THE WINDMILLS
FROM QUERCY
Length - 20 km Duration - 5.5 hours Altitude difference - 460 m Access - Pedestrian and mountain bike Departure - Belvedere Level - Easy Marking - Yellow Heritage interest - dovecotes on pillars, Chapel of Carcès, village of Bouloc, windmills, character house Landscape Interest - orchids, floristic originality of clay-limestone soils, rare and protected species (flowering in Spring, picking prohibited), viewpoints |
From the Barguelonne valley to the Séoune valley, this route offers a good reading of the landscape of the Pays de Serres region (alternating valleys and plateaus) and multiple viewpoints.
Usually this hike starts Promenade de l'Eveillée in the village of Lauzerte and joins the road that leads to the Belvédère. You can leave directly from the hotel, you just have to join the loop by taking the paved road that leads to the Belvedere in the opposite direction. It is advisable to complete this route by mountain bike (about 2 hours). Take the road again until the crossroads at about 400m. 200m further on, take a path to the right, still on the plateau. After 800m, join another road “Le Clermontois” (former Roman road linking Agen to Cahors), to take to the right for 2km, to the water tower. Just after this water tower, flanked by the old restored windmill of "Pertenaïs", turn left. You can see the village of Bouloc on the right. After a succession of paths and paved roads, descend into the Séoune valley by a small path through the oaks. The path continues to descend to the chapel of Carcès.
After the chapel, take the road on the right and, 100m further on, a path on the left which leads to the Bouloc plateau.
Cross part of the village to take a road south of Bouloc, leave it 100m before the beautiful set of stone buildings of "Castelmauroux" by taking a small path on the right. This path which goes down and up, reaches a tarred road and an old windmill, 1.3km further on.
Take the road to the right: viewpoint over Lauzerte and the Barguelonne valley. 500m later, take a path that descends into the valley, joining a paved road that crosses the hamlet of "Saint Michel".
Take the D2 on the left for 500m and turn right before the Barguelonne bridge. Go along the hotel-restaurant “La Luzerta” and the stadium. Cross the Barguelonne on the left then continue straight up towards Lauzerte. 300m after the following crossing, take a path on the right which goes up to the foot of the ramparts. Finally, to reach the hotel you have the choice between shortening by taking the road that joins St Martin and La Gravelle (in green on the map) or following the rampart to the right then turn left, a place called St Martin Haut. Turn left and join the road that descends into the valley. 100m after a small bridge, take on the left and until the end, the route of an old road stands a half-timbered dovecote on pillars with the village of Lauzerte in the horizon. 100m further on, in the bend at the entrance to the equestrian centre, leave the road and take the small path on the left. This rocky hillside path leads to the plateau to find the small road that will take you back to the Belvedere.
Discover the plan
