A walk above the Lot valley

One of our most rewarding short trails is just 5 km from the world famous abbey at Conques. Just park your car in a lay-by beside the river Lot, take the old red stone Pont de Coursavy across the river and then follow the narrow path that climbs gently through the lightly wooded slopes. As you follow the zig-zag path between the trees, you look back over your shoulder to see the wide sweeping waters of the Lot and the steep valley of the Dourdou that snakes its way off into the distance. Above you the path steepens, but just 20 minutes climbing through the trees brings you to a narrow shoulder where the path divides. Taking the right-hand fork, another short climbs brings you out above the tree line and now high on the walls of the Lot valley. A luxuriant carpet of brightly coloured heather covers the gravely soil, and here and there colourful rock outcrops lean defiantly outwards towards the river. The path, feint but easy to trace, meanders around the rocks, and climbs steadily towards the ridge which it follows for a kilometre or so giving the most fantastic views into and along the valley.

Soon, the trail turns reluctantly away from the Lot and dives down through the wooded slopes of the neighbouring unnamed valley. Here and there, you duck beneath the trunks of trees that have fallen across the trail and the dense woodland comes as a marked contrast to the infinite views from the ridgeway. Through the trees, the distant rush of water grows gradually louder as you approach, but you are almost in the floor of the valley before you catch a glimpse of the waterfall just a few metres to your left. The path emerges into a wide clearing and you are amazed to find that the source of all that noise is a tiny stream you cross by two small stepping stones.

Across the water, the trails turns left, wandering between the trees and gradually making its way up and along the valley side. Soon, more magnificent views open up across the valley and you climb gently towards the ancient village of La Vinzelle. It seems hardly credible that this handful of buildings in the middle of nowhere was once an important village with a powerful castle. Above the 11th century church, you climb the mound that supports the belfry and are amazed to find the massive 1250 kg bell is right there at eye level. Next to the belfry, along the knife-blade ridge that climbs its way up the hillside, there is a trail of tall white crosses – the chemin de croix du Peyral. Below the church the ancient cobbled lanes lead you through the village and down to the fontaine de St. Clair at the gates of the cemetery, and onto a grassy track that winds its way down the hillside towards the stream. Here, alongside another small waterfall, you cross the wooden bridge and follow the zig-zag path up to the top of the hill where it rejoins the route back down to your starting point on the banks of the Lot.