La Côte Gelée and Pech d'Ablanc

A circuit around Caylus rich in heritage. An ancient Roman road, stone crosses, dolmens... and continuing 2-3 km at the end, a detour to the petrifying waterfall (not included in the route described below)
Thanks to the website tourisme-tarnetgaronne.fr

Details

1012178
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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.08 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 262 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 254 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 342 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 196 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Caylus (82160)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 44.236086° / E 1.769729°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2140E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at Place de la Halle in Caylus.

(S/E) Go up a small lane towards the castle. Turn right then left. After the school, go down to the right through the garden towards the entrance to the lake (heritage house). Take the D19 towards Saint-Antonin for 300 metres. Join theGR®46.

(1) Take the path that climbs to the right. Make a large loop to go around Coste Jalade. Pass a ruined house and continue to a crossroads marked by a cross.

(2) Follow theGR® trail, turning left, then take the gently sloping path on the left. At the fork, turn left onto the path that leads to the chapel of Saint-Amans-le-Vieux.

(3) Follow the path on the right, which loops back to a carriage road a little further on. Cross the road and continue on the path opposite. Narrow at first, it gradually widens. You will come to a cross placed on the slab of a dolmen.

(4) Turn right. Continue until you reach the crossroads with the transformer.

(5) Turn right onto a road that runs across the plateau. Join a road where there is another cross at the crossroads.

(6) Cross the road and continue straight ahead. You will reach the D926.

(7) Take it to the right for 100 metres, then continue to the left. Reach the viewpoint of the antenna.

(8) At the crossroads, turn left and continue left for 100m, then turn right and continue to a crossroads.

(9) Turn right and continue north. The road becomes passable for 300m.
Continue straight ahead for 800 metres. At the fork, turn right and follow the path on the right. Take the path on the left to Notre-Dame-de-Livron (cave).

(10) Go downhill to reach a crossroads with a cross at the Fournet farm. Continue on theGR®46to enter Caylus and return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 231 m - Place de la Halle
  2. 1 : km 0.79 - alt. 196 m - Path climbing to the right (GR)
  3. 2 : km 2.32 - alt. 276 m - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 2.96 - alt. 294 m - Saint-Amans-le-Vieux Church
  5. 4 : km 3.71 - alt. 314 m - Dolmen
  6. 5 : km 4.44 - alt. 294 m - Transformer
  7. 6 : km 5.36 - alt. 335 m - Crossroads
  8. 7 : km 6.58 - alt. 310 m - Turn right onto the D926
  9. 8 : km 7.18 - alt. 315 m - Viewpoint at the Cross
  10. 9 : km 8.04 - alt. 339 m - Crossroads
  11. 10 : km 10.02 - alt. 252 m - Notre-Dame de Livron
  12. S/E : km 12.08 - alt. 231 m - Place de la Halle

Worth a visit

Possible detour to Saint-Pierre-de-Livron to see the petrifying waterfall (Ravaisson)

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

4.4 / 5
Based on 30 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
pommade
pommade

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk that must be even more pleasant in summer as it’s wooded. Very few tarmac roads. The first hill, which was even a bit ‘muddy’ yesterday, isn’t difficult…
It’s a shame that the local council, which marks out the ‘PR’ trails, doesn’t indicate directions on the signs (but I’ll be letting them know)
As for the description, we didn’t see the steps leading up to the sanctuary. Because of the tall grass… perhaps a more precise landmark? (though accessible by car afterwards) and a few inaccuracies in the description…
and the detour to see the waterfall is worth doing depending on the season… it was flowing strongly there
Thank you

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User 28594434

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with no major difficulties.
Very clear and well-maintained signage.
Very few people (only two people encountered!!)

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JLBRICE
JLBRICE

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The text could be improved, particularly at the start and towards the shrine.
The route is a bit monotonous on wide paths.

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TISSOTY
TISSOTY

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy hike, best done on a sunny day as much of the route is through woodland. This hike takes you to CAYLUS, the Templar church of ST AMANS le VIEUX and NOTRE DAME de LIVRON, with the option of extending the route to the castle of CAS.

