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Departure from Blavignac. Parking is available in front of the town hall and the car garage.
(S/E) With your back to the town hall, turn right towards the village centre. At the granite cross and covered wash house, follow the road to the left, then keep left on a wide path (markedPR® Yellow) which initially crosses pastures and then winds down through the woods to the hamlet of Saint-Martin. Stay on this main path, ignoring the tracks on either side.
(1) Continue between the houses on the main road, then follow the river to the La Garde mill. The road then joins the D8.
(2) Continue to the right until you reach the Pont de La Garde bridge. Do not cross the Truyère river; instead, take a small path on the left (markedPR® Yellow) which descends briefly and then climbs back up into the woods overlooking the river.
(3) At the end of this steep section, you will come to a wider path that climbs up to the left and joins the plateau towards Albaret-Sainte-Marie, offering a superb view of the ruins of La Garde Castle.
(4) Do not head towards the village, but take the wide track on the right that enters the coniferous forest. Ignore the paths on either side and continue to the three-way junction. Turn left and continue up the steep slope. At the end of the descent, a slightly rutted single track branches off sharply to the left. Follow it to the Chatougno stream, which you will cross to climb a long, steep hill.
(5) When you reach the crossroads of several paths, take the small path on the right (markedPR® Yellow) downhill, which joins a wider track.
(6) Go up to the left. Cross the Combes stream and continue to the next intersection after a hairpin bend.
(7) Turn right and continue climbing, enjoying beautiful views of the gorges.
(8) When you reach a pile of granite boulders on your right, characteristic of the Lozère landscape, leave this path on the right. Walk past these rocks and go around them on the left. As the wood has been cut down, follow the barbed wire on your left to cross the plot and continue in the same direction along the edge of the forest on your right to rejoin the existing single track (markedPR® Blue) and then a more clearly defined path that winds through the deciduous wood and descends in successive hairpin bends to the banks of the Truyère.
(9) Facing the pasture, turn left and follow the barbed wire fence on your right. The path continues to the Muse stream. Step over the barbed wire fence on your right to reach a small stone crossing (enjoy the shade and the pretty waterfall as you cross) and rejoin a path that climbs steadily to the village of Pouzes.
(10) Cross the village, heading up to the left. After the last houses, turn left at the bend. The tarmac road climbs quite steeply and then becomes a wide path further on. Ignore the tracks on either side until you reach the Muse stream, which you will cross.
(11) Then turn left. Ignore the path on the right and continue to the next intersection. Continue uphill on the right until you reach a wide crossroads.
(12) Take the second road on the left uphill. Walk past a few houses on your right and continue straight ahead until you reach the granite cross.
(13) Then follow the path on the left. After a few metres, at the bend, continue straight ahead into the pasture, taking care not to disturb any cows that may be present. Walk along the barbed wire fence on your right. This will take you to an unmaintained drovers' road, which you should follow until you reach a better-defined path that joins the road. Then climb up to the village of Albaret Sainte-Marie.
(14) After passing the first houses, you will arrive at Place Sainte-Marie. Turn right behind the imposing statue. At the intersection, turn left, then at the last house on your left, turn left and follow a grassy path marked by a wooden fence. This will take you to the road below the village.
(15) After the hairpin bend, turn left at the cross (yellowPR® markings). Cross the road (D8) and continue straight ahead on the wide track. At the intersection, continue left on a steady, sustained climb. Ignore the paths on either side until you reach the hamlet of Les Religieuses.
(16) Turn left between the farm buildings. Walk alongside the house on your right and continue to the departmental road. Then continue on the left towards the cemetery and then the village of Blavignac to return to the starting point (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
Moderate 
