Tonnac: Maraval Trail, Rougier and Saint-Pierre

The Maraval Trail is a moderately difficult, 8.6-kilometre circular route marked with PR signs and awarded the FFRandonnée® quality label. It passes through the red dunes of the Rougier de Maraval before reaching Tonnac. The distance, circular format and difficulty level offer several useful points of reference when planning your hike. The responsible authority may update route information; check it before setting out.

Red dunes and the Rougier landscape

The red dunes of the Rougier de Maraval formed more than 250 million years ago in a tropical climate. Eroded argillite has shaped ravines and rounded hills there. Both geological formation and erosion have shaped the area's landscape. The Tarn department has designated the area an Espace Naturel Sensible (Sensitive Natural Area). It is home to animals and plants adapted to nutrient-poor, fragile soils.

The trail can be started at Cordes-Vindrac station. liO trains on the Toulouse–Villefranche-de-Rouergue line and the liO bus on route 707 (Albi–Cordes) serve the station. Another possible starting point is the car park next to Tonnac cemetery. When planning your journey, check the current timetable for the station and, before using the car park, check information on access and parking.

Saint-Pierre and Tonnac's building history

Saint-Pierre church stands above Tonnac's old stone houses, most of which have been renovated. A former château was attached to the church and is now in ruins. The village's character thus brings together the church and stone houses with the historic connection to the former château complex. In contrast to the mostly renovated stone houses, the château once attached to the church is now in ruins—a striking difference in their state of preservation.

The church houses three paintings by Bénézet, a painter from Toulouse. It also has two side chapels. The possibility that these were added later is uncertain; this question of timing is separate from the number of chapels. Visitors interested in architectural history and painting will find different aspects here that can be explored independently.

The Circuit des crèches

The traditional Circuit des crèches in the Pays cordais included Tonnac in its twentieth edition in December 2025. For Sunday, 21 December, and Sunday, 28 December 2025, the plan was for churches that are usually closed, including the church in Tonnac, to be open to visitors from 2 to 5 pm. These times applied to that event at the time and are not general visiting hours. If you are considering a future visit, check the latest event details.

Discover more destinations: Sorèze, Mont-Roc, Fauch, Curvalle, Saint-Beauzile, Monestiès, Sainte-Gemme, Graulhet.

Return to the regional travel overview: Tarn.