Route details
Description
You will discover a small castle, the path called Chemin des Loups, a beautifully restored hamlet, the Vernhet farmhouse with a dry stone hut and an old washhouse-watering trough on the edge of the stream.
This hike is accessible by Bastibus from the city center of Villefranche de Rouergue.
This hike is marked GR (white and red), then PR (yellow) and GR (white and red) again for the return. The marking is done by volunteers from the Villefranche de Rouergue hiking association: Lo Caminaïre. There is a topo-guide of 25 hikes produced and published by this same association and called “En Pays Villefranchois”
To see all the hikes in Villefranche de Rouergue, here.
Your itinerary
Step 1: Bastipark Croix de Pollier car park
You can go to the starting point by Bastibus or park your car in the Bastipark car park. Exit the car park on your right and at the big crossroads (watch out for traffic) do not take either left or right but opposite the small road called chemin de la Romiguière. This section is marked in red and white, you are on the GR36. Continue until the next intersection.
Step 2: On the way to Compostela: Le Conques – Toulouse
At this intersection, take the GR36 on the left, chemin de Malacourse, towards Najac and not towards Laramière (you will come back this way later). When you reach a road, the D89, take it on the right, follow the route de La Rouquette for 150 metres. Cross the Malpas stream, take the chemin du Puech between the two fir trees, to the left of the house. Go up and observe a small hut on your right. Continue following the red and white GR markings. A tarmacked section leads to the route de La Rouquette. Cross, follow the GR36 for about 900 metres.
Step 3: Leave the Camino de Santiago and head towards Mas de Vernhet
At the intersection, turn right (yellow PR markings), the path called Chemin des Loups.
After 600 meters, turn right until you reach a road. Turn right towards Mas de Vernhet (a few meters on the road). In the center of the farmhouse, just behind the dry stone building, you will find a drinking water point against the low wall. At the cross (stone calvary), turn left, towards Chemin d'Hugon (dead end), then right, towards Chemin du Malpas, behind the house with the dovecote. When you reach the washhouse, go past it. It is on your left.
Step 4: Follow the Malpas and return to the car park
After the washhouse, turn right and stay on this wide track. Do not take the GR (red and white markings); it is the GR36 which goes towards Savignac and Laramière.
Follow the GR36 markings in the direction of Villefranche de Rouergue, that is to say along the Malpas stream on its left bank for 1.7 km. Find a tarmac road, continue straight ahead on the tarmac road. After 10 meters, turn left, the small path that goes up to find a little further the Chemin de la Romiguière and the intersection of the start of the circuit. Continue straight ahead to return to the crossroads with Avenue du 8 Mai and Avenue de la Libération. Be careful of traffic when crossing. Your parking is opposite at Bastipark.
