Les Mas du Causse – La Capelle Balaguier
Route details
Description
Your itinerary
Step 1: Start of the hike facing the church
Take the road opposite the church. Do not take the first road on the left at the first cross (or Calvary). Take the second road on the left at the 1nd calvary, direction La Coste. Walk 2 m.
Step 2: Direction Ardennes
Follow left onto the main path which leads to Graves. Then about 400 m., at the crossroads, turn right and arrive at the Périllou farm. At the tarmac, turn left then right towards Ardennes. Cross the hamlet on the right (dovecote with well-preserved skylight) and continue for 400 m on a dirt road.
Step 3: Direction the viewpoint at the Bournac cross
Let the path turn right, go straight for 50 m, then take the Caussenard path on the left which leads to the Bournac cross (panorama of the Mas de Lacombe, the slopes of the Lot, the Margues woods, the cirque de l 'Espinassière).
Step 4: Direction the Bournac fountain then the hamlet of Palaille
Before the D146, turn right onto the Mas de Lacombe road (Bournac fountain restored on the right with slate roof). Before the hamlet turn right and, at the crossroads, continue straight towards Mondonel which you have on the left then continue on the road to Palaille (restored houses). Cross the hamlet (four banal) and head northeast towards the D146. Turn right onto the D146, then left, first road towards Laval for 200 m.
Step 5: Direction the igue
Turn right onto a small path between the boxwoods which leads towards the igue (funnel-shaped depression). Go around to the left and after 200m reach an intersection, turn left and go down into the valley. Cross a stream and turn left to emerge in an open, grazed area. (Attention, shared part with another circuit over 350 m. Do not go on the other hiking circuit "From the banks of the Lot to the Causse" in Salvagnac-Cajarc).
Step 6: Go back up into the shaded valleys and head towards the Templar cross
Turn right along the pastures; the path runs along the right along the first valley of Combel Négre under the boxwoods. Further on, turn right into the Issarts valley, stay on this path and go back up to the plateau. Head right, then go straight on until you reach the Templar cross.
Step 7: From the Templar cross return to the village
From the cross continue on the road opposite, then at the next intersection still opposite (leave the road on your right) so as to find the road taken on the way out. Return to the village of La Capelle – Balaguier by the same route as that taken at the start.