From Causse to Rougier
The circuit features moderate difficulties, only a few sections where you need to shoulder the bike on the Loubière plateau, a surprising natural wall stretching beneath the Causse sky. The loop begins with a green lane and gently ascends to the upland before switching between tracks and roads. An accessible outing throughout colourful landscapes!
Caussaunejouls Lavogne
How a lavogne works is very easy to understand; imagine a gigantic upturned umbrella that collects rainwater!
In the beginning, there was a natural pond with impervious clay soil. This small pond was a real boon for people who quickly set these watering sources up as they were so critical on the causses where water seeps into the cracked limestone. First, they tiled the inside of the pond and finished off the work by laying paving stones around the edge of the pond to preserve the water quality and prevent gullying due to the large flocks trampling the soil when the sheep come to drink.
The pond tiling was made either with lauzes, flat stones or with paving stones laid one after the other.
Once completed, this gigantic upturned umbrella would provide a great variety of animals with a welcoming habitat, just look down over a lavogne and see how it swarms and buzzes with life; what a frenzy of activity!
From this lavogne, you will enjoy a stunning view to the north over the Combalou, a residual mound that shelters the Roquefort maturing caves.
Village of Lapeyre
This village was controlled by the Templars Commandery during the 12th century and has kept much of its medieval architecture with its old houses clustered around the Tower. There is also the tombstone of Médora Leig, a daughter of the English poet Lord Byron which you can visit in the graveyard.
Wild orchids
The Aveyron provides contrasting and diverse landscapes that will put a spell on you. During your time hiking on the Causses across these large limestone plateaux which cover an area approximately one-third the size of the entire department, you will enjoy a great variety of flora.
Hike through the dry grasslands which are so typical of these landscapes and provide a rich habitat for numerous orchid species with diverse forms, colors and fragrances: Dark-red Helleborine, Lesser Butterfly-orchid, Man Orchid, Lady Orchid, Fly Orchid and many more…
A view over the Sorgues valley
This path which runs on the southern hillside of one of the Loubière vales will provide you with a wonderful scenic viewpoint over the Sorgues valley and the Frontal Causses.
The del Pas cross
Description
- The circuit starts smoothly from Saint-Affrique via the green lane towards St-Jean-d’Alcapiès.
- Then you have to follow a lovely trail that runs through the causse and leads you to Hermilix, where you will enjoy a 360° scenic view before cycling down towards the Sorgues valley.
- Finally, after a long uphill, you will crisscross the Loubière plateau that offers a stunning view over
the Rougier plains and the castel of Montaigut.
Points of interest:
Hamlet of Hermilix and its lavogne (cycling there and back 200m) Km 13
Village of Lapeyre (heritage) Km 25n
Loubière Plateau (scenic viewpoint) Km 36
Distinctive features:
The bike has to be shouldered for 100 m at km 38
Cycling time according to your level of practice: 2h30 to 4h
Altimetric profile
Information desks
Saint-Affrique Tourist Office
Boulevard Aristide Briand, 12400 Saint-Affrique
http://www.roquefort-tourisme.fr/
contact@roquefort-tourisme.fr
0565585600
OPENING TIMES:
The Tourism Office is open all year round, the opening hours are:
·July and august:
From Monday to Saturday: 9h – 13h & 15h – 19h
Sunday: 9h – 13h
·From September to June:
From Tuesday to Saturday: 9h – 13h & 14h – 17h
Closed: Sundays, Mondays and bank holidays
From November to April, the office is also closed on Saturday afternoon.
Access and parking
Saint-Affrique is located 31 km southwest of Millau via the D 992 and D 999 roads.
Parking :
Report a problem or an error
If you have found an error on this page or if you have noticed any problems during your hike, please report them to us here:
What to see
At its entrance, is a 180 million-year-old complete skeleton of an extinct marine dinosaur, the Occitanosaurus tournemirensis which was discovered fossilized in the “grey clay soils.”
The ecologically Sensitive Natural Space (SNS) of the Tournemire amphitheatre which is situated in the village of the same name, stretches over an area of approximately 130 ha and marks the boundary between the frontal causses and the causse du Larzac. This area has a remarkable environmental importance due to the geomorphology of the site and also owing to several natural habitats of European interest that it provides. This natural space shelters numerous noteworthy bird species: the Eagle Owl, the Golden Eagle, the Common Whitethroat, the Wallcreeper, the Red-billed Chough and some inconspicuous bats. A few plant species well-adapted to the topography, the rock and even sometimes to the Mediterranean climate can be observed: Hoppe's Figwort, Hormathophylla macrocarpa...
The House of Plesiosaur displays the skeleton of the marine reptile (it's a copy, the original is at Millau's museum) along with interpretative panels about the geology, Plesiosaur, flora, birds and bats. It is also the starting point of the Tournemire amphitheatre hiking circuit that enables you to immerse yourself in a unique environment and of the point of departure for the amphitheatre interpretive trail.
"Espace Nature Aveyron" is a mobile application which allows to discover the whole range of animal and plant species living in this ecosystem and to enjoy the SNS stroll.