Sentier des Saulières in Donzenac

Route starting from Donzenac offering a view of the Travassac slate quarry and following part of the Resistance route with the Trou aux Loups and Chat Huant shelters.

Details

2444950
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.45 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 334 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 329 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 341 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 134 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park below Donzenac, opposite the medieval town on the D920 departmental road.

(S/E) Route marked in red. Carefully join the D920 at the bottom of the car park, then take the first path on the left (Chemin du Clou Léonce Fronty). Take the D133 on the left, cross the bridge over the Maumont, then take the first street on the left.
Please note: the hiking signs are not visible from the main road.

(1) Immediately leave the road and take a path that climbs to the right, due east, and turns into a narrow trail. At the crossroads, continue climbing on the path almost opposite.
Follow the road that continues along the path, leaving the pumping station on your left.

(2) At the bend, continue straight ahead on the path that passes above a house (the sign is hidden in the vegetation!). Continue along the high street, cross the D133 with caution and take Rue des Vendeurs on the right towards Travassac.

(3) Leave the "marked" route on this round trip to admire the slopes of Travassac by going down Rue des Ardoisières to the entrance of the site (admission fee). Continue to the right through the car park to admire the Girale site (free).

(4) Ecomuseum. Turn back to return to the fork.

(3) Turn right onto Rue de la Besse towards Laubeyrie. At the crossroads, continue right along the path.

(5) The path joins the Resistance trail (marked in yellow). Continue right along the path to the Roman road.

(6) Continue along the Roman road.

(7) Leave the marked route and follow the Resistance trail to see the Maquisards' shelters, the "trous aux loups" and "chat huant" sites as you descend into the forest.

(8) Turn back to return to the fork.

(7) Turn left onto the Saulières route and continue along the wide path until you reach the road.

(9) Follow the road downhill to the right until you reach the crossroads.
Alternative: you can also take a path that descends quickly to the right. However, avoid the private road marked on the map, which you should walk alongside on your left. Once you reach the road, turn left.

(10) At the crossroads, continue downhill to the left until you reach the junction for "Les Vareilles". Take the path that descends opposite. When you reach the road, turn left and join the D133 just before the bridge. Turn left and return via the same route to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 184 m - Donzenac car park
  2. 1 : km 0.67 - alt. 141 m - Trail start
  3. 2 : km 1.46 - alt. 235 m - Path in the bend
  4. 3 : km 2.37 - alt. 298 m - Travassac. Common fork A/R
  5. 4 : km 3.07 - alt. 294 m - Site of La Girale. Ecomuseum
  6. 5 : km 5.22 - alt. 332 m - Junction with the Resistance trail
  7. 6 : km 5.75 - alt. 312 m - Roman road
  8. 7 : km 6.14 - alt. 305 m - Resistance trail.
  9. 8 : km 6.78 - alt. 253 m - Chat Huant
  10. 9 : km 7.75 - alt. 279 m - Route des Saulières
  11. 10 : km 8.72 - alt. 213 m - Towards Les Vareilles
  12. S/E : km 11.45 - alt. 184 m - Donzenac car park

Notes

Please note: the signposting is either too good or non-existent. So don't be too optimistic and make sure you take a description or a map with you! The return journey by road is a little long.

Worth a visit

Medieval town of Donzenac.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
muttie
muttie

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant route. However, we started from the Pans de Travassac car park and reached point 3 via Rue des Ardoisières. We "forgot" Donzenac on the way back, returning directly to point 1, which allowed us to avoid the uninteresting climb back up the road.

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thivalroad
thivalroad

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk on this 8th of May.
We discovered the Maquisards camp off the beaten track.
We discover Donzenac... a pretty medieval village.
A short walk away... visit the Pans de Travassac (we pass by during the hike, admission fee applies).
Check if it is open on weekends during the off-season.

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NANOU16
NANOU16
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike with magnificent views! A must-see for the PANS de TRAVASSAC. The only slight drawbacks are finding the BELVEDERE viewpoint, the direction of the PANS de TRAVASSAC, and the Trou au Loup and Chat Huant trail.

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kehan
kehan

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The arrival at the car park is surprising and resembles a scrapyard! There aren't many places to park! The climb out of the village immediately puts you to the test and you wonder if it will ever end!Travassac is the icing on the cake, but the FREE Girale site is blocked by wire fencing, so you can't admire it, which lowers the rating of the route. The Resistance trail is a refreshing break on the route. The alternative route on the way back should be included as it is mentioned in the description. Recommended route.

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becdu19
becdu19

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk with beautiful views almost all along the way. The path starts to become blocked at the bridge. However, after Les Saulières (before point 10), we did not stay on the road, but took the path that rejoins the route before the village of Les Vareilles.

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jean luc Bor
jean luc Bor

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Trail not maintained in the first section
Insufficient signposting
Nice hike, beautiful scenery

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chamberet
chamberet

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Markings either erased or non-existent. Too much road on the way back. To be reviewed.

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RAND19
RAND19

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A walk offering beautiful views of Donzenac with the opportunity to visit the slate quarries and the Resistance trail (sites already familiar to us).

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Celineetfrederic
Celineetfrederic

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. Beautiful views of Donzenac once you reach the heights. However, there is a bit too much road. It is better to use the Visorando app and its GPS rather than just the description to be sure of your route.

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Martine-lefloc@orange.fr.
Martine-lefloc@orange.fr.

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A somewhat disappointing hike, the first part of the route is above a road, so it's noisy and the entire end is on the road! However, there is a lovely path through a pine forest at the "Roman road" and as you approach the resistance trail. Beautiful views of Donzenac and the slopes of Travassac, a site that is definitely worth visiting. Add a good kilometre for the detours to Travassac and the Trou du Loup!
The information in the description is very reliable, which is fortunate because the signposting is actually very random!
Be aware of the cumulative elevation gain, which is much more than 339 m.

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thegilbert
thegilbert

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful circular route around Donzenac with no real difficulty. The view of the village is superb, and a visit to the Travassac cliffs is a must.

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