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ENGLISH CHANNEL TO MEDITERRANEAN

France - Correze to Aveyron

SIXTH SECTION 10 to 23 NOVEMBER 2011. Allasac (Correze) to Severac le Chateau (Aveyron) by GR 46, 65, 620 & 6 - 294Km = 184miles.

Two weeks of dry and unseasonably mild autumn weather across regularly changing terrain and many rivers. Deep valleys and heavily wooded hills mixed with open limestone plateaux - Causses. Lots of cattle and sheep, good food, local wines and accommodation.

We started at Allasac on the River Vezere and passed to the west of Brive on the GR 46, crossing the Vezere again at Panteleon de Larche to the pretty holiday village of Chasteaux with a striking chateau and a lake from where we climbed steeply in hot sun onto causse through lavender and thyme. Passed enormous limestone quarries to reach Noailles. From here it was great walking on the rolling terrain of oak, chestnut and walnut woods. Difficult trails, one of which was blocked by briars and it took some time to get out of a sunken trail into a field, through a farm and onto a lane to reach Turenne set atop a conical hill. Pretty town. After coffee in a rugby supporter's bar we pressed on south with great views to the south-east - chateaux, deep combes, woods and stony paths. Through L'Hospitalet St Jean where the 13th century church built by crusaders was gifted to the town after the plague and then dedicated to local saint St Roch. Martel has a beautiful mediaeval centre which we experienced while still empty in the early morning. Our route on the GR 46 was diverted to cross the R Dordogne at Meyronne due to bridge repairs at Gluges. Lovely limestone escarpment trails all day to reach Rocamadour set spectacularly in the Alzou Gorge. This is a beautiful village totally given over to tourists and bereft of residents. Long trek, now on the GR 6, up the gorge past a series of 18th century mills especially the substantial Moulin du Saut built tight into the narrow cleft at the top of the gorge. The river is almost dry now but once it was strong enough to drive the mills. Followed the river into the run-down town Gramat and on to La Chappelle Marival through causses and fields. Southwards across farmland to Figeac, attractively sited on the River Célé. Nice old centre and riverfront.

Now picked up one of the pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela but going east away from Spain. Now lots of watering places provided by churches sometimes with somewhat gross religious iconography. The route took us eastwards towards the higher ground of the Massif Centrale through farmland and across the River Lot at Livinhac le Haut to the mining area around Decazeville with scarred hillsides overgrown with bracken and heather. Some mining continues. We climbed slowly to reach Conques a well-preserved mediaeval village tucked into a deep valley against the hill and listed by UNESCO. Now through wilder hilly farmland to reach the Lot again beyond Golinhac and Espeyrac. Large beech, chestnut and oak forests giving great views from the sharp ridges to the mountains of Aubrac to the east ahead of us. Saw herons, kites, buzzards, a kingfisher, sheep, goats and cattle. Beyond Espalion at St Come d'Olt we left the Gorge of the Lot to climb southwards and away from the pilgrim route through the dark volcanic village Roquelaure (693m) first on the GR620 and then along lanes to St Geniet d'Olt. On the way we passed through Ste Eulalie d'Olt, possibly the village with the least restored mediaeval buildings we have seen anywahere in Europe - quite stunning. Now followed the Lot again and upriver to Banassac and the lively village of La Canourgue. From here we continued south back on the GR6 which emerged from Monts d'Aubrac past the huge white Madonna above the village to climb onto the Causse de Sévérac riven by the new motorway to Millau and the Mediterranean. Beautiful stretch from here to Sévérac le Chateau through limestone cliffs and trails and forests - deciduous, pine and scrub. Very quiet with just the occasional farm. Climbed through wild lavender, juniper and rose bushes to 920m before dropping through farmland to the rather poor looking old town, Sévérac le Chateau, with the chateau-castle atop the mediaeval centre.

DISTANCE FROM ENGLISH CHANNEL (LA MANCHE) – 1580Km = 988miles