Saugues - Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole

(S) Leave the campsite and head towards Avenue du Gévodan. Follow it to the right (south) until you reach a roundabout.

(1) Follow the D589 towards the A75 and continue until you reach a statue in a field on the right.

(2) Turn left and follow the red and white markings of^{the GR®65}.

(3) You’ll come out onto Chemin du Pinet; follow it to the left. Pass under a high-voltage power line and you’ll reach a cross.

(4) Head left and continue to the hamlet of Le Pinet.

(5) Cross the hamlet and continue through the fields until you reach a T-junction.

(6) Turn left (south). Walk alongside the deciduous woodland before reaching a crossroads.

(7) Ignore the two paths coming from the left and right and continue straight on through the woods until the next crossroads.

(8) Turn right and continue until the path becomes a track (still following the red and white markings of^{the GR®65}).

(9) Continue straight on, cross the Seuge and head south uphill to the hamlet of La Clauze.

(10) Enter the hamlet and go straight on. Join the D335 and follow it as it continues. Pass the castle on your left and continue to the municipal refuge. There is a water point opposite it.

(11) Turn left after the refuge and stay on the D335. Head south until you reach a junction with other paths.

(12) Leave the D335 and take the^second path on the left (south then south-west). Pass in front of a farm (selling ‘hikers’ special’ cheese). Enter the hamlet of Le Falzet.

(13) At a fork, turn off and go straight on to rejoin the D335. Follow the road to the left for about 150 m.

(14) When the road turns left, leave it and head right onto a gravel track. Continue to the village of Villeret d’Apchier. Enter the village, ignore a road on the right and you’ll soon reach the D587 (picnic tables).

(15) First turn right then left onto the D587 to continue along a small, gently sloping road. Ignore a lane on the left and, at the T-junction immediately ahead, turn left. At the next junction, turn right. Follow the Virlange river and you’ll arrive directly beneath some power lines.

(16) Pass under the power lines, cross the river and head diagonally left (south-east) following the^GR®. Pass under another power line and, further on, you’ll reach a crossroads.

(17) Turn sharply right (west). Pass under another high-voltage power line and arrive at a place called Le Moulin du Pin.

(18) Turn left and pass under the high-voltage power line again. Continue south, roughly parallel to this power line.

(19) At the hamlet of Contaldès, turn right onto a small tarmac road and quickly leave it for a path that climbs up to the left. Continue to the hamlet of Chazeaux.

(20) Turn left then right and, at the next junction, turn left. Pass in front of a lodge and head right (south). Continue to the junction with the D34.

(21) Cross the road and, on the other side, follow the path on the right heading south.

(22) At a fork, turn left. Head uphill and enter the forest. Continue uphill, cross a gully and carry on southwards through the forest.

(23) At the T-junction, follow the ridge path to the left for about 150 m. At the junction, turn right (south). Leave the forest and continue to the junction with the^GR®4variant at a place called Le Buron Sauvage.

(24) Turn right and leave the buron on your right. Continue until you reach the Lodge du Sauvage.

(25) Head left then right after the small pond. Stay on the main signposted path, ignoring any paths coming from the right or left.

(26) Keep to the right and continue along the GR^®. Pass under the high-voltage power lines again and reach a junction with the D587.

(27) Head left, taking care, onto the road and pass the Fontaine Saint-Roch. Enter the department of Lozère and pass the Chapelle Saint-Roch.

(28) Shortly afterwards, leave the D587 and turn left onto a path that leads into a pine forest. Descend gently until you reach a road (D987).

(29) Cross the road carefully and continue along the path opposite. At the next junction (elevation 1197), go straight on.

(30) At the next junction, continue straight on with the^GR®65(let the^GR®4branch off to the left). Cross the Gazamas stream and continue through the woodland. At a junction, go straight on and climb slightly until you reach a track and the^GRP® Tour de la Margueride.

(31) Turn left and head downhill. At a fork, follow the path on the right and continue downhill.

(32) At the next junction, turn right. Continue the descent along a series of hairpin bends. After passing directly beneath the high-voltage power lines, rejoin the D987 in the village of Le Rouget.

(33) Cross the D587 with care, then keep to the right to cross the village. Pass a stopover lodge and you will come to a bend.

(34) Turn right, pass under the high-voltage power lines and continue to the Croix du Plö.

(35) Turn slightly right and pass a stopover lodge on your left. Continue to the D987 at the entrance to Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole.

(36) Head left, walk carefully for about a hundred metres in this direction, then continue left, following the signs for the F. Tosquelles Hospital. Walk on until you reach the automatic boiler room.

(37) Continue to the right towards the hospital. At the fork just past the cemetery, turn left and walk past the hospital to reach Rue de l'Hôpital.

(38) Follow this street to the right. Walk downhill, ignoring the side streets. Pass by the foot of the castle and continue to a Stop sign.

(39) Turn left onto Grande Rue (D987) and head towards the church.

(40) Just after the church, turn right onto the square and continue along Rue de la Baysse. At the T-junction, turn left, still on Rue de la Baysse.

(41) At the Stop sign, turn right towards the A75 (you can stock up on supplies at a mini-market on the right-hand side). Pass the sign for the Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole exit and continue until you reach the wastewater treatment plant.

(42) Continue straight ahead (let the^GR®65branch off to the right) and, after a few hundred metres, you will find the campsite at a place called Galier (E).

This is a fairly long stage, so please ensure you have enough food. Please note: there are no refreshment facilities between the start and finish points. Refreshments are available in Sauges (S) and Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole (41).

Campsite: Le Galier tel: 04 66 31 58 80

The Leaning Tower of La Clauze (10) dates from the 12th century and is a remnant of an ancient castle that played a significant role during the Wars of Religion (located 7.5 km after you leave Saugues).
Domaine du Sauvage, where you will discover a former Templar “domerie”.

The Saint-Roch Chapel (28) is situated some 600 m beyond the Col de l’Hospitalet,

In Saint Alban, you can visit the church (40) with its two-tiered bell gable, the construction of which began in the 12th century and continued into the 14th and 15th centuries. The oldest part is the choir with its semi-circular apse.