The Mespel trail extended from Larroque

From Larroque, a pretty village with a beautiful red ochre cliff in the background, we cross Mespel and Puycelsi for a lovely walk through the woods. Along the way, you can see beautiful buildings and local heritage sites.

Details

1724782
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.70 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 403 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 399 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 337 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 130 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking on the banks of the Vère below the D964 before reaching the town hall of Larroque.

(S/E) Go up a small embankment or the steps on the D964, then cross the road. Take the steps to the left of the war memorial, turn left, then right at the hairpin bend onto Chemin du Vigné. Continue to the first path on the left.

(1) Take this narrow path that winds up to the viewpoint on the left, go back a little to follow the path and find the road.

(2) Take the path that climbs up opposite, continuing straight ahead. Ignore the paths that branch off to the right or left to reach the place called La Trapasse.

(3) Turn right onto a wide track that follows theGR®®46to the village of Mespel.

(4) Turn left to reach the chapel of Mespel, Notre-Dame des Bois.

(5) Notre-Dame des Bois chapel. Return to Mespel via the same route.

(4) Take theGR®® on the left between two houses. At the crossroads with thePR®, keep left. Further on, you will come to another crossroads. Continue to the right on the GR®®. Pass through the hamlet of La Jonquière. Cross the Audoulou stream to reach the hamlet of Le Roc.

(6) Go straight ahead (view of Puycelsi) and ignore the road on the left. Go back up to the village following the path. At the top, leave the road on the left to reach the gate of the ramparts. Take the time to visit the site, then follow the rampart walk to reach Avenue Raymond VII.

(7) At the bend in Avenue Raymond VII (D 8A), take the path below to the left. Go down to the old tennis court (now just a stony surface). Walk along the edge of the woods and follow the path to the left. At the end, turn left to join the D964.

(8) Turn right and then immediately right after the parapet. Between the houses, follow the path that goes left and then right. Go straight up the long hill, with a view of Puycelsi on your right.

(9) Go through a thick hedge of trees, which is difficult to see, to reach the T-junction. Turn left onto the path that ends in a wide limestone track. Follow it to the junction of the loop.

(1) Retrace your steps to return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 130 m - Rejoin the D964 via the embankment or the steps
  2. 1 : km 0.36 - alt. 167 m - Path on the left
  3. 2 : km 0.62 - alt. 237 m - At the road, continue along the path opposite
  4. 3 : km 1.61 - alt. 230 m - La Trapasse
  5. 4 : km 2.36 - alt. 300 m - Mespel
  6. 5 : km 2.85 - alt. 302 m - Chapelle Notre-Dame des Bois
  7. 6 : km 5.05 - alt. 200 m - Le Roc, Ppdre opposite, view of Puycelsi
  8. 7 : km 5.79 - alt. 272 m - Raymond VII Avenue bend, path on the left
  9. 8 : km 6.56 - alt. 139 m - D964, on the right after the parapet
  10. 9 : km 6.94 - alt. 165 m - Crossing through a thick hedge of trees
  11. S/E : km 8.7 - alt. 130 m - Car park on the banks of the Vère

Notes

Walking sticks recommended, beautiful rocky and slippery descents in wet weather.

Worth a visit

Village of Larroque, viewpoint.
Village of Mespel and Notre-Dame-Des-Bois Chapel.

Puycelsi

 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.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 28 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Michèle F.
Michèle F.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pretty paths through beautiful forests, lovely views.
Pretty villages too.
I had to get out the map from time to time because there's no signal.
Otherwise, the climb to Puycelsi gets my heart rate up, which is a good thing

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Piot39
Piot39

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I really like this area, the Gresine forest and its surroundings. I've already done several hikes here and it's always different. The paths are varied and pleasant. It's quiet. Visiting Puycelsi is always a treat.
My pedometer shows 11 km on arrival. The village of Larroque is also worth seeing with its cliffs. There is a large car park at the start and a place to sit by the water on arrival.

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Isabelle Doc
Isabelle Doc
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant walk

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Astuce81
Astuce81

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

don't hesitate to take a stroll through the streets of Larroque, a pleasant, varied walk with magnificent views over the Vère valley.

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Leclanpin
Leclanpin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with varied landscapes and plenty of shade, which was very pleasant on a hot day.

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Belou
Belou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Very beautiful hike with stunning views. Don't miss a visit to the village of Puycelsi

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BrunoTarn
BrunoTarn

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, well shaded. I would say it was more like 10 km with a 440 m elevation gain.
But we extended it a little by wandering around Puycelsi.
I highly recommend it.

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montagnejeanmarc
montagnejeanmarc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

a beautiful walk with lovely views. I highly recommend it... except for the big game hunters stationed all along the route on the Puycelsi side, which isn't always encouraging... but the route itself is fantastic!

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Clo 52
Clo 52

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route, mostly shaded and well signposted except for the final stretch back to Larroque. I confirm the recent reviews posted by other users who have done this walk.
The discovery of Puycelsi halfway along the route makes for a very welcome break, especially as the views of the surrounding area from the village are remarkable!
A trail to recommend to all families!

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Senzala D. Arara
Senzala D. Arara
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

What a superb walk! We set off with our two children aged 7 and 9 and, despite the challenging climbs, they never really complained because the trail is mostly shaded. The panorama is magnificent, the view of Puycelsi is simply extraordinary, and if you take a little detour before arriving at point 6, going up along the Audoulou, you can even enjoy a small petrifying waterfall (this adds about 1.5 km to the circuit, but you can take a well-deserved break and refresh yourself...). GPS point: N44°00.434' E001°42.905'
In total, it took us a little over 5.5 hours, but we took breaks, visited Puycelsi and went to the waterfall!
A must-do for fellow hikers!

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Vince531
Vince531

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, shaded walk for most of the way
The view of Puycelsi is superb

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jcz-vtt
jcz-vtt

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route through unspoilt countryside with very little urban development. The few inhabited areas are old and blend in harmoniously with the landscape. Puycelsi is worth spending some time exploring its narrow streets and small squares. So add 30 minutes to your walk...

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Anna Banana
Anna Banana

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice hike, both in the woods and with some more open areas. It's nice to be able to take a short break in Puycelsi and explore the village.
I got a little confused between the yellow markings and the GR markings, but with the GPX track it was perfect. We only came across two other groups of hikers.

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gunam
gunam

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great walk! Magnificent trails, beautiful views... and very pretty villages: Larroque is worth a visit, and of course Puyelsi, where you should take the time to stroll around and enjoy the views, buildings, squares and narrow streets.
Some parts can be very muddy and slippery when it rains, so suitable footwear and possibly walking sticks are necessary.
There were a lot of people on the trail, but it was a beautiful, almost spring-like Sunday.
Thank you for suggesting this walk and for the GPX track.

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Marc de Rochefort
Marc de Rochefort

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk with varied terrain and topography, offering lovely views and a mix of pretty villages and pastoral countryside.

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