Montlaur: Hiking Trails, Roquefort and Heritage

Montlaur brings together several themes for planning a trip: hiking trails along the Dourdou, the landscapes of the Rougier de Camarès, historic water management and prehistoric sculptures. A Roquefort tasting is also linked to Trail N°30. If you want to plan your stay around a particular interest, you can first compare route length, trail layout and cultural stops.

Hiking routes: distance, duration and difficulty

Trail N°30 Montlaur is a moderately difficult 20.7-kilometre circular route. The stated duration is about 2 hours and 15 minutes. As a circular route, it differs in layout from the “Au bord du cours d'eau” hiking route: this route is 12.97 kilometres long, rated easy and listed as taking about 3 hours and 30 minutes. It is also listed as having 209 metres of elevation gain. Distance, duration, elevation gain and difficulty provide different points of reference for your planning; no single measure automatically tells you which route is right for you.

“Au bord du cours d'eau” starts at Place de l'église and then returns to Montlaur. If you plan to take either route, check local trail conditions before setting out. This keeps the listed route information distinct from the conditions on the day of your visit.

Along the Dourdou, the canal and the Rougier

Trail N°30 runs between the Dourdou plain and the wine-red paths of the Rougier de Camarès. “Au bord du cours d'eau” offers a different perspective: the route follows the Dourdou to Moulin Vieux and runs between the river and the Montlaur irrigation canal. It also reaches a ridge with a view of Château de Montaigut and passes the Statue-Menhir du Mas d’Azaïs. The river, canal, ridge and prehistoric monument provide different points of reference along this route.

The Circuit du Dourdou VTT mountain-bike loop also runs between the Montlaur irrigation canal and the Dourdou, then leads to the red hills of the Rougier. The route includes a short out-and-back detour of about 50 metres to an aqueduct spanning the Graouzou. This makes it easy to consider the view of the structure as a small, separate stretch of trail rather than confusing it with the longer routes.

Waterworks and menhirs

The Aqueduct du Graouzou was built from 1865 as part of a nine-kilometre irrigation canal. The canal irrigated land in Montlaur and the surrounding area. The surviving structure is evidence of local efforts to manage water resources. Its significance lies both in its role within the canal and in the history of water management in the area.

The Statue-Menhir de Saumecourte 2 is associated with Montlaur and was protected as a historic object in 2019. It is held in the archaeological room of Château de Montaigut in Gissac. The bas-relief depicts a male figure and measures 98 centimetres high, 42 centimetres wide and 18 centimetres deep. The prehistoric Statue-Menhir de Saumecourte 3, which is 70 centimetres high, is also in the vicinity of Montlaur: the original is kept at the Maison de la Mémoire de Saint-Affrique, while a copy can be seen on site.

A visit with a Roquefort tasting

Trail N°30 includes a visit to Ferme des Vignots. Visitors can tour the farm and taste Roquefort made from the farm’s milk. The connection between the farm and the product is a direct one: the tasting is part of a visit to the farm. If you plan to stop here, confirm the booking details in advance, as they may change.

Discover more destinations: Verrières, Coubisou, Sauveterre-De-Rouergue, Villefranche-De-Rouergue, Graissac, Salles-Courbatiès, La Couvertoirade, Rieupeyroux.

For the broader travel overview: Aveyron.