The Tarn des Cerises in Paulhe

A beautiful climb up the Causse Noir starting from Pauhle, a pretty village where you must visit the Maison de la Cerise. A second short circular loop, if you have time, allows you to visit the lower parts of the commune but does not provide access to the Tarn, which is a shame.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.12 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 514 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 510 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 839 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 367 m

Description of the walk

In Pauhle, park at the bottom of the village, in one of the first car parks you come to after crossing the Tarn on the footbridge.

(S/E) Follow the road that winds up towards the village, go straight on Rue de la Forge, then right onto Rue des Églantiers. You will already see yellow markings. Come out onto a road and take the Sentier des Cerises (grassy path) opposite.

(1) You will come to another road. Continue along the path opposite, which is still marked with yellow signs and also marked Sentier des Cerises and Monsieur Clapassou, in the form of a small triangular character. The path becomes a track.

Ignore the Sentier des Cerises signpost further up, which goes up to the left (towards the Caussade house), and continue straight ahead following the yellow signposts and Monsieur Clapassou on the wide path.

(2) At a crossroads, with an information panel on cherry trees and other crops on the left, leave the Sentier des Cerises and Monsieur Clapassou markings and follow a path straight ahead, slightly to the left, marked in yellow, which climbs uphill. Pass an information panel marked "Terra Incognita".

Continue climbing, ignoring all the paths branching off to the left or right and following the yellow markings. Ignore a path that descends to the right, one that climbs to the left, a blue-marked path to the left, and then another path to the right. When you reach the top of the plateau, you will see a cairn and a Monsieur Clapassou signpost indicating the reverse route.

(3) Continue along the yellow-marked path. Pass to the left of a stone house and continue along the wide, even very wide, sandy path, ignoring all side paths. Ignore a path on the right, a path on the left just after, then another on the left, then cross a poorly maintained path (marked Trail). The yellow markings you are following are still clearly visible.

This long section on the causse may seem a little monotonous.

(4) Leave this wide path and follow the yellow markings to the right, passing some old barriers. About a hundred metres further on, follow the grassy path on the left, which is closed off by a white and green barrier. About 200 metres further on, at a fork in the path, follow the yellow markings to the right into the woods.

(5) Pass through another white and green barrier, then arrive at a path and follow it to the left, still following the yellow markings.

(6) Be careful, further on, look out for the yellow markings and turn right towards a white and green barrier. Continue along this path. You will come to another path and follow it to the right. You are now back on the edge of the causse and there are occasional views of Millau between the trees.

(7) Be careful to follow the yellow markings at the "No entry except for service vehicles" sign. Leave the path and take a trail on the left. Immediately cross a cattle grid.

Be careful again a few metres further on: leave this path and take a narrower one on the right. This is the start of a long, winding descent, which can be steep in places.

(8) Much further down, you will come to a steep path. Follow it to the right, following the yellow markings. Ignore a path on the left further down and continue straight downhill, passing a slightly buried cattle grid.

Further down, at the edge of the woods, the path becomes a trail as you approach Carbassas. You will come to a road.

(9) Follow it to the right, then go straight on Rue des Hirondelles. You will also find the Monsieur Clapassou markings, which you will follow to visit this village.

Pass to the right of the chapel (a short detour to the left allows you to visit it, information panel), then continue along Rue de l'Aire Grande to reach the viewpoint (information panels).

Follow the Monsieur Clapassou signs: leave the viewpoint on the right, go left and then turn right. Go left again, then follow Rue du Ranquet.

(10) When you reach a crossroads with a large white cross on the left, continue straight ahead along Chemin du Rajal, marked in yellow, with Monsieur Clapassou.

Continue along this small road, following Monsieur Clapassou and the yellow markings, ignoring any side roads. Near a cross, you will find an information panel about the vineyard; near the cemetery, there is an information panel about the stone walls.

(11) At a fork in the road, near a conservation orchard and its large information sign, continue to the left with the yellow markings and Monsieur Clapassou. You will arrive at an intersection you took on the way there.

