Ruins of Saint-Sauveur

Date of your route : Dec 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Easy to do, with a careful visit to the fortified castle of Rocbaron

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Date of your route : Jan 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This hike would have been much better without crossing the departmental road with its numerous bends and cars passing close by.
The route between points 2 and 3 is off. You take a path that actually branches off to the right but is marked with a small dotted line on the map. The view from the ruins is pleasant. This short hike takes about two hours for experienced walkers.

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Date of your route : Jan 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Nice little walk, it starts off steeply but the view from the ruins is incredible. Where it gets tricky is between the ruins and the main road. We didn't know where to go next, so we went right and followed an unmarked path to get back to the D12.
We had children with us and weren't very comfortable with the idea of walking along the D12, which is a bit winding with blind bends.
But we did it because there was no other route to cut across the fields.
it took us 2 hours and 20 minutes there and back, with two short breaks to let the children recover a little.

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

The start of the trail is very pretty and interesting with a visit to the castle ruins, but as some hikers have said, we never found the path to point 3. After taking the path opposite the first ruin and enjoying the view of the castle behind us, despite the GPS, we couldn't find the path down to the road. Disappointing because we had to turn back. Still, it was a nice Sunday outing.

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Date of your route : Dec 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice little walk

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Date of your route : Sep 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As other hikers have said, we couldn't find the way back despite making corrections.
At No. 2, we went straight ahead as indicated, but then the path split. A Clernung notice said to stay on the left. This path only went uphill, but according to the map, we needed to go downhill. We retraced our steps and returned by the same path.
More information about this famous return path would be appreciated.
Apart from that, the ruins and the view are worth it. We had a picnic up there in silence. We didn't see anyone else.

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Date of your route : Jun 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We went on this lovely hike to the castle (which is worth exploring after reading about its history before you go, and the view is superb). Based on other reviews, we didn't want to take the paved road on the way back. So here's what we did:
At point 2, coming down from the castle, we followed Clernung's advice and took the path opposite with the yellow cross.
Instead of turning right and going down into the valley, we continued on the left until we came to the Théméré trail (marked on the IGN map).
Along the way, we came across large electricity poles and a paved slanting street that appears to have been an underground gas pipe.
BE CAREFUL, however, as the descent here is very steep (see contour lines)
When we reached Théméré, we turned right and found ourselves back on the original route.

As a result, the hike would probably lose its "easy" rating because of the descent

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Date of your route : May 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike. Beautiful view from the ruins. However, from the first ruin, to resume the hike after the short detour for the view, it is difficult to know which path to take, especially since it is blocked by a cross. In fact, leaving the first ruins behind you (after coming down from the viewpoint of the second ruins), you need to take the path on the left marked with a cross (but not the one that brought you there, otherwise you'll end up back where you started!). Then stay on the left-hand path.
The least pleasant part, even though the landscape is pretty, is the departmental road, which is quite difficult because there is little room to walk on the side. Fortunately, there isn't too much traffic during the week.
The Visorando app is very useful for finding your way around!

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Date of your route : Feb 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

we just finished the walk. The weather was nice and even warm with the various climbs.
What I really liked was walking along little paths in the middle of the forest with birds singing all around us.
I downloaded the app on my mobile phone, which allows you to track your progress and not worry about getting lost.
Like everyone else, I found the section along the road a bit tricky, but luckily it only lasts about fifteen minutes.
It's Saturday, the weather is beautiful, and we didn't see a soul.
Very, very, very pleasant.

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Date of your route : Oct 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The climb to the ruins and the ruins themselves are very pleasant. The descent is very uncertain at first (difficulty finding the path even though it was recorded on GPS). The bottom of this first descent leads to 900 metres of difficult, even dangerous road, which is difficult to navigate given the amount of traffic and the lack of space on the shoulders. However, the end of the loop is just as pleasant as the beginning.

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Date of your route : May 20, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

An accessible hike, not very long (barely 2 hours for the loop). A nice climb to start with, but a splendid view once you reach the ruins.
It was my first time using the app, and I found it easy and enjoyable. I got a little lost at point 2 by following a path parallel to the one mentioned, and we ended up a little higher up on the D12 (about 30 metres).
It would be nicer if the section on the road could be avoided.

