The aire is free at st Cirq Lapopie up to 1st April so ideal for us. Loads of space in 2 areas we parked by the borne overlooking the river and beach area nearby.
We traveled in from Cahors direction and although it is not exactly a route des cretes it is a route not to rush in case of incoming lorries as rock one side and stone barriers the other and a visually narrow bridge to cross
We set off about 1200 to walk the very flat surface to the chemins d'hallage which is about 4 -5 km away. You walk beside the river for the majority of it and can see st Cirq Lapopie high above you on the vertical rocks.
Chemins d'hallage is the cut out rock that allowed barges to be towed by animals upstream and is about a km long and water does leak down causing occasional slippery conditions on the cobbled path but extremely obvious where to take extra care. Bouzies with a paying aire, even at this time of year, is at the other end with some sculptures but we would not go there at all if it wasn't at the end of the walk but it is a lot closer to the chemins d'hallage
We returned along the same path and saw the steep path up to st Cirq Lapopie and it was steep. Definite requirement for a break halfway up and luckily there is a rock which is sittable and views
Then eventually you make it up to the town with all the splendour of a Beaux village which was voted the best by the French once. St Cirq or st Cyr is the youngest martyr of Christianity and worthy of a wiki read. Views aplenty around the town and beer was earnt today in a lovely terraced bar towards the top. A more gentle sloping path was taken back to the aire.
We are relatively fit at just under 60 but that was a tiring walk. Consideration of making it 2 days or cycling to the chemins d'hallage would be considered if when we return
We traveled in from Cahors direction and although it is not exactly a route des cretes it is a route not to rush in case of incoming lorries as rock one side and stone barriers the other and a visually narrow bridge to cross
We set off about 1200 to walk the very flat surface to the chemins d'hallage which is about 4 -5 km away. You walk beside the river for the majority of it and can see st Cirq Lapopie high above you on the vertical rocks.
Chemins d'hallage is the cut out rock that allowed barges to be towed by animals upstream and is about a km long and water does leak down causing occasional slippery conditions on the cobbled path but extremely obvious where to take extra care. Bouzies with a paying aire, even at this time of year, is at the other end with some sculptures but we would not go there at all if it wasn't at the end of the walk but it is a lot closer to the chemins d'hallage
We returned along the same path and saw the steep path up to st Cirq Lapopie and it was steep. Definite requirement for a break halfway up and luckily there is a rock which is sittable and views
Then eventually you make it up to the town with all the splendour of a Beaux village which was voted the best by the French once. St Cirq or st Cyr is the youngest martyr of Christianity and worthy of a wiki read. Views aplenty around the town and beer was earnt today in a lovely terraced bar towards the top. A more gentle sloping path was taken back to the aire.
We are relatively fit at just under 60 but that was a tiring walk. Consideration of making it 2 days or cycling to the chemins d'hallage would be considered if when we return