(1) Continue along the road. (You can shorten the hike and return here to the car park by following the same route as on the way there, or at the next intersection, with a dead end on the right, you can also go left to descend towards the car parks.) Otherwise, turn right onto the dead end and immediately pass in front of a fountain.

Continue along this small road. Further on, you will see a Monsieur Clapassou signpost next to an information panel entitled "One of the most beautiful regions". Do not follow the Monsieur Clapassou signpost which goes down to the left, but continue along the small road which soon turns into a path (the Monsieur Clapassou signpost will now indicate the opposite route to yours).

Pass a sign saying "La fierté des gens du pays" (The pride of the local people), then a sign saying "Éloge du vallon de Pauhle" (In praise of the Pauhle valley). At an intersection, keep left and, at the next intersection, follow the path that descends to the left.

(12) You will come to a road. Cross it and follow it to the right, on the hard shoulder (take care). After about 100 metres, turn left onto the path (Monsieur Clapassou signpost facing backwards). Pass the sign for "La légende de la Princesse Énimie" (The Legend of Princess Énimie) and continue along this path, which overlooks the Tarn but unfortunately does not offer any views of the river (except in winter when the trees are bare)!

Further on, the grassy path runs alongside gardens. Pass a beautiful oak tree on your right and you will come to a fork in the path/road.

(13) Continue right on the path. Pass a sign for "Taronis, a god and a nymph". Continue along the grassy path which leads to a road in Pauhle. Cross over and take Rue de la Mairie on the right. You will come to another road; follow it to the left. (There is a staircase leading down to the banks of the Tarn, if you feel like it.) Shortly afterwards, you will come to the car parks at the bottom of the village (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 386 m - Car parks at the bottom of the village. Near the - Tarn (rivère)
  2. 1 : km 0.3 - alt. 423 m - Crossroads of the two circular loops
  3. 2 : km 1 - alt. 496 m - Yellow markings straight ahead on the left
  4. 3 : km 2.57 - alt. 805 m - Top of the plateau, straight ahead in Yellow
  5. 4 : km 5.34 - alt. 816 m - Towards the old barriers on the right
  6. 5 : km 6.59 - alt. 836 m - Path on the left
  7. 6 : km 7.15 - alt. 822 m - Towards the barrier on the right
  8. 7 : km 8.11 - alt. 822 m - Path to the left, then to the right
  9. 8 : km 8.77 - alt. 665 m - Steep path on the right
  10. 9 : km 9.66 - alt. 474 m - Turn right towards Carbassas.
  11. 10 : km 10.1 - alt. 439 m - Straight ahead on Chemin du Rajal
  12. 11 : km 10.99 - alt. 429 m - Conservatory orchard
  13. 12 : km 12.55 - alt. 398 m - Road on the right
  14. 13 : km 13.49 - alt. 368 m - Path on the right
  15. S/E : km 14.11 - alt. 385 m - Car parks at the bottom of the village.

Notes

Moderate difficulty hike. Standard hiking equipment required.

Please note that limestone is slippery in wet weather.

Very steep descent from the limestone plateau via enfroit.

Worth a visit

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Photo album here

Visit the Maison de la Cerise: jams, wines and liqueurs in the shop; small museum; free admission.

Other hikes along the Tarn here

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
HeleneJau
HeleneJau

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, marked in yellow for almost the entire route. (done without the loop at the end)
As mentioned, technical descent.

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pepinet
pepinet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with no difficulty, however the descent requires a bit of attention as it is quite steep. Beautiful views of the Millau Viaduct.

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etiennerebillard
etiennerebillard

Superb hike with beautiful scenery, done on a very hot day but with many cool spots. Be sure to follow the GPS coordinates.

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JOURY Alain
JOURY Alain

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very well marked throughout the route, although there is some confusion on the way back when completing sections 11, 12 and 13 of the description, as the access markings no longer exist, but they reappear further on. A hike to be recommended.

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randovolant
randovolant

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello

We completed most of this route, to which I added a circular loop via Pouncho d'Agast and the Cade farm, which I highly recommend.
There are some beautiful climbs up to the Causse plateau via Carbassas and a challenging descent to Paulhe.
My route
:https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-/285...

Thank you

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