Les Corniches de Lauroux

A beautiful walk, without major difficulty and well marked, that takes you through scrubland and forests, cliffs and limestone plateaus.

Details

206563
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.39 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 700 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 692 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 774 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 298 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Lauroux car park bordering the Laurounet.

(S/F) From the car park, get onto the road opposite in the direction of Cirque de Labeil.

(1) Turn right over a bridge that crosses the small river Laurounet. Continue along a trail with Yellow markings (these will appear all along the route, sometimes both Yellow and Blue) through olive groves, vineyards and oak trees to reach a track. Turn left at the fork immediately after, turn right past a vineyard and keep it on your right to reach a wooden hut.
To the left of it, a well-marked trail starts. Go up and then down to cross the bed of a dry stream. Cross a second stream and head up a rise into the gorse scrubland. After some ups and downs, reach the bed of another stream, follow it for a short distance an then cross it.

(2) Begin a steady climb in zigzags in through some lovely gorse bushes to get to a grassy ledge with great views. Follow the footpath between grass and bushes (Yellow markings).

(3) At the junction, continue left on the footpath which becomes a little crooked and goes in a beautiful forest with a nice view on the left and a cliff on the right. Head onward over a wide ledge and then continue on to Bois Blanc. The trail starts on a little downhill section of hairpin bends and through a chaotic, rocky section and a beautiful forest that is all dark and mossy.
Continue to move to the side of a spring where small streams flow to be used in hot weather to keep you cool, and then head on to a road in the hamlet of Labeil.

(4) Follow the road uphill right for a hundred metres and then branch off onto the path on the left. It passes between houses and cliffs to reach a crossroads with an old sign that says (translated) “Lauroux - 2.5 hours”. Ignore the path down to the left and continue straight ahead following the Yellow markings.

Continue on a beautiful forested wind with a drop to the left (but with no reason to worry because of the vegetation) and, to the right, the cliffs with great views of the valley. Then leave the ledge to head onto the plateau. The beech forest is beautiful and is quickly traversed arriving on a track with signs (to the right, Cirque de Labeil)

(5) Turn left on the track that leads to a picnic area (tables and barbecue). A lunch break will be welcome.

(6) Leave the track which is oriented to the west and turn left onto a yellow-marked trail that enters a forest. Follow this path until you reach a gate with a sign.

(7) Leave the path off to the right and continue in the direction of Lauroux. We reach the plateau and the trail weaves through rocks in various shapes and then descends through a pine forest to reach a road.

(8) Turn left downhill. Upon arrival at a track, follow it to the right and continue to the sign that tells us we are at Le Frontal (from there you can get to a viewing point over Lauroux, signposted as 300 m away).

(9) From Le Frontal, continue down the track and meet up with a branching path at a right turn.

(10) Veer left into a well-marked trail and head down to fall upon a track.

(11) Veer a few metres to the left and then turn right in the bushes following the yellow markings. Keep left on these two intersections, leave the bushes for grasslands and continue on the flat grounds to meet up with a paved track.

(12) Quickly leave this for a path to the right just before a vineyard. The path becomes a road and enters the village. At the entrance of the village, in a curve to the left, leave the road and take the stairs on the right. At the bottom of the stairs, turn left, go past the washhouses and turn right to get to the car park (S/F).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 298 m - Lauroux car park
  2. 1 : km 0.32 - alt. 310 m - Turn right at the footbridge over the Laurounet
  3. 2 : km 2.38 - alt. 426 m - Crossing the stream
  4. 3 : km 4.2 - alt. 708 m - Fork, continue left
  5. 4 : km 6.13 - alt. 667 m - Labeil, follow the road to the right
  6. 5 : km 6.96 - alt. 739 m - Track, signposts, turn left
  7. 6 : km 7.79 - alt. 732 m - Leave the track on the right and turn left
  8. 7 : km 8.67 - alt. 754 m - After the gate, go straight on to the causse.
  9. 8 : km 9.79 - alt. 698 m - Fork, go down on the left
  10. 9 : km 10.72 - alt. 617 m - Continue downhill, viewpoint on the left
  11. 10 : km 11.23 - alt. 596 m - Turn left onto the signposted path
  12. 11 : km 12.25 - alt. 405 m - Runway, left then immediately right
  13. 12 : km 12.79 - alt. 361 m - Vineyard, leave the track and turn right
  14. S/E : km 13.39 - alt. 299 m - Lauroux car park

Notes

No water refill point (only streams to cool off in hot weather).
Picnic area at (6).

