Lot, Célé and Aveyron

Transcription

1 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron One of the gret rivers of Frnce, the Lot hs crved vlleys through eutiful hillsides lined with cstles, wethered-stone frmhouses nd prehistoric cves Grotte Lot, de l Iffernet Célé nd Aveyron 203

2 151 15km west 151 d-20 d-20 Vers 145 Grotte du Pech-Merle d-653 d-653 Mrcihc d-41 Sulic Cénevières d-41 Espgnc Cjrc c 146 d d-41 d d-41 d-19 c Figec d-922 d-922 Cpdenc n-122 d-840 d d-42 c Deczeville St-Prthem 149 Vieillevie d-901 Conques d d-920 d-904 d-920 Entryguessur-Truyère 150 d 45km west CAHORS d-24 d-24 30km Lot, Célé nd Aveyron 143 chemin de hlge This historic nd drmtic wlkwy ws hewn from the cliffside to form towpth long the Lot. 144 châteu de cévenières At this lovely riverside setting eneth the cliff-top châteu, low weir cretes fun plce to ply nd smll sndy ys re perfect for picnics upper lot A smll lne winds next to this eutiful stretch of the river. Almost nywhere is good for dip. 153 mnjo cfé By this relxed, open-ir cfé on the Aveyron, there re cnoes nd lrge islnd-oulder for jumps. Villefrnche-de-Rouergue -20 d-115 c 152 St-Antonin -Nole-Vl 153 d-115 d-33 c 153 d-47 Njc d c espgnc The historic monstery is next to ridge nd smll pddling ech. The cmpsite downstrem hs wonderful gorge swimming. MONTAUBAN Bruniquel

3 From the steps, Chemin de Hlge Lower Lot 142 les msseries lt long: , wlk in: 3 mins, esy 143 chemin de hlge lt long: , wlk in: 10 mins, esy 144 châteu de cévenières lt long: , wlk in: 5 mins, esy 144 The Lot is still nvigle for much of its length nd its mple, deep stretches of wter mke for super swimming. Tody there re plenty of plesure ots long the Lot s lower reches, ut the Chemin de Hlge displys drmtic evidence of different pst. The Lot ws working river nd its towpth (the Chemin) ws hewn out of the sheer cliff-fce to llow the trditionl grre rges to e huled upstrem with their lods. Tody, you ll find sections of cliff crved with mmonite nd shell shpes extrordinry when viewed while swimming in the silky, wrm wters elow 143. The cliffs long this stretch of the Lot fforded the perfect defence for its riverside villges. Just upstrem t St-Cirq- Lpopie, the stone dwellings re uilt so steeply into the Pretty stretch of river, with ech nd view of old rilwy ridge. 4.2km downstrem of Bouziès (D662) t crossrods elow the villge, y the us stop, find trck 150m to river nd smll islnd with ech. Grotte de l Iffernet is spooky ruined mill nd sesonl resurgence uilt into the eves of the riverside cliffs just downstrem off the D10 ( , ). Or swim cross y continuing on riverside trck S of Les Msseries (1.4km) then on foot (1km). Vers Smll villge with populr river pools (off D662, , ). There is quieter swimming from opposite nk 400m upstrem. Cross on rod ridge (dir Arcml) ut tke first L fter 200m ck down to river 400m ( , ). Returning, tke first L fter 100m nd continue 1km to Plniol lock for swimming elow ( , ). Impressive wlkwy crved into cliffs longside river. Good jumps, ut give wy to ots coming in to moor. The only plce with ccess to the wter is set of stone steps midwy. Wlk S from Bouziès 1km on GR36, eyond old rilwy ridge. Or pproch from St-Cirq-Lpopie on lower rod, pst Ancien Moulin (swimming possile elow loch), nd continue 2.5km to find prking t Gnil, then 800m on foot. St-Cirq-Lpopie ech is 100m downstrem of rod ridge ( , ) y! de l Plge ( E ), ccessed y trck off D8, 100m upstrem of ridge. Or drive cross ridge, turn L on to D662 nd L gin fter 1.4km (Br L Oïlo) to find river ech with fine views ( , ). Bouziès riverside prk hs deep wter nd drmtic white cliffs. Turn into prking re for ot trips ut er R for picnic re. ( , ). Fine swimming t the weir with view of the eutiful châteu ove. Heding E on D662 tke first R fter L Toulznie, continue 600m then turn R t cross rods on to trck. Prk nd wlk to river (50m) nd continue L long shore (300m). Also simple swimming from riverside! Grnd Pré on D8 ( E ) on rod to châteu. Clvignc is lofty villge with swimming elow. Resturnt, L Terrsse Romntique R hs mzing views (E ). Cross N to Lrngol on D143, turn R on D662 then er R fter 200m down on to minor rod. Continue 900m to lovely wooded river ys ( , ). Crégols hs swimming from opposite nk, y lock nd mooring pontoon. 1.3km upstrem from St-Cirq-Lpopie ridge (D662) turn R (t house nd stone cross) then L on trck to find river y 200m ( , ). 206 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron 207

