Le Père Castor, Meuzac Évasions trail

Meuzac welcomes you for a walk rich in natural heritage (Limousin bocage and forests) and architectural heritage (fortified Romanesque church). You will come across numerous ponds, including the Plan d'Eau de la Roche (swimming) and the Plan d'Eau de Forgeneuve (water skiing). Don't miss the Père Castor media library.
Throughout the walk, you will find a series of questions and answers (the question on one signpost, the answer on the next).

Details

200528
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.29 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 98 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 100 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 434 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 373 m

Description of the walk

Access: Take the A20 towards Toulouse. At exit 42, turn right onto the RD7bis towards Meuzac.
Starting point: car park at Lac de la Roche, on the RD243.
Yellow markings.

(S/E) With your back to the village of Meuzac, take the RD243 for about 200 metres. Turn left and head towards the hamlet of Les Vergnes. Cross it and, at the exit, take a path that goes up to the right towards the woods. Follow the path on the right until you reach the RD243.

(1) Cross the RD243 and take the road opposite that leads to La Roche. Cross this hamlet.

(2) At the exit, turn right onto the path.

When you reach the D7b road, turn right. At the crossroads, turn left, walk along the Etang de Forgeneuve lake and the Père Castor media library, and you will arrive at Longeplane.

(3) Turn right onto the road towards La Petite Boulessie, then immediately left before the small pond. Continue along this path which climbs into the forest.

(4) At the crossroads of four paths, take the one opposite that climbs up to the RD215.
At the road, turn right twice and head towards Villeneuve.

(5) Just before the hamlet, turn left onto the small covered path until you reach the road. Follow it to the right, then to the left and continue on the gravel path.
Turn right before the hunters' lodge and continue through the forest and meadows.

(6) At the road, turn left, cross the Ruisseau Boucheuse stream and, after the houses, turn left onto a pretty path with beautiful views of the village of Meuzac.

(7) Turn right to reach Saint-Roch Church.
Cross the main road through the village and continue straight ahead. Turn left at the first road, go around the lake and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 385 m - Lac de la Roche car park
  2. 1 : km 0.64 - alt. 416 m - RD243 crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.02 - alt. 402 m - La Roche
  4. 3 : km 2.83 - alt. 380 m - Longeplane
  5. 4 : km 3.68 - alt. 412 m - The Chataignol Cross
  6. 5 : km 4.54 - alt. 418 m - Villeneuve
  7. 6 : km 6.2 - alt. 375 m - The Boucheuse Bridge
  8. 7 : km 7.14 - alt. 392 m - Eglise Saint-Roch de Meuzac
  9. S/E : km 8.29 - alt. 385 m - Lac de la Roche car park

Notes

Don't forget: bring a small snack, water, suitable footwear and rainwear.
Remember to take your rubbish with you and close any gates behind you.
Never set off without telling someone where you are going, giving them this description and the accompanying map.
Respect the flora and fauna. Do not light fires.
Avoid damaging the paths and their surroundings.
This path was designed primarily for hiking. It is also open to other users at their own risk (horse riders, mountain bikers, etc.).
Information and brochures are available at the Intercommunal Tourist Office and Meuzac Town Hall.
Contact: 05 55 71 88 65
More information and all the routes can be found on the Meuzac Évasions website.
Weather: 08 99 71 02 87 - Emergency services: 18 or 112
Emergency SMS for deaf and hard of hearing people: 114

Worth a visit

Highlights of the hike: the 12th-century fortified Romanesque church with two bell towers (dedicated to Saint Roch). Numerous ponds, including those of La Roche. The Limousin forest, livestock farming and the Limousin bocage.

The Père Castor inter-communal media library, exhibitions, shows and activities based around storytelling. It also houses the Père Castor documentation centre - 05 55 09 99 51.

The Limousin forest, livestock farming and the Limousin bocage.

Traditional villages, small architectural heritage sites, sunken lanes lined with dry stone walls.

This walk is part of the "Guide to Literary Walks in Limousin" produced by the Limousin Regional Book Centre.

