Overview
Walk in the Aveyron region of France over eight days and discover one of France’s lesser-known regions of top class cultural and natural heritage. Located in the Occitanie region of southern France, start off in Les Vignes, a small village in Gorges du Tarn with glorious GR6 and GR736 hiking routes along the Tarn River. Followed by trails through the region’s grand causses, which are vast limestone plateaus with panoramic views. There are some fine examples of ancient architecture en route, such as troglodyte villages of Saint-Marcellin and Eglazines, medieval hilltop villages and fortifications built by the Knights Templar. Stay in small, locally-owned accommodations, with luggage transfers.
- Gorges du Tarn
- Parc Naturel Régional des Grands Causses
- La Sablière
- Troglodyte villages of Saint-Marcellin and Eglazines
- Ermitage Saint-Michel
- Nant
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Les Vignes
Arrive in Les Vignes, a small village in Gorges du Tarn, located on the slopes of the Causse de Sauveterre limestone plateau at approximately 400m. Les Vignes faces the Causse Méjean and takes its name from the vineyards cultivated there in the 18th century. Depending on arrival time, explore the village at your leisure or take advantage of the various paddling activities available along the Tarn River.
- Accommodation: Hotel-Restaurant Le Parisien or similar in Les Vignes
Day 2: Les Vignes – Le Rozier/Peyreleau | 13km
Today’s trail follows the Tarn River through a section of Gorges du Tarn, the aforementioned 43km canyon which lies between Causse Méjean and Causse de Sauveterre. From Les Vignes, the route follows the GR6 and GR736 along the river toward Le Rozier, passing cliffs, forests and small villages, with opportunities to stop for a swim in the clear waters of the Tarn before reaching Le Rozier, where the Tarn meets the Jonte River.
- Accommodation: La Grange Templière or similar in Le Rozier or Peyreleau
- Walking for the day: 13km, ↑190m, ↓190m
- Meals: breakfast
Day 3: Le Rozier circular walk | 17.5km
This circular route passes through the villages of Saint-Marcellin and Églazines, known for their ancient cave dwellings in strategic locations along the cliffs of the Gorges du Tarn. The route ascends past Églazines before continuing along a balcony trail with panoramic views towards Saint-Marcellin. From here, the path climbs to a plateau before descending towards the village of Liaucous, offering views over the valley as you return to Peyreleau.
- Accommodation: La Grange Templière or similar in Le Rozier or Peyreleau
- Walking for the day: 17.5km, ↑630m, ↓630m
- Meals: breakfast
Day 4: Le Rozier – Veyreau | 12km
Start with a steep ascent onto Causse Noir, a vast limestone plateau typical of central and southwestern France. Characterised by its arid terrain and deep valleys, Causse Noir’s name refers to the dark colour of the pine forests that once covered the plateau. The path then follows a ledge trail above the Gorges de la Jonte as far as Saint-Jean-de-Balmes Priory, before continuing to tonight’s accommodation in Veyreau.
- Accommodation: Auberge de Cadenas or similar in Veyreau
- Walking for the day: 12km, ↑791m, ↓322m
- Meals: breakfast and dinner
Day 5: Veyreau – Nant | 16.5 km
Today’s stage heads through the rocky landscapes of Causse du Larzac, beginning with a walk through the pine forests of Causse Noir before reaching the rocky landscape of Roquesaltes, with its historical farms and large stone formations. The route continues on to Corniche du Rajol, from which you gain expansive views of Gorges de la Dourbie and Larzac. Descend to La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite which is a perfect rest spot to visit the church or relax by the river. The day concludes with a short transfer to the accommodation in Nant.
- Accommodation: Hotel des Voyageurs or similar in Nant
- Walking for the day: 16.5 km, ↑100m, ↓765m
- Meals: breakfast
Day 6: Nant – La Gare aux Ânes | 10.5 km
Follow the GR71 through Parc Naturel Régional des Grands Causses, an area rich in medieval heritage. The trail begins in Nant, known as the Garden of Aveyron for its agricultural transformation by Benedictine monks who drained the area’s swamps and built irrigation canals. You have time today to explore Nant’s landmarks, such as Eglise-abbatiale St Pierre de Nant, Eglise Saint-Jacques and the 14th-century Pont de La Prade before continuing through the village and along canals as far as La Gare aux Ânes.
- Accommodation: Hôtel La Gare Aux Ânes or similar in La Gare aux Ânes
- Walking for the day: 10.5 km, ↑395m, ↓100m
- Meals: breakfast and dinner
Day 7: La Gare Aux Anes – Le Caylar | 17km
Today’s route takes you through the natural and cultural heritage of the Larzac plateau, shaped by the Templars and Hospitallers who established fortified settlements and cultivated the land, leaving a lasting mark on the region’s landscape and architecture. From La Gare Aux Anes, the route heads towards La Couvertoirade, a fortified 13th-century. Continue through more causse landscape to The Commandery, seat of the Templars and the Hospitallers. The route continues past Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux and the fortified village of Saint-Jean d’Alcas before concluding in Le Caylar, known for its sculpted tree and the viewpoint at Le Roc de Caylar.
- Accommodation: Le Barry du Grand Chemin or similar in Le Caylar
- Walking for the day: 17km, ↑200m, ↓236m
- Meals: breakfast
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
- Meals: breakfast
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism.
Click to view sample hotels
- Hotel-Restaurant Le Parisien (Les Vignes)
- La Grange Templière (Le Rozier or Peyreleau)
- Auberge de Cadenas (Veyreau)
- Hotel des Voyageurs (Nant)
- Hôtel La Gare Aux Ânes (La Gare aux Ânes)
- Le Barry du Grand Chemin (Le Caylar)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide you with the exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days and dinner is included on days four and six. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. When no dinner is included, this can be purchased either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate and is suitable for regular walkers with most days offering 4-6h of walking. The routes cover a variety of terrain, including main tracks and rocky paths, with some days involving a couple of moderate ascents and descents (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April until October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date within the season.
The Aveyron region generally experiences mild to warm weather. Spring and Autumn temperatures range between 10–18°C, with occasional rain. Summer temperatures generally range between 25–30°C, with plenty of sunshine, so we recommend beginning your walks early to avoid the mid-day heat. For more information, please read our Best time to go to France blog.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
The advised airport to fly into and out of is Aéroport de Montpellier (MPL) or Aéroport Rodez-Aveyron (RDZ).
By train or bus
- From Aéroport de Montpellier, take the Navette Aéroport line 620 bus to Place de l’Europe (20mins) before taking Tram line 1 to reach the Mosson stop (10mins). From here, take the liO Occitanie line 234 bus to Millau (1h 30mins) before taking the liO Occitanie line 215 to Les Vignes (1h)
- From Aéroport Rodez-Aveyron, take a taxi to the centre, then take the liO Occitanie line 214 bus to Millau (1h 30mins). From here take the liO Occitanie line 215 to Les Vignes (1h)
- Private transfers can be arranged from your arrival airport upon request
- The departure town of Le Caylar is serviced by the liO Occitanie line 681 bus which goes to both Montpellier (1h 30mins) and Millau (1h)
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- 2 dinners
- Daily baggage transfers (one piece per person, max 15kg)
- Transfer to the accommodation in Nant on Day 5
- Tour materials: detailed roadbook including maps (digital format), a navigation app for smartphones and GPS tracks
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- International flights and land transfers
- Dinners not mentioned as included
- Lunches and, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Additional travel-related changes in the programme due to bad weather
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Arrival transfers from Montpellier or Rodez Airport (please be advised that we are currently unable to provide departure transfers)
- Extra nights in Montpellier