4 146c espgnc Swimming ner the cmpsite 142 les msseries Looking downstrem from the smll islnd ech 144 chteu de cévenières With picnic ot from Bouziès 208 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron

5 d Ner Corn 146c Espgnc cliff fce tht the door of one house virtully opens on to the terrcott-tiled roof of nother. Time your visit for lte in the dy when the tour uses hve deprted. And for the est view of the villge, swim out from the opposite nk nd peer up t its ruined cstle perched on the crg 143. Downstrem t Bouziès, there re more drmtic cliffs 143 nd you cn lso hire dinky little picnic ot with frilly cnopy nd engine. These cn just out rech the eutiful river section elow the Châteu de Cévenières 144, the finl limit of nvigtion on the Lot. Occupying nother rocky cliff top, this châteu ws the se for the gret sck of Chors in 1580 nd the city s cthedrl ltr is sid to lie somewhere on the river ottom fter the ooty ot cpsized on its wy ck from the ttle. At Clvignc 144 you cn enjoy otfree swimming on the river, then visit the ttrctive town of Cjrc, once home to President Pompidou. Running prllel nd to the north, the Célé is nrrower, wilder river thn the Lot. Its mjor tourist ttrction is the gret cvern, the Grotte du Pech-Merle, one of the most spectculr sites for prehistoric cve pintings fter Lscux. Next to the cve, Crerets hs populr river ech with weir 145 nd you cn swim in the mill pond t Fontine Célé nd Middle Lot 145 crerets lt long: , wlk in: 2 mins, esy Very populr swimming ove weir on river Célé. Cliffs for jumping nd ech elow. Grotte du Pech-Merle is ove. Descend opposite oulngerie Moulin u Fournil. Downstrem (1.3km/D41) re twin rock islnds nd smll riverside! Cntl ( E ). Fontine de l Pesclerie with its tiny mill house offers lrge pool in river elow, vi trck 50m downstrem ( , ). Continue upstrem 1km, pst wcky Musée d Insolite (Liuzu) nd find footridge to Les Peyrugues, with weir nd ech eyond ( , ). Sulic-sur-Célé 800m efore the villge (elow Châteu de St-Geniez) is populr picnic re with fmily ech nd sncks ( , ). 500m further, short pth leds to river. Continue 200m for frm trck leding to crved river cliffs nd grottoes ( , ). 146 mrcilhc lt long: , wlk in: 3 mins, esy Bech nd picnic re with shllow swimming ove weir, elow ncient ey on river Célé. Excellent fmily-run R Cfé des Touristes (E ). Ressel Resurgence 1.1km upstrem from Mrcilhc elow lyy on R (L Blme). Short pth nd steps led down to river glde with swing. Swim 50m upstrem nd deep qutic cve opens up in river ed eneth you. Cold ut wow! ( , ). St-Sulpice Pretty picnic re 1.7km upstrem, on opposite nk. Cross ridge in villge, turn R nd continue 600m on dirt trck ( , ). c Espgnc with its ey is 8km upstrem nd offers pddling from elow ridge ( , ). Riverside! Le Moulin Vieux, 1.5km efore, hs mzing, deep gorges ( , ). d Moulin de Goudou is 7km upstrem, signed just efore Corn. Pretty pool eneth ridge ( , ). 147 Below Sut de l Mounine 147 sut de l mounine, lot lt long: , wlk in: 3 mins, moderte South-fcing ech with shde eneth gret cliffs, on the Lot ner Montrun. Upstrem of Cjrc, 1.5km eyond Montrun, turn R off D662 y us stop t Cillc, (dir Cloupette/L Brsquie). Continue stright for 1km, down trcks to river. Montrun weir is signed L Treille off D662, 1km upstrem of Montrun ( , ).! Les Cournoulises (E ) with tipis nd sfri tents is 500m downstrem of Montrun ( , ). Doucet 2.5km upstrem hs wooded ech elow loch nd weir. Turn off rod y old rn (dir St-Affre), pss eneth nrrow rilwy ridge, first L then first R on to dirt trck to river ( , ). c Pont de l Mdeleine is on min D822 S of Figec, out 14km upstrem. Find weir 1km downstrem of ridge on D86 ( , ). Deep, remote section for long swims. 210 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron 211

