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Access: In Saint-Cirq, the car parks near the village are pay-and-display and often full in summer. We left the car in the motorhome area on the right just after the campsite when arriving via the bridge over the Lot.
Please note! This route is not signposted.
(S/E) From the motorhome parking area, head towards the Lot river and then turn left onto a path.
(1) The path turns into a trail, which you follow, still alongside the Lot. Come out onto a small road and turn right to pass near a mill and a lock.
(2) Continue along this road which runs alongside the river and pass under the citadel.
(3) Further on, join theGR®®36-46trail markers coming from the left. The road then moves away from the river to cross fields. Pass close to some houses.
(4) At Castan, leave the road and turn right, still following theGR®®, onto a path. Shortly afterwards, you will reach the banks of the Lot and follow it on the left along a wide path that soon leads to the start of the towpath carved into the cliff.
(5) Continue straight ahead, along the river. Pass under a railway bridge before coming out onto a car park at the entrance to the village of Bouziès, where the path becomes tarmac.
(6) Follow the red and white markings ofthe GR®®36-46to cross this village or, if you wish, return to the starting point by following the alternative route described below. In detail: at the exit of the car park, continue straight ahead, veering slightly to the right. Continue to the road that crosses the river, cross this road (not the river!), continue straight ahead for a few metres and then turn left. You will come to a road, turn right and then right again at the three-way junction. Continue along this road, leaving a road that branches off to the left further on. You will come to an intersection marked with a cross.
(7) Continue straight ahead, still on theGR®, on the road that climbs slightly to cross the fields. You will come to a fork with a cross.
(8) Turn right, then shortly afterwards turn right again onto a small road that descends towards the river. Cross the railway line, then immediately turn left to follow the railway line below.
(9) Further on, let the road turn left at a bridge under the railway line and continue straight ahead on a path, still following theGR®®. This path approaches the Lot and runs alongside it as closely as possible. You will come out onto a road at the hamlet of Port la Lèque. Leave theGR®® markings to follow it to the left and pass under the railway line.
(10) At the intersection, in the bend, ignore the path that branches off to the right and continue along the road heading north. You will soon come to another road. Turn left and continue along this road until you reach the crossroads.
(8) From there, return to the next crossroads via the same route you took on the way there.
(7) When you reach this fork, turn onto the road on the right to return to Bouziès. You will arrive at a hamlet.
(11) In the centre of the hamlet, opposite the cross, turn left, then after a few metres turn right to rejoin the D40 further on. Turn right and then, immediately afterwards, leave this road and turn right at the bend.
(12) At the intersection, turn left towards Les Estayrals onto a small road that climbs and further on becomes a track.
(13) Shortly before reaching this house, leave the path and take a trail on the left. Here you will find local markings that you will see here and there until the end of the route. This narrow trail winds through the undergrowth and joins the D40.
(14) Cross this road and continue straight ahead. Further on, ignore another marked path on the left that descends towards the towpath and continue straight ahead until you reach a road.
(15) Take this road on the right. Just after a right-hand bend, and before reaching the D40, take a path on the left that leads to one of the car parks in the village of Saint-Cirq. From this car park, head for the junction of the D8 and the D40. As these roads are very busy, a path has been created to reach the village safely. Follow this path, which runs alongside the D8 on the right, to descend towards the village. At the bottom of the path, turn left and then descend to the right onto Place du Balat. Stroll through the village centre.
(16) Then, to return to your car, go down the other side of the village via Rue Droite, which passes below the church, then via Rue de la Pelissaria.
(17) On leaving the village, take a path that descends to the left towards the water sports centre. Continue straight ahead, ignoring a path on the left. Walk along the cemetery wall and then, at the intersection, continue straight ahead. Shortly afterwards, take a path on the left to return to the starting point (S/E).
. However, the banks of the Lot are very pleasant and the website highlights them without mentioning the climb up to Saint Cirq. Definitely worth a visit!
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Tourism professional
Visorando member
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