Laval and Les Barrières - A walk through forests and valleys

An easy and fairly short hike that will take you from the small village of Laval, opposite Puycelsi, to Les Barrières. The path passes through woods and meadows and offers beautiful views of the Vère Valley at the end of the route.

Details

n°85164

Creation:
22 Oct 2014

Last update:
02 Sep 2026

Last review:
13 Oct 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 9.48 mi
Average duration: 5h 10
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 942 ft
Descent: - 942 ft
Highest point: 899 ft
Lowest point: 525 ft

Country: France
City: Puycelci (81140)
Start/End: N 43.980299° / E 1.709899°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2141E
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Description of the walk

To reach the starting point, take the D964 between Castelnau-de-Montmiral and Bruniquel. Travelling in this direction, Laval is on the left and the road leading there branches off 200 metres before the road heading up to Puycelsi. Park your car in the small square in front of the church.

Yellow and red^GRP®® markings

(S/E) Return to the road you have just left to reach the village and follow the yellow and orange signposting for^{the GR®®} de Pays. The road bends right once, then a second time, climbing slightly.

(1) Just after the second bend, leave the road and turn left^, following the GRP^{®® signs.} Pass a moss-covered fountain on your left and follow the path as it leaves the woodland and emerges onto a small road right next to a building.

(2) Carry on straight ahead. 400 metres further on, the path (still^{the GRP®®}) turns left and leaves the road leading to Pechnarier. Continue slightly downhill, turn right at a 90° angle, then head uphill to reach Le Bragard and join the D20.

(3) Turn left. Follow the road for about 650 metres until you reach a Fork in the road.

(4) Turn right at a 180° angle. The path, which is still very well signposted (yellow and red), passes through a wood. Ignore a turn-off on the right and you’ll reach a junction.

(5) Turn right to visit the Saint-Julien Chapel.

(6) Retrace your steps.

(5) Continue by turning right. Walk alongside a pretty lake on your right at a distance, cross the stream flowing from it and carry on for about 200 metres.

(7) Turn right into the woodland. Head uphill, leaving a wide farm track on your right, and carry on until you reach a Fork in the road.

(8) Carry on straight ahead and, 100 metres further on, turn left onto the D5.

No signposting

(9) Leave the^GRP®®, which turns right towards Les Camalets, and carry on straight ahead, ignoring the three roads branching off to the right, until you reach the junction with the D28.

(10) Carry on straight ahead to the Barrières crossroads, easily visible from a distance thanks to its water tower.

(11) Turn left onto the road, which is busy and requires caution. Continue for approximately 1.5 km.

(12) Cross the road (take care) and turn right. Walk past the first building, the Castélar, and follow the edge of the woodland on your right.

^GR®® red and white signposting

(13) Shortly after the access path to Les Planettes, turn left onto the^GR®®46(red and white markings). The^GR®® enters the woodland and winds its way through a series of hairpin bends before joining a small road.

(14) Follow the road to the right, cross the small bridge over the Rieubois stream and reach the Ligounié junction.

(15) Cross the junction and continue along the wide path opposite, which leads into a meadow and offers a magnificent view of the village of Puycelci directly opposite. After a 90° left-hand bend, the path joins the D1 at the entrance to Laval.
Turn left, then immediately right, to return to your car (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 525 ft - Church Square
1 : mi 0.4 - alt. 633 ft - Leave the road. Follow the GRP to the left.
2 : mi 0.81 - alt. 899 ft - La Fournalazé. Straight ahead.
3 : mi 1.89 - alt. 850 ft - Junction with the D20. Turn left.
4 : mi 2.4 - alt. 817 ft - Fork in the road. Turn right 180°.
5 : mi 3.12 - alt. 797 ft - Junction
6 : mi 3.21 - alt. 761 ft - Saint-Julien Chapel
7 : mi 3.88 - alt. 646 ft - Junction. Turn right into the woods.
8 : mi 4.47 - alt. 823 ft - Fork in the road. Go straight on.
9 : mi 4.66 - alt. 837 ft - Leave the GRP. Go straight on.
10 : mi 5.46 - alt. 856 ft - Junction with the D28. Go straight on.
11 : mi 6.32 - alt. 869 ft - Les Barrières. Turn left.
12 : mi 7.07 - alt. 860 ft - Leave the road. Turn right.
13 : mi 7.59 - alt. 797 ft - At the GR junction, turn left
14 : mi 8.38 - alt. 564 ft - Junction with the road. Turn right.
15 : mi 8.93 - alt. 692 ft - La Ligounié. Straight on.
S/E : mi 9.48 - alt. 525 ft - Church Square

Notes

There are no water sources along the route. You must therefore plan ahead.

Avoid this route after heavy rain due to very muddy sections, particularly towards the end of the route on the^GR®® as you head down towards Laval.

