Saint Cirq Lapopie - Cahors

(S) Set off from the campsite towards the banks of the Lot and follow the river on your right via the Route de Castan and the^GR® 36. Reach the crossroads in front of Castan.

(1) Turn right then left to join the towpath. Pass under the Eiffel bridge, then past the motorhome site and head towards the Bouziès bridge, following the banks of the Lot.

(2) After passing under the Bouziès Bridge, head left onto the Chemin de l’Alambic, then turn right onto the Route de l’Angle. Pass an art studio with imposing sculptures, before crossing the railway line to reach the hamlet of Bajouve. Continue along the Route de l'Angle, heading west, through meadows and farmland. You’ll come to a Y-junction with a wayside cross.

(3) Leave Route de l'Angle and turn right; you will soon come to another junction. Head right onto the gently sloping road to reach a wooded area. Pass under the railway line and turn left, following the edge of the woods. You will arrive at a bend, just before a passage under the railway line.

(4) Continue southwards along a grassy path to reach the River Lot and the hamlet of Port la Léque. Continue along the River Lot until you reach the railway underpass.

(5) Turn left, go under the railway line and begin a long climb through the woods, which leads you to a picnic area near the road to Saint-Cirq Lapopie.

(6) Head right and continue through the woods until you reach the D8. Stay on the D8 for about 150 m and look out for a path near an old oak tree.

(7) Turn right onto the stony path that follows the route of the D8, before drawing closer to it.

(8) Turn right at a right angle, heading north-west. Continue straight on until you reach the crossroads.

(9) Keep heading in the same direction, pass the Serves spring and continue along the stony path until you reach the junction with the D10.

(10) Stay on the D10 for a few metres before turning sharply left at a hairpin bend. At the junction of^{the GR®36}and the^PR®, turn completely right, go under the D10 and continue along the banks of the Lot to the bridge.

(11) Cross the D10 carefully and continue straight ahead on the Route de Saint-Géry, before reaching the village of Pasturat.

(12) Turn left towards the Relais de Pasturat and continue to the church. A few metres before the church, turn right onto the small, uphill street known as Travers Rouge. At the Les deux Granges lodge, turn left to continue along the small, uphill lanes that lead you onto Rue du Causse de Pasturat. Continue up this road until you reach the concrete cross.

(13) Turn right onto the path that runs between two houses. Continue to the junction with Chemin des Genévriers. Keep right and continue along the path heading south-west through the woods to reach Route du Travers Rouge, then turn left onto Route du Causse de Pasturat.

(14) Turn right towards Les Mazuts, and continue to the left-hand bend. You’ll find a path shortly afterwards. Turn right onto the stony path, marked by a ‘no entry’ sign, which heads north-west. At the fork, take the path on the right overlooking the Lot. Continue on until you reach the relay mast on the Pech de Béars, go past it and come to a T-junction.

(15) Here, the^GR® 36 branches off from^{the GR®} 46. Head left, staying on the^GR® 36: be careful, as it’s easy to get confused here; the^{GR® 36}is partially obscured by vegetation. Begin a descent that takes you down to the D49b.

(16) Continue along the bend in the D49b before taking the stony path on the left, which brings you back to the same road a little further on. Stay on the road for just over 1 km to reach a path branching off to the right. Leave the tarmac road and head right onto the small stony path until you reach the junction of the D8 and the D49b.

(17) Turn right onto the D8 and, a few metres further on, turn right again onto the Chemin de la Côte Vieille. When you reach a fork, turn right onto Impasse de Combel Fourcat. Continue via Pech Lougar to reach the town of Arcambal via Rue du Château d’Eau, which continues into Rue du Mas de Barte. You will come to Route de Mondiès.

(18) Turn right. Continue along this street until you reach the sign indicating a dead end. Follow this dead end until you reach the banks of the Lot.

(19) Turn left and follow the Lot to the A20 motorway viaduct. Continue to the small Arcambal lock, which allows boats to cross the Lot.

(20) Continue straight on along the riverbank to the^GR®36alternative route.

(21) Leave the^GR®36to continue along the banks of the Lot and on the^GR®36variant. Keep going in this direction until you reach the equestrian centre called "Étrier de Cahors-Bégoux".

(22) Continue along the^GR®36variant, passing the Lacombe lock and then the Château de Saint-Ambroise. Carry on until the variant leads you left, at right angles to the Lot.

(23) Ignore the route branching off to the left and continue along the Lot on a very narrow, barely visible path that takes you behind the campsite. At the end of the path, turn left twice to find the entrance to the Rivière de Cabessut campsite (E).

Refreshments available in Arcambal (18) at a bakery and at the campsite (E).
Please note: there is only one drinking water point in Pasturat.
Campsite: Rivière de Cabessut Campsite Tel: 0565300630

The Lot Valley and the banks of the Lot.
Take the opportunity to have a rest day and visit Cahors, its cathedral, its old town and the Pont Valentré.
500 m from the campsite, a free shuttle bus takes you to the town centre (3 km) in front of the Tourist Information Office. Return possible until 7 pm.