Circuit rouge n°3 – Descente en noir – VTT – Autour du village et retour par les berges – Najac
Route details
Description
Starting with a pleasant climb to the top of the medieval village of Najac, after a few kilometers that will give you a good impression of one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, you'll discover the Najac forest. With exceptional viewpoints followed by a descent towards the Aveyron River, this route finishes with 6 km of tranquility along the riverbank, offering opportunities for swimming. The descent after Cassagnes is technical and rated as a black trail.
The start of this route is accessible by train via Najac station.
Suitable for mountain bikes, electric mountain bikes, electric hybrid bikes.
Route marked with FFC mountain bike markers + Route n°3 red.
Your itinerary
Step 1: Departure from the circuit and return to the top of the village
You can park along the D39 between the Frégère bridge and the entrance to the campsite and nature base – AAGAC.
If you have rented a bike, depart from the wilderness base.
Leave the bridge behind you, go back towards Najac, D39 – Avenue de la gare until the first intersection.
Step 2: Leave the departmental road
At the intersection take the D239 towards Saint André de Najac.
After the carpooling area and the panorama of the village of Najac, take the first road on your right.
In the housing estate, turn right again then right again on the path.
Continue on this wide track. Do not take the first path on the right which goes down steeply.
Step 3: Direction the viewpoint over the village of Najac
At the intersection of 4 paths, continue opposite.
Arriving under the VVF, take the small path on the right which zig zags down, right then left to a magnificent viewpoint over Najac.
Step 4: Direction the banks of the Aveyron
Leaving the viewpoint on your right, continue straight towards the road inside the VVF. In the VVF, circuits 2 and 3 separate. Take the red 3. After 150 m; on this road, turn right onto a path. Cycle for 10 m then at this point, 2 possibilities either left towards the hamlet of Cassagnes or right (Circuit Les Moulins). Choose the small path, the one on the left which goes down. When you reach the road, turn right towards the hamlet of Cassagnes. Turn right onto the wide path which runs alongside the fields before going down towards the Aveyron gorges. Go under the SNCF bridge.
Step 5: Walk along the river and towards the Saint Blaise bridge
Follow the river for 6 km via a beautiful shaded path.
A little further on, you will discover a first mill in ruins, that of Ferragut then that of Auribal, still in good condition. The path runs along the railway line with magnificent works of art on the section from Monteils to Laguépie.
After this mill, the path becomes an asphalt road which joins another road, the D594. Then turn on your left and reach the St Blaise bridge.
Step 6: Continue following the river to reach your starting point
Do not cross the bridge. Take the small path on the right that descends and allows you to follow the river through a field. Please remain discreet, this section is private; the owner allows the passage of hikers and cyclists. Continue up the river, on the left bank until you arrive at the nature base. Drive slowly because there are people in season and many children on site. Cross the base, pass in front of the restaurant, the campsite reception and take the small road that goes up. Return to the start.
To discover nearby