It is very easy to find your way on this walk as you follow a^GR®® de Pays trail, then the^GR®®46towards the end of the route. The signposting is excellent.

Worth a visit

You can buy porcini mushrooms at the Carrefour des Barrières during the season!

Chapel of Saint-Julien-le-Vieux
https://monumentum.fr/chapelle-saint-jul...

Finally, it would be a shame not to visit Puycelci at the end of the day and relax whilst enjoying a refreshing drink.
http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-fr...

If you have time and fancy going a bit further afield, you should also visit the beautiful village of Bruniquel and its castle, where most of the film *Le Vieux Fusil*, starring Philippe Noiret and Romy Schneider, was shot.
http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-fr...

Castelnau-de-Montmiral is also a very pretty village with its magnificent central square and its ‘cornières’.http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-fr...

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5

Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5

Route interest
4.1 / 5

CHANATH

13 Oct 2025 at 18:48 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Indeed, there are many small tarmac roads.

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Laff

16 Aug 2023 at 08:41 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hello, the route needs to be updated.
there is no longer a water tower, it has been demolished.
We walk a lot on tarmac surfaces.

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Fabouen

21 Mar 2022 at 19:08 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike, but the path is very muddy and badly damaged by motocross bikes.
What a shame!
Thank you.

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monricau

03 Jun 2021 at 22:36 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Just a quick note to say that there's no point looking for the Barrieres water tower as a landmark. According to a neighbour, it hasn't been there for four or five years.

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sequoia1

30 May 2021 at 14:43 7200

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We followed obal81's directions (message from 2016). Although at the end of May, the shortcut was very muddy. It runs alongside a pack dog enclosure for several minutes.
Otherwise, the scenery is interesting. Don't forget to take a little detour to the chapel.

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NADINE57DIDIER53

01 Jul 2018 at 17:05 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful, easy hike; too much tarmac road between points 9 and 12. As mentioned in the messages, there must be a way to avoid the road by continuing straight ahead at point 7 in the Tescounet valley.

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Izar

03 Apr 2018 at 15:31 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very good walk, very varied and not too muddy despite the heavy rainfall.

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randorenaud

30 Oct 2017 at 18:14 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant walk, often through woodland, with beautiful views of Puycelci, St Julien Chapel, a spring and a lime kiln hidden in the vegetation, but with long stretches on the road.
After walking along the lake and to avoid the road, I continued straight on into the Tescounet valley, walking along a high fence, and arrived a little after Les Barrières.

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lesdefoules

16 Oct 2017 at 19:10 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very beautiful hike with stunning panoramic views and sunshine to boot, but there are a few too many tarmac roads (almost half of the 15 km route).

Thanks anyway to those who are discovering these routes.

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les defoufes

16 Oct 2017 at 13:09 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

too much tar

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obal81

16 Oct 2016 at 20:58 7200 • Edited: 16 Oct 2016 at 21:01 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

To make this hike more enjoyable with less road travel, we took "Les Hauts de Maladene" (yellow markings) at point (6).
This avoids the D5 (between (7) and (10)) and rejoins the route at Les Barrières (elevation 263). Otherwise, the initial route is really too 'tarmac-heavy'.
Avoid after rain, as some sections become very muddy (bring walking sticks).
Despite these comments, thank you to Jean-Jacques TROUVE for this hike.

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Paul SD

08 Jul 2016 at 11:54 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,

After taking the D5 road once to check it out, we decided to take the Maladène trail with the group for safety reasons, to avoid the tarmac and the heat as this section is exposed. However, the start of the Maladène trail is very muddy, but it is possible to walk along the "banks".
On the way to point 5, visit the St Julien chapel.
In summary, a pleasant walk, often through the woods.

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chantal@miellin.com

17 Nov 2015 at 13:17 3600

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

A hike that could be enjoyable if there were less tarmac
It is fairly well marked except between points 7 and 10 (where it is all tarmac), which can be avoided by following the Les Hauts de la Maladène trail.
It's a shame, it could have been nice...

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cra

27 Apr 2015 at 19:32 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 03, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

As a keen hiker, this was my first hike using the Visorando route and the Laval Les Barrières walk created by Jean Jacque. I found that the directions matched the description. One minor drawback is that there is a short stretch of road with traffic before the descent onto the GR 46. We encountered a path that was muddy in places, and it's true thatafter heavy rain, the fairly steep descent on the GR46 connecting Laval can be complicated, but otherwise it's a very good walk.

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olivrebrigitte

07 Apr 2015 at 18:42 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Avoid after heavy rain; descent via the GR46 to Laval is very muddy. Car park in the village of Laval for a maximum of 4 or 5 cars. It is possible to reduce the road section on the D5 by cutting through La Bouriasse and La Désespérade. Beautiful hike.