Saut du Bezan Trail from Merle-Leignec

Created by the “Trails and Local Heritage” committee of the Merle-Leignec municipal council, this walk allows you to discover the superb site of the Saut du Bezan, as well as various little scenic and heritage gems along the route: the Saint-Roch Chapel, the wash houses in the hamlets of Cubelle, Eclune Haute, Le Cros and L’Ebisaille, the bread oven at Reffieq, and crosses bearing witness to the religious beliefs of the time. You will also enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the commune’s lake and its magnificent, unspoilt natural setting. The path is signposted with customised “Sentier du Saut du Bezan” signs and supplemented by standard yellow and green markings, in the commune’s colours. Plexiglass plaques identify all the commune’s small-scale heritage sites.

Details

39084450
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.06 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 353 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 359 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 966 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 659 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The walk starts and ends at the car park of the Auberge de Leignecq, where you can easily park your car. There is a sign at the top of the car park to help you find your way before setting off.

(S/E) The walk starts at the top of the car park. Follow the yellow and green arrows and markers, heading right with the car park behind you, then turning right at the bend. Continue along a grassy path until you reach a road.

(1) Cross it and follow the wide path through the forest, keeping left at the junction. You will arrive at the hamlet of Cubelle. Turn right three times onto the Chemin des Chambouts and follow the tarmac road to the Cubelle wash house.

(2) Continue along the path until you reach a road; turn left, then right, towards the hamlet of Éclunes Haute and its wash house.

(3) Turn left onto a tarmac path that leads downhill. Then go straight on at the first crossroads, towards the River Andrable. You’ll come to a second crossroads.

(4) Turn right. Ignore a path leading down to the right, then another path coming from the same direction to reach the Saut du Bezan.

(5) Enjoy the view and retrace your steps, keeping to the right at the first two junctions. You’ll reach a third junction, which you’ve already passed.

(4) Turn right, heading towards the hamlet of Éclunes Basses. Cross the hamlet via the road and take a path on the right, in the centre of the hamlet, which takes you up the Bezan to a bridge.

(6) Turn right, head back up to the road and turn sharply left onto it, continuing for 200 m. Turn right onto a path that leads into the forest. Follow this path, marked with ‘retour Leignecq’ signs, to the hamlet of Le Cros and its covered well.

(7) Go straight on, then turn right when you see the wash house. You’ll come to a crossroads with a cross and a well.

(8) Continue left, towards the hamlet of L’Ébisaille. Ignore a path on the left and pass by a cross. At the next crossroads, turn left and head for the wash house, following the “retour Leignecq” signs.

(9) Keep going straight on, then at the first junction, turn right towards Reffiecq. Once in the hamlet, follow the small road, then turn right in front of the bread oven, until you reach the cross.

(10) Take the first path on your right. Go straight on at the first two crossroads, then you’ll come to a third one with a bridge.

(11) Take every junction on your left until you reach a cross.

(12) Follow the path and the “retour Leignecq” signs you can see above. Continue along the street that extends from the path until you reach the cross in the centre of the village.

(13) Turn left and return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 957 m - Car park at the inn
  2. 1 : km 0.23 - alt. 947 m - Road before the Saint-Roch Chapel
  3. 2 : km 2.53 - alt. 886 m - Cubelle wash house
  4. 3 : km 3.59 - alt. 876 m - Eclune Haute wash house
  5. 4 : km 4.86 - alt. 794 m - Crossroads (out and back)
  6. 5 : km 6.02 - alt. 659 m - Saut du Bezan - Andrable (rivière) - Afluent de l'Ance
  7. 6 : km 8.78 - alt. 826 m - Ruiller Bridge
  8. 7 : km 10.5 - alt. 897 m - Cros Covered Well
  9. 8 : km 10.7 - alt. 900 m - Well topped with a cross at Le Cros
  10. 9 : km 11.43 - alt. 946 m - Lavoir de l'Ebisaille
  11. 10 : km 11.8 - alt. 940 m - Croix de Reffiecq - View of the lake
  12. 11 : km 12.97 - alt. 913 m - Pont du Pécher
  13. 12 : km 13.43 - alt. 930 m - Croix du Sue
  14. 13 : km 13.87 - alt. 948 m - Leignecq Cross
  15. S/E : km 14.06 - alt. 957 m - Car park at the inn

Notes

Throughout the route, you can shelter from the rain under the roofs of the wash houses. Take care when you reach the Saut du Bezan waterfall, which you approach from above; do not get too close if the rocks are slippery.
The return journey follows the same path to the Eclune Basse crossroads.
The entire route is signposted with yellow and green signs bearing the name of the walk.

Worth a visit

All along the way, you will find small heritage sites that bear witness to life in days gone by: wash houses, bachats, crosses and bridges, all identified by the coat of arms in the colours of the local council.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Lionel_42500
Lionel_42500

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I highly recommend this beautiful walk, which we were lucky enough to do on a sunny weekday.
Thanks to the heavy rain in the preceding weeks, the Bezan and Andrable waterfalls were roaring and bubbling away beautifully: quite a spectacle!
Thanks to the “Trails and Local Heritage” committee for their excellent signposting.
A round trip to Leignecq that is an absolute must.

Machine-translated

Vialla Robert
Vialla Robert

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very well marked, except between points 6 and 7 in the Vinols woods, where the markings must have changed from the Visorando route, but as it is very well done, there is no risk of getting lost. Enjoy your hike!

Machine-translated

anca69
anca69

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through woodland and countryside, passing through hamlets with beautifully restored houses and wash houses
The Saut du Bezan is magnificent at this time of year.
No trouble finding the path thanks to the route description, the IGN map and the recent signposting.
Thank you for this lovely walk!

Machine-translated

Commune de Merle-Leignec
Commune de Merle-Leignec

Hello, thank you for your very positive review; we’re delighted that you enjoyed exploring our local heritage.
We look forward to seeing you soon on one of our three other trails.
Kind regards
The municipal team

Machine-translated

Elizabeth
Elizabeth

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

• We parked just below the village and took some photos of the beautiful village in the morning light.
• This walk presented no difficulties.
• At point 10, we shortened the walk by following the road that runs along the southern shore of the lake up to the 900-metre mark, and then we took the path that runs along the western shore of the lake to the junction with another path on the left, which leads directly back to point 1.
• A big thank you to the municipality of Merle-Leignecq!

Machine-translated

Commune de Merle-Leignec
Commune de Merle-Leignec
• Edited:

I’m delighted that you enjoyed the walk despite the weather.
We are organising the official opening of our trails on 1 May at 11am at the starting point in Leignecq. You are, of course, invited.

Machine-translated

mamiebibi42
mamiebibi42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, interesting walk, as you get to see plenty of examples of the local heritage’s architectural features. The route has been recently signposted, so you’ll have no trouble finding your way.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.