Tour of the Monts d'Aubrac (Lozère-Aveyron-Cantal)

Starting in Aumont-Aubrac, in the Lozère department, the trail ventures into transhumance territory. Passing through Saint-Laurent-de-Muret and Les Enfrux, hikers discover a landscape of endless pastures dotted with granite boulders and burons, the stone shelters where cheese was once made. The arrival in Laguiole, in the Aveyron department, famous for its cutlery-making expertise, marks a major cultural milestone. The path then crosses Saint-Urcize, a charming village in the Cantal department. Nature here is wild and fragile, sheltering exceptional flora such as the sundew and the sulfur anemone in the wetlands. Between Recoules-d'Aubrac and Fourmels, the silence is broken only by the tinkling of Aubrac cowbells. Heritage is revealed in secluded hamlets like La Brugère and La Croze, where the massive stone architecture withstands the harsh winters.

The Aubrac Mountains, a vast basalt plateau shared between the Lozère, Aveyron, and Cantal departments, are characterized by their immense pastures dotted with granite boulders and burons, traditional stone shepherd's huts where cheese was once made. The history of the Aubrac is inextricably linked to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, with the Dômerie d'Aubrac welcoming pilgrims as early as the 12th century in this then-inhospitable environment. Nature reigns supreme here, especially in spring when the plateau is carpeted with daffodils and narcissi as far as the eye can see. The living heritage is embodied in the famous Aubrac cow with its distinctive markings, the queen of the summer pastures, which graces the traditional fairs. In autumn, the stag's bellow echoes through the beech forests surrounding the plateau, adding to the wild atmosphere of the place.

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Distance: 166km, Elevation maximum: 1425m, Elevation minimum: 792m, Elevation gain uphill: 3530m
IGN Maps: Nasbinals - 2537OT. Sainte-Eulalie d'Olt - 2538OT. Saint-Chely-D'Apcher - 2637O.