6 146 ressel resurgence River glde 147 montrun Riverside tipis 146 mrcilhc Swimming eneth the ruined ey 212 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron 213

7 148 Dourdou confluence ner Conques 149 Cmping Coursvy de l Pesclerie, little further upstrem. The old mill, uilt eneth the mountin overhng to cpture the wters tht well up from underground 145, is stonishingly smll. Beyond the tunnel, on the djcent cliff wll, old ikes nd mnnequins hng precriously ove the rod. These re prt of the disply of the eccentric Musée de l Insolite (Museum of the Unusul), where junk is turned into rt. Aove delightful Mrcilhc 146 we chnced upon nother unusul phenomenon. Stopping to the t quiet wooded glde with rope swing on the river Célé, we wded nd swm upstrem, snorkelling in the cler wter in serch of river trout long the wy. Suddenly, the temperture seemed to drop nd I found myself looking down through my goggles into gret yss. The river ed hd literlly fllen wy nd huge deeppurple hole eneth me ws sending up wves of freezing wter. I ws pretty lrmed when shdowy form egn to pper from the depths nd soon found I hd compny in the shpe of cve diver. We hd chnced upon the Ressel resurgence 146, cve spring in the ed of the shllow river tht is connected to prts of the Pech-Merle cve system. You cn continue swimming on the Célé, up to Corn d or hed for the wonderfully preserved town of Figec y Upper Lot 148 st-prthem lt long: , wlk in: 2 mins, esy Pretty villge with long riverside trck to mny swimming options (D42). Try the min picnic re, signed Mison de l Rivière, Pique Nique off min street. Crnéjc is tiny hmlet with little known wide S fcing ech. 4km upstrem of St-Prthem (D42), turn R nd follow trck down 200m nd prk t frmyrd y polytunnels ( , ). Dourdou confluence Just efore D901, turn R into cfé R (with ech nd cnoes ) then immeditely L down trck, under ridge, nd find swim spot with diving oulder fter 300m ( , ) with old Pont de Coursvy ove. c Grnd-Vre 1.2km up D901, turn steeply R (dir L Lurentie), cross tiny Pont du Miquel (pddling eneth in Dourdou) nd turn R. Continue 2.2km to find trck on R to lush wter medow ordering the Lot ( , ). 149 le tchier lt long: , wlk in: 1 min, esy A one-house hmlet with tiny ech nd deep pool opposite rock fce. 2.3km upstrem from Conques junction, (D141) just efore Le Tchier sign, nd y yellow EDF flooding sign. Smll riverside! Coursvy (E ) is 600m efore with ech nd tethered swimming islnd ( , ). St-Projet 1km upstrem hs lrge, shdy, riverside picnic re with pddling ( , ). Les Soulou is 2km eyond St-Projet (D141). 50m fter villge sign, nd 50m efore ins, turn R down trck to ech with lovely deep pool nd rock fce opposite ( , ). Continue 400m to delightful nd historic villge, Vieillevie, for refreshment nd ccommodtion. Montrnl A quiet riverside setting, with châteu. Cross river t Vieillevie nd continue 3km upstrem ( , ). 150 l dze lt long: , wlk in: 2 mins, esy Here, strem joins the Lot forming deep pool, rpids nd river tuing for the rve! 2.3km eyond Le Port cnoehire centre, find short, steep trck down to wter from rod. You cn swim cross to the smll white snd ech on the opposite shore. Portez hs good ech with rocks for jumping ( , ). 4.5km upstrem from L Dze or 4.5km downstrem from Entrygues. Chpelle del Dol sits eneth the rod on reservoir, 12km S of Entrygues (D920). There is gret jumping rock ut mke sure you cn clim ck out gin ( , ). c Pomyrols offers deep pool nd ech in remote countryside, 45km E of Entrygues (12km from A75/J40). Over ridge, 200m up hill then into field y stone cross ( , ). 214 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron 215

