Naussac: Hiking, Mills and Heritage

Naussac offers visitors several distinct attractions: a hiking route, the Château de Marinesque, a watermill, and activities related to horses and walnuts. When planning a stay, it helps to decide on your main interest first. This makes it easier to fit in a hike, seasonal mill demonstrations, or events taking place at particular times of year.

Landscape and hiking

The Diège Valley divides the municipality of Naussac. On the Naussac side of the municipality are the Terrefort and the Causse; Bez de Naussac, by contrast, belongs to the Ségala. These landscape terms also appear in the name of the “Entre Causse et Ségala – Naussac” route.

The route is a moderate 10.8-kilometre hike that takes about three hours. It starts at the Naussac leisure area and offers a view of the village. The time, distance and difficulty provide different points of reference for planning your day. Route information and the starting point may be updated; check both before setting off.

Château de Marinesque and the chapel

The Château de Marinesque is located in Naussac. Its main construction phase dates to the 14th century. The building comprises a rectangular residential building with a stair tower and a battlemented walkway with machicolations and crenellations. The château’s facades and roofs have been partially protected as a Monument historique since 18 July 1973. The partial protection applies to these building elements. The restored Pietà statue above the door of the chapel in Naussac is also still visible.

The Moulin de Cavaillac

The Moulin de Cavaillac is a working 18th-century watermill in Naussac. A full tour of the mill is available. Demonstrations cover flour-making with grain millstones, walnut-oil production using a vertical millstone, and sawing. These demonstrations do not take place from September to November because of water shortages. Operating conditions and visitor arrangements may vary seasonally, so coordinate your planned visit in advance.

The mills on the Diège also played a specific role for the surrounding villages: they ground grain for Naussac, Sonnac and Asprières. This historical context adds to a visit to the Moulin de Cavaillac by explaining the mills’ former use in the area.

Horse riding and walnut culture

In 2026, Le Ranch des Centaurées offers behaviour-focused Western riding, riding lessons and horseback rides; the programme also includes courses, guidance and training sessions. Activity details may change. If you have a particular offering in mind, check the current programme in advance.

La Noyeraie de la Borie offers visits focused on the walnut harvest and the artisanal production of walnut oil. The offering also includes demonstrations of walnut processing and tastings. Visits are by arrangement; coordinate your appointment in advance, as booking details may change.

Events throughout the year

Events organised by associations in Naussac include votive festivals in early July and early August. The specific dates may vary from year to year. If a festival is important to your travel plans, check the dates for your travel year.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Pradinas, Castelnau-Pégayrols, Les Angles, Millau, Réquista, La Bastide-Solages, Compolibat, Tayrac

See the main travel guide: Aveyron.