(4) Going down to the right, you can visit the the Labeil cave.

Worth a visit

Visit the Labeil Cave.
Cirque of Labeil.
Panoramic view over Lauroux (9).

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 94 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 15228084

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk, marked as difficult from LAUROUX?
The route description is not very clear; it is much easier to follow the map and the yellow markings
Magnificent beech forest with beautiful rocks
It was Sunday and there must have been five groups at most
No difficulties
Highly recommended

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Philippe3478
Philippe3478

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice and shaded on the path, a slight incline but gradual so it's fine

Small bar/restaurant at the Labeil cave, nice in the heat. We took the time to have a coffee and visit the shop (Roquefort cheese and various souvenirs)

Picnic at a very nice picnic area and then back home

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User 26009201

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A few errors in the route description (turn right instead of left and vice versa) which would have been a problem if we hadn't had the Visiorando app, which provided real-time directions.
The app is superbly designed and definitely worth using.
Thanks again for this wonderful hike.

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Hervé34
Hervé34

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The first part is quite difficult because I noticed that there is no shade and the vegetation is low. The second part at the top is very nice, but the route does not take you to the cave.

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Fernandez Benjamin
Fernandez Benjamin

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is taken during the week and in winter, so there are few walkers. At weekends there can be a hundred or so walkers. There is a double route, cirque de labeil and corniches, which is the same route. It's a yellow signposted PR.
Approximately 15 km of moderate difficulty, as the gradients are gradual. There's one thing missing from the 2 descriptions - it's a shame that at the Frontal there's no sign pointing to the viewpoint. Thank you and enjoy your walks.

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Christian Billiard
Christian Billiard
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 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 in landscapes that are quite rare and surprising for this region. I'm doing it for the 4th time and I'm still enjoying it.
A little crowded at the (magnificent) climbing routes before arriving at the Cirque de Labeil and at the picnic area. Otherwise, there were few hikers.
The description allows you to complete this loop without any problems.

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dr34
dr34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Busy when you get to the climbing site or the cave, although a few duos have been seen.
This is always a great place to go and I recommend it. Not objective... I find this area very beautiful because of its diversity and its viewpoints.
Have a good hike!

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jean-claude septier
jean-claude septier

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very nice winter hike, with magnificent views and panoramas that make you forget the effort of the difference in altitude.
I would like to point out that on the website, the distance of the hike is wrong, since even the sign at the start of the hikers' car park says 15.5 km (13.39 km on the information sheet), not counting the 500 m (return journey) to the viewpoint.
I think it's the same for the difference in altitude, or maybe my watch is too optimistic...
It's true that the descent is long, narrow and rocky, but when you like it once you're at the bottom, you don't think about it any more...

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catalan
catalan

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

nice walk, but there are a few muddy descents! so don't do it after it's raining;
to avoid slippery descents (marked steep) you can do the circuit in reverse
there will be some steep climbs!

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KATERINE34
KATERINE34

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A fine, slightly "technical" walk with tricky sections, pebbles and uneven terrain. Some sections suffered from the recent rain.
A little crowded at the climbing sites but it was a Sunday...
The Escandogre forest is well worth a visit.

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Bob-Olobim
Bob-Olobim

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

From the heath to the forest, a serious climb in the first 4 kilometres. Thanks to the people of Laurouss for their refreshing fountain! Very nice. Do it again!

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vinorando
vinorando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Just did the loop around the Labeil cave and part of the path on the east side. Superb but .... heatwave, so the walk was cut short.

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chasqui
chasqui

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

the best . really the most beautiful in the area.

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dimi
dimi
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A splendid, complete, panoramic route, tracked by GPX and marked, discovered with a group of 10 delighted hikers, with a few slippery descents. Discovery of the marvellous ESCANDORGUE forest, with its rocks and mossy trees, a real must-do hike in the region.

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DROP34
DROP34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice walk with beautiful views and varied vegetation. A little crowded, with sections near a climbing spot and the Labeil cave.

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