PAUL FAUCHER 1898-1967, known as Père Castor, published the first Père Castor album, "Je fais mes masques" (I make my masks), in 1931 with Flammarion. A defender of the ideas of the New Education movement, which made children the main actors in their own development and fulfilment, he considered the album to be a tool for emancipation. He democratised the price in order to make it accessible to as many people as possible, without compromising on the quality of the images, which he considered to be a language in their own right. The purpose of these first albums was to encourage children's creative activity by offering them all kinds of projects that called on their initiative, skill and taste. Because they provided children with constructive games, these albums were named after an animal instinctively devoted to building: the beaver. It was also necessary to publish picture books, stories that would appeal to children in a language they could understand. A subject that would surely interest them, that would always fascinate them, was life in all its forms, the life of nature, the life of animals, its situations and its fundamental problems.

Paul Faucher is considered by specialists in children's literature to be a pioneer in the field of children's publishing.
Enjoy your visit!

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
Marychaplin
Marychaplin

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The route is reversed in relation to the existing yellow markings.
The first part (which is at the end of the existing markings) runs through a meadow that is fenced off for agricultural use.

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joussa
joussa

I didn't have time to do this hike, but I did another one nearby in Saint Hilaire les Places.
"Le chemin des collines" (The Hill Trail), 10.2 km, 2½ hours, easy and very pleasant.
It deserves to be included in your suggestions.

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jp boudin
jp boudin

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

classic hike, nothing special to report

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christine Denoueix
christine Denoueix

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, fairly easy and varied hike.

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alphine
alphine

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Enjoyable family hike

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Eledrael
Eledrael

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Pleasant, without difficulty.

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steph87
steph87

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

very nice
for families.
Easy route and very well signposted
the signs are fun and you learn lots of things!

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you for this exchange and these clarifications.

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FREDNBX
FREDNBX

On Wednesday, 4 July 2018, our municipality was hit by a very powerful tornado with winds exceeding 120 km/h.
Unfortunately, our beautiful Limousin forest suffered greatly: oak, beech and chestnut trees now lie on the ground, their branches broken.
All these trees are owned by residents living along the paths we use. We must give them some time to carry out this enormous clean-up task.
This hike is part of the "Guide to Literary Walks in Limousin" produced by the Limousin Regional Book Centre.
Throughout the hike, there is a question-and-answer game (question on one marker, answer on the next marker) which is very popular with younger hikers but sometimes requires you to walk along sections of road.
There are over 100 km of marked trails in our municipality between lakes and forests, with very few paved sections. I invite you to visit the Meuzac Evasions website to plan your next hike.

The Meuzac Evasions team, volunteers serving hikers for over 20 years.

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gagotre
gagotre

Overall rating : 1.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

Too many roads where people drive a bit too fast!!!
Lots of fallen trees along the route!
At one point, the route is completely blocked, so if you can't read a map, you're stuck!
From there, you go straight onto a road (see above)!!!
Not to be done, and we won't be doing it again!!!

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Melouette
Melouette

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A great hike today!
Perfect signage with an informative story about Mr. Beaver . No need for a map, the yellow markings and signs guide us perfectly.
Accessibility was good despite the severe weather at the beginning of the month, which had a slight impact on the route, but we always found ways to continue. It was sad to see all those fallen trees
. We finished in 2 hours and 5 minutes, walking at a pace of 6 km/h and stopping to pick blackberries.

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greg 19
greg 19

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike for the whole family, completed in 1 hour 50 minutes, no difficulty, well-maintained paths. Arrival at the lovely Roche pond.

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Annekein
Annekein

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 11, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

To tell the truth, you don't even need a map... the route is extremely well signposted! What a joy!

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RandoPat51
RandoPat51

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant, well-marked hike with well-maintained paths. Perfect for families.
Thank you.

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SIGOIS
SIGOIS

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A bit of tarmac, but a pleasant and enjoyable walk.
Worth doing again in summer, for the undergrowth. Thank you.

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