The Bouyssière path to Bournazel

Caussanel car park

(S/E) From the car park, head towards Le Foirail (the square where the castle entrance is located), then take the small tarmac road to the left of the Salle des Fêtes. At the crossroads (where all the trails start), follow the orange and white markings and continue straight ahead. On the steeply ascending road, pass Caldecoste and arrive at a fork.

(1) Turn left onto the ascending path (viewpoint) and head north towards the Chaîne des Puits. Further on, follow the path descending to the right at the edge of the forest. Join the road leading to the hamlet of La Fage.

(2) Turn left for 30 m and then right onto a forest track climbing through the pine forest of La Bessade. Continue to a crossroads (viewpoint).

(3) Head almost straight ahead and walk down along the meadow, then into the undergrowth. At the crossroads, turn left down a wide path. Still in the woods, turn right and continue to the D53 (Rulhe - Cransac).

(4) Cross it to the right, then take a quick left/right turn and head down the path straight ahead to the road. Continue to Bouysses.

(5) Cross the hamlet; after the last houses, take the path leading uphill. Follow it, keeping to the left, until you reach the road.

(6) Head left for 300 m, then, before a slight bend, take the path straight ahead. Further on, pass under some box trees, and, at the exit before the hamlet of La Vaysse, turn right and head down between the meadows. At the junction, follow the tarmac road to Bournazel.

(7) Turn right until you reach the end of the road, then make a quick left and right turn. At the end of the street, turn left to return to the starting point (S/E).

- Wear suitable footwear.
- Take some food and drink with you.
- Hikers follow the route at their own risk. They remain responsible for any accidents they may suffer and for any damage they may cause to others (forest fires, damage to the environment, litter, etc.).
- Stay on the marked paths and do not take shortcuts. If the route has been altered, follow the new signposting.
- Be considerate. We are not the only ones using the paths; be mindful of others.
- Take your rubbish away with you. Leave no trace of your visit; do not throw anything on the ground; carry a rubbish bag.
- Keep your dog on a lead, particularly near homes or livestock.
- Close gates and fences behind you, and walk around crops. We should respect the work of those who shape and preserve our environment.
- Observe the rules in certain areas.
- Do not light fires. Areas that are covered (forests) or too exposed (scrubland, dry heathland, etc.) can catch fire very quickly.
- Do not drink water from streams. Clear water does not necessarily mean it is safe to drink.
- Check for hunting seasons; some routes may be dangerous.

From the viewpoint (2) on this route, you can enjoy a view overlooking the Cransac mining basin
- Decazeville, which was in operation from 1825 to 2001. At its peak, there were over 3,000 miners working the coalfields, making it the largest concentration of people in the Aveyron.
Since the mines closed, Cransac has returned to its original activity: thermal spa treatments. The Cransac thermal baths are situated in the heart of Europe’s largest forest of black locust trees (false acacias) on ‘Lou Puech que ard’ (the ‘burning mountain’ in Occitan), so named because smoke has always been seen rising from this hill. These are in fact vapours of hot natural gas, highly effective for treating rheumatism, and which make Cransac the only spa resort in Europe to practise thermalism based on hot natural gas.
You will also see the Hautesserre Chapel, a place of pilgrimage for the villages of Auzits, Rulhe and Escandolières. People used to go there to seek relief from toothache and to ask for protection for their crops and livestock.