The Lagarde-Viaur valley

A varied route, with changes in elevation and scenery, mostly flat, along the shaded banks of the Viaur to enjoy some coolness in hot weather and a bit of elevation to build up your legs.

Details

3084487
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.48 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 316 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 306 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 444 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 168 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park around the church in Lagarde-Viaur.

(S/E) With the church on your right and the war memorial on your left, walk down Rue de Lagarde-Viaur to the inverted Y-junction.

Red and yellow markings –GRP® des Gorges du Viaur

(1) At the hairpin bend, turn right. The road descends gently to the Moulin de Cayrou. In front of the mill, turn left onto the dirt track. Follow the Viaur river to the GRP® bend.

Off the marked trail

(2) Leave theGRP® and continue along the overgrown path opposite, following the river. Along the way, there is a view of the climbing site on the opposite bank (rest platforms, rock face and zip lines).

Red and yellow markings

(3) Return to theGRP® and its markings. Continue along the Viaur, with a view of the Le Gourpassou campsite on the opposite bank. Walk past the bridge without crossing it. Carefully walk along the D53 and pass La Vicasse. At the Y-junction, leave the road briefly before rejoining it very quickly. Back on the road, turn left and, after 150 m, find a path on the right.

(4) Turn onto this “unmarked” path and climb up to the junction with the GRP®.

(5) Follow theGRP® for about 400 m and leave it for good by taking a path leading off to the right.

Unmarked

(6) At the top of the hill, turn left. The path runs between two rows of trees to La Pégarié. Follow the road and enter the hamlet.

(7) At the inverted Y-junction, a wayside cross with a broken right arm on the figure of Christ indicates a change of direction. Turn right. Stay on the road until you reach a five-way junction.

(8) Take the stony and dirt track on the right. Head north. The track splits in two at the 350m mark.

(9) Continue left, heading west, until you reach a road.

(10) Turn left towards Combecave, without going there.

(11) Turn sharply onto the path on the right, just before the hamlet. Follow this path which leads up to the village of Lagarde-Viaur and its church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 240 m - Église Saint-Thomas de Cantorbéry (Lagarde-Viaur)
  2. 1 : km 0.26 - alt. 202 m - Hairpin bend to the right
  3. 2 : km 2.15 - alt. 169 m - Leaving the GRP - Viaur (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 4.28 - alt. 176 m - GRP - Camping Le Gourpassou
  5. 4 : km 6.07 - alt. 242 m - Hairpin bend to the right after the curve
  6. 5 : km 6.71 - alt. 341 m - Junction with the GRP
  7. 6 : km 7.38 - alt. 425 m - Turn left
  8. 7 : km 8.1 - alt. 434 m - Calvary with a Christ figure with a broken right arm
  9. 8 : km 9.05 - alt. 402 m - Gravel and dirt track to the right
  10. 9 : km 10.35 - alt. 353 m - Y-junction, elevation 350m
  11. 10 : km 10.95 - alt. 358 m - Turn left
  12. 11 : km 11.48 - alt. 397 m - Path fork to the right
  13. S/E : km 12.48 - alt. 241 m - Église Saint-Thomas de Cantorbéry (Lagarde-Viaur)

Worth a visit

(1) You can extend the walk by about 50 metres along the Route de Lavadou to see a wayside cross and a well.

Le Gourpassou Campsite
Climbing site, just a stone’s throw away.

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.7 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 2459813

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

the tags on the trees need to be refreshed

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Barric31
Barric31

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

A lovely walk with a really nice little picnic spot by the Viaur, almost opposite the campsite.

It had rained heavily in the days leading up to our visit and the Viaur was starting to spill onto the path a bit, but it remained passable. Don’t miss the path leading to La Pégarié; the grass is tall and the path is barely marked.

Don’t miss a stroll through the village of Lagarde Viaur; it’s a very pretty village.

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madydou
madydou ★

Hello Valérie,
I’m fine, thank you.
I hope the same goes for you.
Thanks for the information about the route.
I’ll make the necessary changes to the route.
Enjoy your hikes too.
Love 😘

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WALLY31
WALLY31

Hi Maddy, I hope you’re doing well. Just to clarify things for hikers, I’d like to point out that on this route, the path between points 4 and 5 is now on private land and is sometimes closed. You’ll therefore need to head back up via the road (the GRP) and rejoin the GRP trail a little further up, which involves a bit of a steep climb.
I hope you have some lovely walks. Warmest regards, Valérie (WALLY31)

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christiantalon
christiantalon

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Between 4 and 5, we got through without any major difficulty; the path is clearly marked, though there is a gate.
At Combecave, we found the start of the path easily; it was indeed grassy, but we preferred to take the road for comfort to avoid the nettles!
A lovely walk, especially along the banks of the Viaur.
Thanks to those who created it.

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francois.janodet
francois.janodet

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Between 4 and 5: the marked path is impassable as it is ‘private’ and blocked by a fence. So follow the road to rejoin the GRP at La Brègue.
Between 5 and 7: we couldn’t find the path branching off the GRP, 400 m after joining it, to reach 6 (below Le Puech). We stayed on the GRP until we found a path climbing to the right and joining 7.
At 11: at Combecave, the path leaving the road to reach Lagarde is really not visible, initially overgrown with spring’s lush grasses and shrubs. Only our seasoned eye, accustomed to this sort of trap, allowed us to find it again after having walked past it by about 200 m.
Otherwise, not bad, varied: the river and the plateau.

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LEFEVRE B
LEFEVRE B

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

80% of the route is mostly shaded. We did it the other way round to minimise the time spent in the sun. The bonus of this route is that you can stop for a bite to eat and a swim at the little beaches along the Viaur.
Very reliable route description and tracks. Thank you

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madydou
madydou ★

Hello,
I don’t recall having to climb over barbed wire when I did that route.
I’ll look into your comments.

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Eric3
Eric3

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The suggested route between points 4, 5 and 6 crosses private property.
We had to climb over three barbed-wire fences!
The valley is beautiful, but the upper part of the circular route is of little interest.

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