8 151 entrygues-sur-truyere At the meeting of the Truyere nd Lot. You cn swim downstrem of the ridge. 152B couyrc cliff River Aveyron 153 czls 216 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron 217

9 Brousses Czls returning south to the eutiful Lot vlley, upstrem from Cjrc. Along this peceful stretch of the Lot, you cn enjoy wonderful swimming in open countryside, with long shdy nks nd silent wters. On the lrge loop of the river, eneth the cliff known s Sut de l Mounine (Lep of the Monkey), we swm for mny hours under scorching sun nd didn t see soul 147. Legend hs it tht the lord of the châteu t Montrun 147 ws so incensed when he herd his dughter plnned to mrry n unsuitle youth, tht he ordered her thrown from the cliff. A shepherd sved her life y dressing monkey in her clothes nd flinging the niml into the wter. On the upper reches of the Lot, out 20 kilometres upstrem, the limestone cliffs hve disppered nd, eyond St-Prthem 148, more rugged, mountinous lndscpe opens up. Don t miss the medievl villge of Conques on the Dourdou c, which hs stunning Romnesque ey, then continue further up the Lot to explore n idyllic stretch of river tht is perfect for cnoeing nd swimming On this section, there re relxed villges, such s Vieillevie, nd quiet riverside rod tht invites you to stop nd dip in t lmost every turn. Truyère & Aveyron 151 izguette lt long: , wlk in: 2 mins, esy Grssy ech t this tiny lkeside villge. Spectculr views of the dmmed Truyère vlley. 6km N of Entrygues (D904), turn R t Couesque (dir Brrge EDF, Izguette). Rod clims nd then descends (4km), then turn off R (dir Izguette) nd descend to slipwy nd lke shore. You cn lso swim from field on opposite shore ( , ). Access vi D572 N of Entrygues nd Cmpouriez. Le Lucdou is 1.3km further long the shore from Izguette. Prk on edge of tiny, remote hmlet. Field leds down to lke shore on R ( , ). Brrge de l Bromme 15km further up the Truyère vlley (D621) this eerie ruined dm hs deep pools ove nd elow, nd further pools upstrem long the Bromme gorges. Access vi pth descending from ehind electricity sttion t Rueyres ( , ). 152 runiquel lt long: , wlk in: 2 mins, esy Swimming t weir, on lower section of Aveyron river, ner A20, with views to clifftop châteu. Heding E on D115, turn L cross river elow Bruniquel (efore D1 junction). Turn immeditely L gin (véloroute sign) nd continue 1km to house on R. Trck to weir is on L. Penne 6km upstrem, with châteu on cliff ove, hs fmily-friendly ech nd shllows elow ridge ( , ). Continue 700m downstrem to ruined mine. Couyrc cliffs offer secluded swimming, with ledges ove wter. 4.4km upstrem from Penne (D115), prk on L 100m efore tunnel nd find steep short pth down to river ( , ). Suspension footridge spns river 200m downstrem. 153 czls lt long: , wlk in: 2 mins, esy Fmily-friendly ech y old mill nd fun weir for river tuing. Cnoe hire. 6km upstrem of Penne (D115) turn L over ridge nd then drop down R under ridge to riverside trck. Brousses 2km upstrem, just efore nother tunnel, turn L on to the old rod (D115) nd strt climing. After 900m, on third hirpin, find trck on L leding down to river ech ( , ). Mnjo Cfé Continue 4.5km further on D115 to find huge oulder in the river perfect for jumping nd swimming nd chilled-out cfé R ( , ). 4km W of St-Antonin-Nole-Vl. c Njc is cliff-top medievl villge 30km upstrem (NW of St-Antonin). Good swimming downstrem of lower ridge vi trck ( , ), or ove higher ridge ( , ). 218 Lot, Célé nd Aveyron 219