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emico63
emico63

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2025
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, mostly in the woods, enjoyable on this hot day. The first part of the route is very interesting with abandoned houses, a bread oven and the church of St Amans le Vieux, which is moving with its old cemetery. Beautiful views of Caylus on the way back.
The path is very well marked but a GPS is recommended as there are several yellow PR signs along the route and we didn't meet anyone else.
There was a lovely pottery market in Caylus on 14 August.

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CeFran82
CeFran82

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, we went as far as the waterfall but it wasn't very interesting.

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FrrrFrrr
FrrrFrrr

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

This hike has no visual interest. However, it is very peaceful, perhaps because the weather was not ideal.
In any case, I wouldn't recommend it.

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cclo6381
cclo6381

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike of moderate difficulty, best done in spring or summer with a little sunshine
The view of Caylus is beautiful. The waterfall is worth a detour (provided it's not dry, of course). Thank you to the author.

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MNORDIC
MNORDIC
• Edited:

We know the Caylus area well and recommend the following:
Leave your car at the car park by the small lake in Caylus
Follow the road for a few metres (towards St Antonin N.V.) then take the path on your right (1)
At (2): at the crossroads, take the path that goes up to the left (ignore the one that goes down)
At the fork, with the cross on your right, go back along the path on the right to see a magnificent dovecote, then retrace your steps to rejoin the circuit.
(between (3) and (4): the dolmen is on your left. It is modest and the cross on top has long since disappeared!)
At (8): sign for "ancienne voie romaine" (old Roman road)
At (9) GO STRAIGHT AHEAD (to avoid the now paved road!) take the first path on YOUR RIGHT: go straight ahead and arrive at the small road, take it on your left (small pond on your right) until you reach the place called "La Nauze", take the path between the cross on the left and the beautiful house on the right
Follow this path: it's a very pleasant detour! (and a few extra kilometres!)
rejoin the road and continue the circuit...
Turn right towards "Gîte des Anges", then immediately left and take the steps on your left to go down to the sanctuary
You can choose to walk the Way of the Cross and/or follow the "Sentier du Livron" to discover beautiful paths and reach the pretty Notre Dame des Grâces chapel (return trip)....and a few extra kilometres!
Then return to the Sanctuary of Notre Dame de Livron and take the path that climbs behind the retirement home (signposted "Chemin des Anges") ............
The petrifying waterfall is ALWAYS DRY in summer but it's worth a detour!
This hike is mostly shaded!
19 km in total (or less!)
The yellow markings have been redone very recently with signs at intersections (PR 2 Caylus)
This is the fifth time we've done this hike... and there are still some nice surprises to discover....
Enjoy your hike!

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ALBIJOIE
ALBIJOIE

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful hike, the detour to the waterfall is worth it even if there wasn't a single drop of water on Saturday.
Thank you for this trip, which I would recommend

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Vendinielle
Vendinielle
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A hike for summer, with shaded paths. You can even cool off at the Notre Dame de Livron spring (not easy to find). Stone crosses mark the route. At point 2, the path that goes up is on the right, not the left. It would have been good to correct the FFRP's mistake. It's a beautiful route.

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Ilmano
Ilmano

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

hello Gerard
this isn't the right place, but I couldn't attach a file (gpx) to the message intended for the author of the hike, nor could I do so on the forum. If you can help me, thank you

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POULIN Gérard
POULIN Gérard ★

Hello Ilmano,
The simplest way is to send your route (as an unpublished hike or GPX file) to the author, who will add it as a variant in the practical information section.
Thank you for sharing.

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Ilmano
Ilmano

Hello,
I've looked through it and found the AR to get to the waterfall from St Pierre de Livron, but I don't know how to add it to the one in the description. If a "technician" can help me... Have a good day

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claude12
claude12

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, lovely trails and not much road. Could do with a little more detail on how to get to Notre Dame de Livron and include the return route to the waterfall. Otherwise, perfect.

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