Lac du Bouchet via Cayres

On the D333 from Saint-Jean-Lacalm towards Cayres, shortly after entering the forest, park in the car park on the right-hand side of the road, next to a green sign indicating the Mont Recours orientation table.

(S/E) Continue towards Cayres, not taking the road, but a grassy path that runs alongside it. Shortly afterwards, the path enters the undergrowth and becomes more marked. Further on, cross the road and continue opposite, following a yellow arrow on the path parallel to the road. Note a chasm on the right of the path, which then moves away from the road.

(1) At the crossroads of four paths, follow the yellow arrows and blue markings on the ground straight ahead. At the edge of the clearing, ignore a path on the left, then arrive at a small road.

(2) Follow it to the right. After a long stretch of forest, it offers some lovely open views. Take the first path (stony) on the left, then, at the intersection of several paths, follow the one furthest to the right, leaving the yellow markings. You will come to a road. Follow it to the left for a few metres to reach another road. Follow this road to the right to reach the hamlet of Rivets.

(3) In the hamlet, at the first intersection, at a carved cross on the right-hand side of the street, turn left and follow the yellow markings. You will arrive at the "Rivets" sign at an old wash house, a drinking trough and a beautiful cross. Continue to a busier road, the D33, and cross it to discover, opposite, a very original double wash house (was there a guild of washerwomen in this village?). Retrace your steps to the top of the hamlet, at the intersection opposite the cross.

(3) Follow the road to the left to reach the village of Cayres. Pass in front of the imposing façade of the church and continue straight on to reach the D33. Note the beautiful circular fountain on the square on the right, which is surprising in a rural village.

(4) Turn right to pass to the right of the fountain, ignore the alleys on the left and then, with the back of the church on your right, follow a path on the left, marked with yellow and mountain bike signs. At the intersection, with the cemetery in sight on the right, turn left. Further on, you will come to a crossroads with four paths.

(5) Turn right at the hairpin bend. At the next intersection, follow the yellow markings to the left and you will come to the D33. Follow it to the left, on the right-hand side, for about 150 metres, then take the first road on the left, towards Auteyrac (lentil sale).

(6) Before reaching the beautiful driveway leading to the farm, turn right onto a grassy path. Further on, you will come to a grassy path; follow it to the left.

(7) At the next intersection, find the red and white^GR®®40markings and follow them along the path on the left, through the undergrowth. You will come to a small road.

(8) Cross a traffic island and continue along the path opposite, following the^GR®® and yellow markings. Ignore a path on the right, then climb up to the left at the restaurant to reach a small road facing Lac du Bouchet.

(9) Cross the road and take the^GR®® marked trail on the left, which runs along the lake on your right. At an intersection, leave the lake and follow a path that climbs to the left, marked in yellow. When you reach a road, follow it to the left to join another road. Cross it and continue to the right on a path that runs alongside the road to the site house. Nearby, you will find the "Col du Très Regard" signpost.

(10) Follow the signs for "Sentier du Garou" (and these yellow markings until otherwise indicated), cross the road, follow the small road opposite for a few metres, then turn onto a path on the left. When you reach a grassy path, follow it to the left. Then take a path on the right and, at the next intersection, go down to the left.

(11) Leave this path shortly afterwards, which continues straight ahead, and turn right. This path soon turns right. Further on, when you see a road straight ahead, follow a path on the left to finally reach this road at a picnic area and the Croix de la Chèvre.

(12) Ignore the yellow markings. Pass to the right of the cross and go down the steps. When you reach a road, follow the path on the right towards the lake. Further down, cross another road and continue on the path opposite. Further down still, continue straight ahead on the lawn to reach the lake shore.

(13) Then follow the path on the left, which runs close to the lake. Stay on this path along the lake until you reach the restaurant.

(9) Turn left onto the outward route and arrive at the small road.

(8) Follow this road to the left. Ignore another small road on the left. You will arrive at the intersection with a path marked^GR®® Rouge et Blanc.

(14) Follow it by taking the path on the left. Cross the D33 and continue straight ahead, leaving the^GR®® markings and following the yellow markings. The path climbs quite steeply. Ignore a path on the left and then, further up, ignore a path on the right and leave the yellow markings, continuing straight ahead. You will arrive at the summit of Mont Recours at the first orientation table.

(15) Unfortunately, the view is blocked by trees. A few metres away, you will see a second orientation table. The view is a little clearer there... Leaving this second orientation table, descend straight ahead, taking a different path from the one you took on the way up. Further down, you will reach a grassy path. Follow it to the left to return to the car park on the edge of the D333 (S/E).

Moderately difficult hike, but quite long, requiring standard hiking equipment.

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

Photo album here

(12) La Croix de la Chèvre. Deep lakes, like marshes, are always the subject of legends. Here is the legend of Lac du Bouchet:

The oldest legend is not unlike certain passages in the Bible. God, it was said, wanted to test the inhabitants of a village located on the site of the lake. He appeared in the guise of a frail old man, knocking on every door to beg for alms. But no one opened their door. Some inhabitants even responded to his pleas with insults. Except for a poor woman sheltering in a modest hut, who made some bread with a little flour and shared a frugal meal with her guest, accompanied by a little milk from her goat, which she had just milked... The creator then chose to punish the country and its villagers. But first, he asked the old peasant woman to take her goat and flee without looking back, despite the noises she might hear. Dazzled by her host who had just left his mortal shell, she obeyed. No sooner had she reached the top of the nearby mountain than the sky darkened, the earth shook, and she heard cries of terror... But the unfortunate woman had forgotten the instructions and turned back, seeing that the boiling waters had engulfed the village and its entire population. Frightened, she hurried away, but was punished for her curiosity: the two beings remained frozen in the rock. Thus, the new inhabitants wanted to perpetuate the memory of the old lady and her goat by erecting a cross at the site of the metamorphosis: "The goat's cross". Some say that in good weather, you can still see the remains of the cursed village at the bottom of the lake. And that at night, you can sometimes hear the tocsin ringing...

(9) More seriously, the lake was formed by a volcanic eruption 800,000 years ago in a water table.

From (3) to (4) Built heritage in Cayres and the hamlet of Rivets.

(15) In the near future, perhaps, after the exploitation of certain forest plots, there will be beautiful views from the summit of Mont Recours...