The Thaurion Valley

The Rigole du Diable is a picturesque site situated in the upper Thaurion valley. This site is a Natura 2000 site and is listed in the ZNIEFF inventory. The Rigole du Diable and its tributary are strewn with pebbles and boulders. Here you’ll find the unusual Rocher du Diable near the old Planchette mill. Legendary stones are common in Limousin. These strangely shaped boulders, formed by the erosion of exposed granite, have often captured the imagination of local people.

Details

n°867363

Creation:
10 Nov 2017

Last update:
today

Last review:
08 Sep 2021

Activity: Walking
Distance: 8.57 mi
Average duration: 4h 35
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 692 ft
Descent: - 676 ft
Highest point: 2,507 ft
Lowest point: 2,051 ft

Country: France
Area: Massif central
City: Royère-de-Vassivière (23460)
Start/End: N 45.841308° / E 1.911859°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2231O
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Description of the walk

Park on Rue Camille Benassy near the school in Royère-de-Vassivière.

(S/E) Take the RD51 – which is also Rue Camille Benassy – towards La Vaud-Gelade. Pass the police station to reach a junction.

(1) Turn left onto Chemin de la Prairie and follow it until you reach the junction with the D3, marked by a cross.

(2) Head right for 600 metres, then turn left and follow the road leading to La Mazure for 100 metres. Opposite the Fayaud cross (16th century), continue right along the track which winds through the conifer plantations before opening out onto an unobstructed view. Proceed to the Grand Bois crossroads.

(3) Head down to the left towards the isolated Bois-Royal farm and join the Route de la Mazure. Head right towards the village, passing the fountain, cross through the village and reach the last house, then turn right at a sharp angle.

(4) After 50 metres, head up to the left along the path leading to a wide avenue. Take this to the left to reach a crossroads with several paths at an elevation of 695.

(5) Take the path on the right which heads into the woods, ignoring the path leading down to the right. After a flat stretch, this turns into a winding track that descends towards the valley through the coppice.
Cross the valley, climb over the rocks, then turn right onto a path which, after crossing a bridge, leads to the Rocher du Diable.

(6) Turn right onto the D3, then take the first road on the left.

(7) Cross the Rigole du Diable (Taurion) and stay on this path to reach the hamlet of Rochas. Walk through the hamlet to reach the Croix de Rochas.

(8) Leave the road and follow the path to the right until you reach the D95. Follow this road to the right and cross the Thaurion.

(9) Just after the bridge, join the^GR®®46, marked in red and white. Take it to the right, follow the Thaurion, and climb through heathland, heather and plantations towards Andaleix.

(10) Where the path joins the road, continue left on the^GR®® then take the path on the right after the house. From there, head uphill along the forest track, following the signposts, before joining the D59.

(11) Turn right onto the road leading to Royère-de-Vassivière and head back to the junction you passed on the way out.

(1) Follow the outward route by going straight on to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,395 ft - Car park near the school
1 : mi 0.33 - alt. 2,457 ft - Crossroads at the end of the circular loop
2 : mi 1.01 - alt. 2,421 ft - Route de Lavaud Gelade
3 : mi 1.96 - alt. 2,372 ft - La Mazure. After the - Puy de la Pierre Plate (741 m)
4 : mi 2.61 - alt. 2,306 ft - The isolated farmstead at Bois-Royal
5 : mi 3.19 - alt. 2,280 ft - Crossroads at elevation 695. Towards the - Parking du Rocher du Diabl
6 : mi 3.4 - alt. 2,234 ft - Puy Blanc
7 : mi 4 - alt. 2,057 ft - Crossing the - Haute Faye (ruisseau) - Affluent du Taurion
8 : mi 4.17 - alt. 2,070 ft - Rigole du Diable
9 : mi 5.29 - alt. 2,201 ft - La Croix de Rochas
10 : mi 5.49 - alt. 2,119 ft - Le Thaurion, GR46 junction, on the right - Taurion (rivière)
11 : mi 6.4 - alt. 2,251 ft - Andaleix, turn left onto the road
12 : mi 7.68 - alt. 2,418 ft - Junction with the D59, turn right
S/E : mi 8.57 - alt. 2,388 ft - Car park near the school

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5

Based on 2 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5

Route interest
4.5 / 5

Kris33

08 Sep 2021 at 19:05 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk, with the option of adding the short ‘Rigole du Diable’ circular route (3 km) from point 6
It is no longer possible to follow the marked path from point 3: there is a ‘private road’ sign and Yellow Crosses on the trees; we carried on and took the second path on the left, which wasn’t really marked out on the first section but was manageable, then a wide forest track to point 4

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Jupijn

02 Jan 2021 at 21:12 3600 • Edited: 02 Jan 2021 at 21:14 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. The scenery around the Rigole du Diable in particular is very beautiful, but it’s also very busy. If you’re only going to do one walk in Royère-de-Vassivière, I’d recommend Le Sept Peux, but if you’ve got time for one more, this one isn’t too bad either.

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