Tour of Lake Balerme from Verfeil

A refreshing hike around Lake La Balerne, with no major difficulties.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.09 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 200 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 203 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 251 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 163 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Verfeil (31590)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.655731° / E 1.659775°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2143E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at the Esplanade Paul Riquet car park in Verfeil.

(S/E) With your back to the main road, exit the car park on the left. Cross the main road at the pedestrian crossing and walk downhill for 30 metres, then turn left onto Impasse d'En Rispet.

(1) At the end of the tarmac road, continue straight ahead on the grassy path and walk downhill until you cross the Rieubaquié stream.

(2) After the stream, turn right, then continue straight ahead for about 300 metres.

(3) Take a barely visible path on the left at the edge of the field.

(4) At the end of the field, cross and continue straight ahead, then at the end, turn left to go back up the road.

(5) Follow the road to the right to join the D 20g and follow it to the left until you reach the next crossroads at En Garric.

(6) Go down the road on the right, towards Teulat, to the bottom of the hill.

(7) 100 m before the stream, take the barely visible path at the edge of the field and follow it to the lake.

(8) Turn right, cross the dam and walk around the lake.

(9) Leave the lake by going up the path on the right after the small wooden bridge (elevation 180) and join the D 20g road by going straight up.

(10) Follow the road to the right, then turn left at the three-way junction towards the Gailhaguet lodge.

(11) When you reach the house, take the small wooded path down to the left, cross the Ruisseau d'en Daydé stream and go back up to find a wider path that will take you back to the right and straight on to the tarmac road.

(12) Follow the road straight ahead to climb back up to Verfeil and, at the main road, turn left using the protected crossing to return to your starting point at Esplanade Paul Riquet (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 227 m - Esplanade Paul Riquet car park
  2. 1 : km 0.17 - alt. 210 m - End of Impasse En Rispet
  3. 2 : km 0.47 - alt. 172 m - After crossing the stream
  4. 3 : km 0.92 - alt. 182 m - Path along the edge of the field
  5. 4 : km 1.03 - alt. 188 m - Crossing
  6. 5 : km 1.71 - alt. 220 m - Le Moulin Neuf
  7. 6 : km 2.72 - alt. 251 m - In Garric
  8. 7 : km 4.11 - alt. 169 m - Edge of the field to the lake
  9. 8 : km 4.69 - alt. 178 m - Dam - Lac de Balerme
  10. 9 : km 9.57 - alt. 181 m - Return route
  11. 10 : km 10.47 - alt. 246 m - D 20g
  12. 11 : km 11.19 - alt. 232 m - En Jeanbert
  13. 12 : km 12.06 - alt. 201 m - En Daydé
  14. S/E : km 13.09 - alt. 227 m - Esplanade Paul Riquet car park

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 30 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
User 26570171
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Work on the lake dam has been completed; it is once again possible to use it to cross and go around the lake.

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phiphi37
phiphi37

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I started at the cemetery for well-behaved little girls. It was a pleasant walk. Work on the dam is still ongoing. When I passed by, there was no activity, so I was able to walk around the lake.

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Clo31130
Clo31130

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We did this hike on a Tuesday afternoon, and the trail was pretty quiet, with only 4 or 5 people passing by. It's likely that on weekends, when the weather is nice, there are a lot more people around the lake.
At point 8, there is still construction work going on, but it is possible to pass on the left side by crossing a fallen tree. This takes two minutes, and then you can continue on the normal route. There are no difficulties apart from this part of the route.
Worth doing again on a nice day, perhaps with a picnic by the lake.

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Richard Russo
Richard Russo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

This route is no longer accessible due to work being carried out on the dam, which prevents access to the lake at point 8 of the route.
As a result, you will need to turn around and go back up the hill to find a parallel path that will take you down to the lake.
This path exists and is described in another (shorter) hike.
Moreover, this parallel path is much prettier and more interesting than descending several hundred metres along a dull road (between points 7 and 8).
To take it, simply continue straight ahead for about 200 m instead of going downhill and take the first path on the right after the castle grounds.

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Père Blaise
Père Blaise

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The lake has been under construction since July and will remain so until December 2024. As a result, it is not possible to walk all the way around it.
It would be helpful to inform hikers now.

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mamimo31
mamimo31

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant outing.

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Hutch81000
Hutch81000

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Verfeuil is a pleasant little village, with no difficulties on the well-marked route.

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Farce
Farce

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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Bernard Duc
Bernard Duc

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Route completed today (20 January) in cold weather after several days of rain. Start from point 8 at the lake, where there is a car park. This avoids having to park in Verfeil.
The route is interesting and varied, but the paths are very muddy and wet. The lake level is very low, which makes the landscape a little sad.
Probably more interesting in better weather. To be repeated in better conditions.

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VincentLafon
VincentLafon

Great hike though, and well done for adapting so quickly.

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Yves Thebault
Yves Thebault

There was indeed a problem with the route map, I have corrected it...
Thanks, Vincent

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VincentLafon
VincentLafon

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike. Please note that there is a problem at point 10 where we couldn't find the path (we went to point 6 instead and then took the path marked in black)

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Etienne caumont
Etienne caumont

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, best enjoyed in dry weather

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svrag
svrag

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A popular route around the lake, but much less so between the start/finish and the lake.
A beautiful walk in the Verfeilloise countryside.
For the start, I took En Solomiac earlier than the town centre.

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madydou
madydou ★

Thank you, Yves, for your prompt response.

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