The ladder trail around Roquefort-sur-Soulzon

de fr

This walk offers an original perspective on the Roquefort region from above, between Lévézou, the Tournemire cirque, an old sheepfold and the Larzac plateau. The final section passes close to the Roquefort caves and crosses the village's main street to return to the starting point.

Details

n°2998518
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.85 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 500 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 500 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 798 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 586 m
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Jasse de Combalou
Ladder-staircase, Pointe de Combalou

Description of the walk

Park in the village centre, next to a drinking fountain.

(S/E) Take the carriage road, the old Lauras road, and turn right to reach the ladder staircase at Pointe du Combalou.

(1) Take this and you will come out onto the Combalou plateau. Take the path heading south-east and begin a slight descent. Pass close to a pylon. Here, join a wide track and follow it to the junction with a new path.

Marked with a yellow horizontal line and a ladder pictogram.

(2) Leave the track and take the path on the left. You will reach the old sheepfold of Jasse du Combalou. Continue through the woods to reach the edge of the woods at the highest point of the hike.

(3) Turn right at a 90° angle, reach a hairpin bend to the right, and continue on the path with a 180° turn. Continue slightly uphill to reach the highest point.

(4) Turn left and stay on the path until you reach the crossroads before the cemetery.

No markings

(5) Turn right, walk along the cemetery and return to Rue des Baragnaudes. After crossing the village, return to the starting point by climbing the large cement slope visible on the left. Then begin the descent to reach the car park in the village centre (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 586 m - Car park in the village centre
  2. 1 : km 0.95 - alt. 739 m - Ladder staircase
  3. 2 : km 1.7 - alt. 765 m - Trail junction
  4. 3 : km 3.27 - alt. 796 m - First high point
  5. 4 : km 3.86 - alt. 737 m - Second high point
  6. 5 : km 4.87 - alt. 665 m - Cemetery crossroads
  7. S/E : km 5.85 - alt. 586 m - Car park in the village centre

Notes

(1) When you reach Pointe du Combalou, climb up to the rock with the hole in it and then take the ladder-stairs.
The path is slippery in wet weather. This is a walking-only path and requires a good level of fitness due to the gradient and type of terrain.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 14 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
BackPacker
BackPacker
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A beautiful route offering lovely views of Roquefort, its surroundings and the distant mountains. It was a little difficult to find the start of the walk due to extensive building work in the village of Roquefort.

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User 3664241
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike with stunning views

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Raven 81340
Raven 81340

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little hike today on this beautiful, cool day
Apart from the climb, which is a bit steep at the start, there are no major difficulties
beautiful 360° views, especially a beautiful view of the Tournemire cirque, which I recommend hiking around
the return trip is nice, with a good view of the cliffs.
You might want to plan an alternative route that leads to the fairy cave

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Omnama
Omnama

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, going from a jumble of boulders to a plateau and then back down through the forest.
There's never a dull moment. The steps are secure.
Parking is easy at the shepherd's car park.

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Emisi10
Emisi10

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I did this hike at 9am and there was hardly anyone there. The yellow trail allows you to do the hike without having to follow the route on your phone. I mainly used the Visorando route to find the starting point.
The trail is very varied, the view from the top is very nice, the climb is a bit steep, and it's best to follow the anti-clockwise direction
Just before point 5, I recommend turning left to return to the village, which is quite pretty

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Orangina31
Orangina31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike.
Not too crowded at this time of year
I was expecting to find ladders, but there aren't any! A few slightly dizzying sections, but the trail is safe.
Very well marked

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Chantal18110
Chantal18110

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Bring good walking shoes and walking sticks, as the path is quite steep and rocky on the way up to the plateau, but it's well worth the effort. After that, the path becomes much easier.

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helene 39
helene 39

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Moderately difficult hike with a steep initial climb over pebbles and rocks. Varied terrain, average scenery except for the view at the summit. Interesting information panels on the geology and history of the Roquefort caves. A few sections along the edge of cliffs, but not very vertiginous. Completed in just over 2 hours.

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jpb93
jpb93

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, with a steep and challenging climb, offering superb panoramic views from the plateau. It is rarely possible to park in the centre of the village, but there are car parks further down. The access to the trailhead could be better signposted. A visit to a wine cellar is an essential addition to the hike.

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montagnejeanmarc
montagnejeanmarc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

superb hike... magnificent landscapes, flowers along the trail, a lovely climb! Pure bliss

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smashdc
smashdc

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Indeed, there are a few steep sections at the beginning with limited signage, but it is impossible to get lost.
May be slippery in places. Very rocky.
A lovely little hike, if only for the view at the top (otherwise, you're often surrounded by steep slopes).
The complete short hike:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xnrAlPa...

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Christian12170
Christian12170

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

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CABRU30
CABRU30

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

the trail has a steep incline at the start, so be sure to bring water and a good pair of shoes. It's a really interesting route, and seeing it from above helps you understand the guide's explanations about how the Roquefort caves were created. You can even do some geocaching there. Great!

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Eric_30320
Eric_30320

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant route.
Suitable for families.
Not too long. (1 hour 15 minutes alternating between walking and running)

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