Randonnée du Cirque d'Autoire

Walk : slightly difficult MB : impossible Riding : impossible Ski : impossible Handicapped : impossible

Flora : trees and forest Earth : panorama Patrimony : Middle Ages

	Randonnée du Cirque d'Autoire
Office de tourisme du pays de St-Céré - http://www.tourisme-saint-cere.com, contact: info@tourisme-saint-cere.com

A hike in the region Midi-Pyrénées

In this hike, you will discover the marvelous country of Autoire. You will visit several sites, as a waterfall and a picturesque old castle. When coming back to the village, you will enjoy a beautiful sight of Autoire and the valley.

1- Walk past the hotel, and continue on the road to the right which leads to the waterfall.
2- At the first bend, take the rising track on the left up to the small chapel Saint-Roque. Turn to the right on a footpath which progressively rises on the hillside towards the waterfall.
3- A narrow path on the right leads to the foot of the waterfall. The route continues up to a road.
4- At the road, step over the low wall, turn to the right, and continue up to the car park.
5- Cross the brook to the right, and rise up to the plateau.
6- From there, go to the right on a wide track which runs along the border of the plateau.
7- As the track gets narrow, go to the left and walk along the cliff (on the right, a path goes to a ruined castle, known as "the castle of English").
8- At the crossing, turn to the right. Go down up to find a narrow road near a former quarry.
9- Continue straight ahead. At the crossroads, turn to the right. Go straight, cross the brook, and continue on a narrow road on your right, which leads to Autoire. Walk past the church and get back to the starting point.

Information

General points

Geographic situation. District : Autoire (department Lot, canton Saint-Céré)
Road map with
Starting point : Fountain Place.
The length of the stroll is estimated at 4,5 Km and the walk duration is about 2 h .
The stroll is marked out all along
Stroll form : loop
Stroll relief : hilly (alt. mini = 134 m ; alt. maxi = 396 m)
Maintenance : regular (right brushwood clearing)
Exposure : varied (both covered and uncovered areas)

Noteworthy places

Autoire. The village is nested in a small valley bordered by high cliffs. It can be said that Autoire is a village of character, with its old houses, the private castles of Limargue and Busqueille, the manor of Laroque-Delprat and the Romanesque church. The site includes also a castle built on a special place, a 33 meters height waterfall, and a great panorama.

Château des Anglais. The castle of English was built against the rock face, under a huge overhanging rock which seems to shelter it. It was built by the Lord of Loubressac to serve as a watchtower to keep watch over the brook, which was then the border of his territory. During the end of the XIVth century it was seized by the mercenaries of the king, meanwhile they ravaged the country. They changed this castle as a refuge for bandits. The last bandit surrendered in 1588.

Le Cirque d'Autoire. The Cirque of Autoire, with its waterfall, is constituted by imposing cliffs whic border the limestone plateau.

Maps

IGN 2236 O.

Download the PDF document of the hike

Wait a little, meanwhile the PDF document being sent. You can open it with the application Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you haven't yet installed this software, you can download it from Abobe's site

Download Acrobat Reader

Download the route

Download the waypoints file

You can download the waypoints file, which can be used with CartoExploreur or with a GPS.
Further information about waypoints...

Download the waypoints file

Randonnée du Cirque d'Autoire
(code number : STCEAUT02A)