From Causse to Rougier
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From Causse to Rougier
Saint-Affrique

From Causse to Rougier

Agropastoralism
History and heritage
Panorama
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This large loop provides a feeling of change of scene and, in two ascents, carries you from one landscape to another, from the stony scenery of the Causse d’Hermilix to the wine-coloured valleys of the Rougier de Camarès.

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!


5 points of interest
History and heritage

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.

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History and heritage

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.

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Flora

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…
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Panorama

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.

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Small heritage

The del Pas cross

This large metal cross is situated at the junction of paths, which allows a beautiful view over the two sides of the Loubière plateau, the Sorgues side and the Rougiers side.
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Description

  1. The circuit starts smoothly from Saint-Affrique via the green lane towards St-Jean-d’Alcapiès.
  2. 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.
  3. 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
Departure : Tourist Office, Boulevard Aristide Briand in Saint-Affrique
Arrival : Tourist Office, Boulevard Aristide Briand in Saint-Affrique
Towns crossed : Saint-Affrique, Saint-Jean-d'Alcapiès, Saint-Jean-et-Saint-Paul, Versols-et-Lapeyre, Gissac, Vabres-l'Abbaye

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.

Find out more

Access and parking

Saint-Affrique is located 31 km southwest of Millau via the D 992 and D 999 roads.

Parking :

Bus station car park, boulevard Aristide Briand in Saint-Affrique

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:


Close by
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Where to eat ?
Where to sleep ?

Where to sleep ?

Traditional catering or cafeteria-style for groups. Bar with terrace. Outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre. 3 meeting rooms with accommodating 15 to 150 people.


COVID 19 MEASURES

The safety of our clients and our staff is priority number one. In response to the coronavirus disease, we have taken additional health and safety measures to ensure our guests security.

We have strengthened our cleaning team and increased the frequency of disinfection of bedrooms, common areas, hotel private areas and especially areas and facilities used by everyone (entrance hall, lifts (by now unauthorised use), door handles, toilets, Reception Hall, room access cards and others).

•    The staff is currently trained to prevent the spread of the coronavirus by means of new cleaning and disinfection techniques appropriate for today's conditions.

•    We have provided our employees with personal protective equipment.

•    We use specifically recommended cleaning products for the disinfection against COVID 19.

•    The storey's staff will not carry out the daily cleaning in occupied rooms to prevent anyone to entering your room.  

•    Change of bathroom linen will be available at the Reception if needed.

•    Alcohol-based disinfectant hand gel is available to our clients in the Reception Hall and in each floor.

•    Your access badge will be disinfected and placed in an envelope. Upon your leaving, please put it in the box provided for this purpose, in the Reception Hall.

•    A reminder of the appropriate physical distancing measures is displayed in the Reception Hall and on each floor.

•    We have implemented directional floor marking in the Reception Hall and a one-way system has been put in place on each floor.

•    We ensure that clients maintain a safe distance from each other.

We will continue to make sure that cleanliness and hygiene are our top priorities throughout all procedures and thank you for respecting the physical distancing measures (1.5 m).

We thank you, for the trust you put in us and wish you a pleasant stay with us!


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Where to eat ?
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Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
Where to sleep ?
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What to see

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.


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Where to sleep ?