The Causse de Salles-la-Source starting from Pont-les-Bains

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Discover the Rougier de Marcillac and the Causse de Salles-la-Source.

Details

n°3019667
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.58 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 306 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 296 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 534 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 280 m
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Photos

Terraced vineyards
Shaded path
Train relic
View of the valley

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Pont-les-Bains village hall.

(S/E) From the car park, head to the village centre and then turn left onto Côte de Cormouls. Continue until you reach a crossroads in a hairpin bend.

(1) Turn right onto the tarmac road and pass by a fish farm. Go through the hamlet of Gourjean and then the village of Cougousse until you reach the sports facilities, stadium, tennis courts and bowling alley.

(2) Leave the bowling alley on your right and continue along the path, with the Le Creneau stream still on your right. When you reach a red brick bridge, turn right, cross the bridge, cross the tarmac road and keep right to reach the houses of Les Loyes.

(3) Turn left and, at the end of the bend, take a path on the left that climbs through the vineyards. You will come to a wider track.

(4) Turn right onto it to reach the entrance to the village of Malviès.

(5) Leave the track, take the path on the left and climb up to the centre of the village. Then turn right, with views of the Cruou valley. At the cross, turn right, then immediately left. Follow this street, which ends in a path. You will arrive at a new tarmac road.

(6) Turn left, then immediately right and follow the path to reach the top of the village of Fontcoussergue.

(7) Take the path on the left. At the road, join theGR®62. Turn right and follow the red and white markings. You will come out at the hamlet of Laroque. About ten metres to the left, you will see the Laroque waterfall.

(8) Leave theGR® here and head right towards the village of Fontcoussergue. Cross the village and follow the road. On the left, you will see a widening with a path that starts off to the right. Take this path and go downhill, then turn right at thefirst intersection, then left (past a house) until you reach the road.

Turn left for a few metres, then turn right onto a path and, at the road, turn right again, continuing to follow the road. At the hairpin bend, leave a road on your right and continue to the departmental road.

(9) Turn right towards Pont-les-Bains to quickly reach the car park of the village hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 313 m - Salle des Fêtes car park. Towards the bridge over the - Créneau (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 356 m - Crossroads with hairpin bend
  3. 2 : km 2.53 - alt. 295 m - Sports fields
  4. 3 : km 4.19 - alt. 303 m - Les Loyes
  5. 4 : km 4.82 - alt. 403 m - Track junction
  6. 5 : km 5.35 - alt. 446 m - Crossroads before Malviès
  7. 6 : km 7.08 - alt. 531 m - Tarmac road junction
  8. 7 : km 8 - alt. 511 m - Above Fontcoussergue
  9. 8 : km 8.99 - alt. 444 m - Cascade de Laroque
  10. 9 : km 10.94 - alt. 327 m - Departmental road
  11. S/E : km 11.58 - alt. 314 m - Parking lot at the Salle des Fêtes

Notes

(S/E) Coming from Rodez, the car park is located at the entrance to Pont-les-Bains, on the left-hand side before you reach the holiday village.

Worth a visit

Between (1) and (2) the village of Cougousse
Between (3) and (4) view of Marcillac
Between (7) and (8) the corniches
(8) Laroque waterfall: the ideal place for a break.

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.

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Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 8 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Biermo
Biermo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely, very pleasant walk, starting along the stream and then climbing up to the ridges with superb views.

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benedicte brument
benedicte brument

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 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 with multiple viewpoints and nature in its purest form.
The break at the waterfall was very soothing.

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Pierremi
Pierremi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, but with one tricky section: the descent to Salles-la-Source, which should be avoided in very wet weather.

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beauvillage
beauvillage

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, leisurely walk along a wooded, cool route in the first part, then the route climbs higher and higher, offering views that allow us to see the landscape clearly.

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Rigal
Rigal

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike with lovely scenery. About a quarter of the route is on tarmac, but as it's a small road, it doesn't matter (I didn't encounter any traffic).
However, at point number 7, I lost mobile coverage for about 1 km, so make sure you check the route before you set off. There's no reason to get lost as there are parallel paths you can take.
I recommend it because it's a very pleasant walk.

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Rigal
Rigal
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, partly on trails and partly on tarmac
very beautiful scenery
No signposts, so bring your phone
Not to be missed

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Daniel 81
Daniel 81

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike lasting 3½ hours, beautiful views, varied route, mobile phone essential for following the trail.

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MXDMXD
MXDMXD

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The good and the not so good...
I completed this hike at a brisk pace in three hours. The route is not marked, so I recommend using your smartphone to make sure you are on the right track.
The route isn't very complicated. I find it more suitable for trail runners and mountain bikers.
I liked the wide, shaded paths under the trees, the view of Marcillac, the route on the limestone plateau with its various viewpoints over the village rooftops (Fontcoussergue, etc.), the cliff-top path and the crossing of the abandoned village.
The downside - Lots of tarmac roads and especially (!) the return journey (500m) along the road, which is very busy and has no pavement (be careful).

Note - a few brambles across the paths on the Causse plateau.

Note - the walk starts on Rue du Créneau, which then becomes Rue de Cormouls.

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jipe12
jipe12

not carried out due to COVID

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