Rayssac hiking trail (short version)
The village of Rayssac, situated at the edge of the Rougier, welcomes you to enjoy a pleasant and shady circuit in an oak woodland, through thickets of white heather (May is the blossoming season). An entire local heritage awaits you: rock tombs, medieval sarcophagi, but also a water bridge which provides evidence of irrigation in the Dourdou plain during the 19th century.
2 points of interest
History and heritageThe Dairy
Part of this building housed the village dairy, which was rented by the Roquefort Société caves. A Société female worker manufactured the cheeses in this premises with the milk collected in the village and the surroundings (around 15 to 20 cheese loaves per day). After that, cheeses were put together and transported by cart once a week to the Roquefort caves.
The dairy ceased to operate in the mid-1950s. From then on, the village people took their milk to the dairy in Vabres l’Abbaye.
- History and heritage
Grauzou aqueduct
During the 19th century, issues related to water shortages were already a topical concern. This is how, as early as 1862, a project for the implementation of an irrigation canal from the Dourdou banks took shape. The man behind this project was Hippolyte Barascud. This controversial 9 km irrigation canal plan came into existence with the initial works beginning around 1865. The canal stretched from Montlaur to the Montet farm (south of Vabres l’Abbaye). This structure built nearby the river was to suffer from the vagaries of the stream. The floods of the Dourdou caused the silting-up of the canal and its deterioration. In the end, this canal was helpful for a little over a century. The costs and the time required to keep it operational outweighed its convenience.
Description
When leaving the carpark, turn right and walk up the single street for 180 m.
- At the stone cross turn to the right, following signs for "Aqueduc direct".
- At the junction with a wider path (trail), head to the right and follow the trail for 300 m up to an intermittent stream.
- After a short ascent, go left and follow the path that runs along the ridge. Turn to the right after 250 m. Walk downhill through an oak grove up to the well restored water bridge.
- Follow the trail for 50 m, then leave it and turn left following the sign "Rayssac par les tombes".
- Walk up the path
- Make a round trip to the tombs, then follow the wide trail.
- At the intersection turn right, then reach the road that leads to the village.
- Departure : Rayssac (Commune de Vabres l'Abbaye)
- Arrival : Rayssac (Commune de Vabres l'Abbaye)
- Towns crossed : Vabres-l'Abbaye
Altimetric profile
Recommandations
Information desks
Avenue de Lauras, 12250 Roquefort/Soulzon
Situated in the Grands Causses Regional Natural Park, the cheese village of Roquefort stretches on the hillside over the famous scree of the Combalou Rock, in southern Larzac. The village is at an elevation of 630 m and has 700 inhabitants.
OPENING PERIODS:
The Tourist Office is open all year round:
- In July and August, Monday to Saturday: 9.30 to 18.30, Sunday: 10.00 to 17.00.
- April, May, June, September, October; Monday to Saturday: 9.30 to 12.15 & 13.00 to 17.30, closed on Sunday.
- January, February, November, December; Monday to Friday: 9.30 to 12.15 & 13.00 to 17.00, closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Transport
Travel by bus or train: https://lio.laregion.fr/
Carpooling : BlaBlaCar, Rézo Pouce, Mobicoop, Idvroom, LaRoueVerte, Roulez malin
Access and parking
From Saint-Affrique/Millau follow the D999 towards Albi, drive through Vabres l'Abbaye and 5 km further on, turn left to reach the village of Rayssac. From Saint-Sernin/Albi follow the road towards Millau, drive across the village of Moulin-Neuf and 500 m further on, turn to the right to reach Rayssac.
Parking :
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