Thanks to the Visirando website, the hikes are well documented and that's reassuring.

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Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion.

Following your comments, information has been sent by private message to the author of the hike.

Edit on 18/02/2018 at 11:30 a.m.: the description has been modified.

See you soon

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Date of your route : Feb 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The ruins of Saint-Sauveur are definitely worth a visit, with a beautiful 360° view. Thank you to the author for allowing us to discover them.

However, this route needs a little work:
1.The description lacks details, and we had to turn back at (2).
Instead of saying:
"(2) Go back down to the first ruin and follow the small path that starts just opposite. A few metres further on, take the track that branches off to the right."
It should say:
"(2) Go back down to the first ruin and ignore the path that goes directly to the right. Follow the small path that starts just opposite, a few metres further on, choose the track that goes to the right."
The wrong path is clearly visible on the IGN satellite map and also matches the description... not very clear.

Also, there is some hesitation at (6), where there are several paths leading off to the left.

2. Then, 1 km of road over 5.8 km of walking is a lot, especially since the passage is really dangerous. You can't walk behind the safety rail, and there are a lot of cars on this departmental road. A suggestion to change this part of the route would therefore be:
Instead of doing:
"(2) Go back down to the first ruin and ignore the path that goes directly to the right. Follow the small path that starts just opposite, a few metres further on , choose the track that goes to the right."
You should do the following:
"(2) Go back down to the first ruin and ignore the path that goes directly to the right. Follow the small path that starts just opposite, a few metres further on , choose the track that continues straight ahead and ignore the track that goes to the right".

This trail joins the route between (4) and (5) (to be confirmed on site, I plan to return there).

3.Finally, the best part of this walk is definitely the ruins of Saint-Sauveur. It is therefore better to do the loop in the opposite direction, so that you end with this magnificent view, rather than feeling like you are doing a big loop with no purpose or interest after the magnificent view of the ruins.

Once again, this walk was really worth it just for the ruins of Saint-Sauveur. The surrounding area offers great possibilities for extending this route.

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Hello,

The explanations for numbers 3 and 4 are not clear in relation to the diagram

Explanation of the text:

The description between the points (2) and (3)

(2) Go back down to the first ruin and follow the small path that starts just opposite. A few metres further on, take the track that branches off to the right and follow it along the mountainside for a while before descending into the valley (turn around to see the castle site).

Explanation (2) This is important because everything follows on logically.

At the end of the point (2), it says Continue descending until you reach the D12.

This means that at the end of the paragraph (2), you should have reached the D12. This corresponds to the route on the IGN map.
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The description between points (3) and (4)

(3) Take it to the left for about 1 km.

Explanation (3)

You will reach the D12 road (see end of explanation 2) and turn left for approximately 1 km (exactly 940 m) to reach the next point, which is the point (4), which corresponds to the route on the IGN map.
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Directions between points (4) and (5)

(4) Find a wide track that starts on the left and climbs up the slope. At a large crossroads, continue straight ahead. After a while, the track turns left and crosses a stream.

Explanation (4)

Coming from the point (3), you will have travelled approximately 1 km (940 m exactly) and you will find a wide track that starts on the left and climbs up the slope.... This corresponds to the route on the IGN map.

I invite you to check the route on the IGN map (zoom in on the map if necessary).

I did not invent the waypoints; they are mentioned in the description.

Waypoints:
(S/E): km 0 - altitude 379 m - Car park in front of the school
(1): km 0.4 - altitude 412m - Chemin de Saint-Sauveur
(2): km 1.03 - altitude 487m - Ruins
(3): 1.84 km - altitude 382 m - RD 12, turn left
(4): 2.78 km - altitude 330 m - uphill track on the left
(5): 3.75 km - altitude 339 m - stream
(6): 5.02 km - altitude 444 m - junction with the GR9
(S/E): km 5.84 - altitude 379 m - Car park in front of the school

Best regards

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Date of your route : Feb 12, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Numbering on the plan

-1 remains 1
-6 becomes 2
-5 becomes 3
-4 remains 4
-3 becomes 5
-2 becomes 6

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