 4 : km 3.98 - alt. 206 m - Road-path junction
  6. 5 : km 4.44 - alt. 230 m - Cattle grids
  7. 6 : km 6.36 - alt. 304 m - Chemin du Fond de la Cote
  8. S/E : km 7.02 - alt. 338 m - Place du Foirail in Puylaurens

Notes

Please park at Place du Foirail, located below Place du Ravelin (blue zone) on Avenue de Revel.
Water point with toilets on Place du Ravelin in front of the kiosk.
Numerous shops on the main street.
Please stay on the route to respect private property.

Worth a visit

In Rue Foulimou: note some fine 16th- and 17th-century bourgeois houses. At No. 26, the Protestant church built in 1818, featuring the former gate of the 17th-century Protestant academy.

(3) The 13th-century Church of Saint-Étienne de Florac, renovated by volunteers from the association "Les Amis de Saint-Étienne de Florac". Romanesque stone and brick arches, 19th-century frescoes in the chancel and a presbyteral residence in place of the usual sacristies.

Between (3) and (4): The bell-towered dovecote at Métairie Basse.

After (6), the non-Catholic cemetery known as the "Protestant cemetery". It was established shortly after the Edict of Tolerance of 7 November 1787, which allowed non-Catholics to be buried in a decent place. This memorial site preserves historic graves, such as those of four officers of Napoleon I’s Grande Armée, as well as the graves of noble families and members of the upper middle class.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
Regine0203
Regine0203

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An easy route with lovely scenery and a beautiful chapel; however, a very grassy section makes it difficult to see where you’re stepping. Although the road section isn’t very busy, it’s still quite long.

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ironice
ironice

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk with no one else around. However, part of the route back towards Puylaurens is currently very overgrown (with tall grass), which sometimes hides fairly deep ditches and potholes. Watch your step.
I’d still recommend it, though.

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sergevital
sergevital

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Didn't see a soul along the way.
It might be worth noting that the road turns to gravel at the pond on the right.
According to the description, you’d expect it to turn into a gravel track straight away, which isn’t the case.

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Vendinielle
Vendinielle

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views on the way back between 5 and 2. The route is accessible in winter.

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fliance
fliance

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, easy walk that is very well signposted and mostly along country lanes

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