La Valette, starting from Prunières

Head towards the hamlet of La Valette, situated 3 km from the village of Prunières in a peaceful spot on the banks of the Truyère. A castle once stood here, whose lords were vassals of the barony of Apcher – another village with a rich medieval history, where you can wander through the narrow streets and enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the whole of the Margeride from the top of the castle keep.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.40 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 833 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 820 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,642 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,900 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Head to Prunières, a village situated 5 km from the town of Saint-Chély-d’Apcher. At the first houses, turn right to reach the main square. Parking available.

(S/E) Opposite the Stèle des Anglais, follow the road to the right towards the village of Apcher. After the last house, turn left onto the wide path that leads through the pastures.

(1) At the junction, on the edge of the forest, turn left. The path leads to a pasture which you will cross, veering slightly to the left. Take another path opposite. Follow it to the next junction, then continue to the left to reach the road.

(2) Carry on to the right and follow this quiet road to the hamlet of La Valette. The path then runs alongside the River Truyère before beginning a long, steady climb.

(3) Halfway up the hill, turn left onto a small path which will take you close to the village of Les Cayres.

(4) At the high-voltage pylon, turn right, join a wide track and follow it to the road.

(5) Walk alongside it on the right for about 200 m, then take the path on your right. Continue to the next junction.

(6) Then turn left. Cross the road carefully and follow a wide path opposite, which climbs steeply.

(7) At the crossroads, take the path on your right and head towards the village of Apcher; walk through the village until you reach a small square where there is a large granite cross and a ferradou.

(8) Then turn right (signposted ‘equestrian trail’), pass between the houses and follow the path downhill, lined with low walls, to the next junction.

(9) Continue to the left. At the second bend, leave this track and take a small path on the right, which you’ll follow until you reach the road.

(10) Follow the road to the left to reach the village of Prunières, passing the junction from the outward journey to return to your starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,278 ft - Prunières village square
  2. 1 : mi 0.83 - alt. 3,205 ft - Junction on the edge of the forest
  3. 2 : mi 1.19 - alt. 3,117 ft - Road junction
  4. 3 : mi 2.36 - alt. 3,097 ft - Small path to the left
  5. 4 : mi 2.94 - alt. 3,297 ft - High-voltage pylon
  6. 5 : mi 3.81 - alt. 3,383 ft - Road junction
  7. 6 : mi 4.3 - alt. 3,383 ft - Hairpin bend
  8. 7 : mi 5.19 - alt. 3,635 ft - Crossroads
  9. 8 : mi 5.94 - alt. 3,514 ft - Apcher
  10. 9 : mi 6.24 - alt. 3,386 ft - Junction
  11. 10 : mi 6.91 - alt. 3,307 ft - Road junction
  12. S/E : mi 7.4 - alt. 3,278 ft - Prunières village square

Notes

At point (6), you can turn right if you wish to shorten your route. You will then reach point (1) near the village of Prunières.

Worth a visit

The ‘Stèle des Anglais’ in the main square was erected in memory of the crash of the Blenheim IV on 18 June 1940 in a field near the village.
Self-guided tour of the archaeological site. Climbing to the top of the 13th-century keep is only possible during school holidays.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
gerardjacques.gerard@gmail.com
gerardjacques.gerard@gmail.com

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice

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Philippe340
Philippe340

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A lovely walk, beautiful scenery and, to top it all off, a magnificent archaeological site

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Isard63
Isard63

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very pleasant and varied route with lovely scenery. As an added bonus, we visited the village of Apcher and its keep. We saw plenty of wildlife along the way. We followed the GPS track without any trouble.

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