This is surely one of the longest data you can discover the various villages and historic castles that this route has. With remarkable views of the plain and Lake Montbel, let yourself be carried along these trails.
28 km
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max. 456 m
min. 325 m
544 m
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Styles : HikingIn the country Public : Occasional hikers |
At Léran, go to the Place des Tilleuls. Beyond there, follow the yellow markers towards the castle which you’ll pass as you stroll down the long avenue of plane trees which will lead you to the cattle farm known as "La Nouvelle".
At this point, carry on up to the left for about 100metres. Half way up the hill side, turn right into the undergrowth and continue until you get to le Hameau de Queille 30 minutes away.
Go past the houses on your right (there are dogs!) and follow the road (one suitable for vehicles) until you come to a cross-roads.
Here the main itinerary suggests you carry on towards Saint Quentin La Tour, but you can turn right instead towards the « Château de Queille ».
Half way along the path, turn right towards the Borde Blanche estate which you reach after 400 metres, and then leave behind you to cut straight accross a field (which sometimes has horses in it) to get to the edge of the wood. Walk through the wood for 800 metres until you pick up the outer wall of le Château de Sibra (on your right the beautiful remains of the adjacent wind mill).
Go along the path between the property and the river Touyre and carry straight on between two fields. Turning round you’ll get the benefit of an outstanding view over the « Château du Sibra » on one side and the « Château de Lagarde » on the other.
When the road meets the path follow it to the left up t the cross-roads where you have to turn right, before Lagarde village. Turn right once more and go over the iron bridge across l’Hers to get to the old railway . This route, which has been made into a Green Pathway, connects to the G.R.7 (marked out in red and white). Going down this road to the right leads you to Camon village after about 3 kilometres walk.
After crossing the big bridge at Camon, leave the road by turning immediately left between the houses. Then turn right towards Le Chiquet (yellow markers)
At Le Chiquet, take the dirt path of the right which leads to Belloc village (note the signs and respect the gates to grazing land).
Once you arrive at the village, stay on the tarmac road on the left for about 3 kilometres and, following the signs, it will lead you to the main ditch of the lac de Montbel dam.
At the dam, bear right along the lake for 4 kilometres until you come to the water sports base at La Régate. The main road then takes you back to Léran.
The architecture of the castle of Léran is a reflection of its long history. Built to be a defensive fortress in the thirteenth century, it was twice damaged during the religious wars and during the Revolution, and each time restored and embellished in the style of the time. What we see today : the slots of the dungeon, gable roofs, turrets, the bartizans evoke medieval architecture, but are actually reconstitutions "à l'ancienne" of 1880. The last squire was Academician Pierre Marie, Duc de Lévis-Mirepoix (1884- 1981), historian and novelist.
The statue of the sainte vierge de l'oratoire has a special story behind it : it was, found on the plains between Camon and Lagarde. It was taken to Lagarde on an oxcart. Since it's been classified as an historical monument, the inhabitants of Lagarde are very attached to it.
Cimbing the steps leading to the top of the observatory affords you a magnificient view over the Tabe massif and the lake.
The castles of Léran, Queille, Saint Quentin La Tour and Sibra
The village of Camon and its fortified abbey
Lake Montbel