Walk in the devil's footsteps... Shortcut
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Walk in the devil's footsteps... Shortcut
Sarroux - Saint Julien

Walk in the devil's footsteps... Shortcut

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The confluence of the Diège and Dordogne rivers is overlooked by one of the key sites of the Haute-Corrèze, St-Nazaire.
A promontory at the confluence of the Dordogne and the Diège rivers, the site of St-Nazaire has something spectacular for those who know how to look at it and listen to it... First of all, it is the breathtaking views of the Dordogne gorges that catch the eye. Returning from this spellbinding landscape, the wooden crosses that punctuate the path, the statue of St. Nazaire on its high pedestal and the devil's footprints inscribed in the rock invite the hiker to meditation for the rest of the walk...

4 points of interest

  • Heritage site

    Saint-Julien

    Built on a promontory, the church dominates the village of the former commune of Saint-Julien-pré-Bort. We say former commune because, in 2017, the communes of Saint-Julien and Sarroux united and became the new commune of Sarroux-St-Julien. It now has a population of over 850.
  • Small patrimony

    The pendulum well

    The villages of Haute-Corrèze are all involved in agriculture. Walking through these hamlets always produces interesting discoveries during a hike: barns, mansions, crosses and monuments, traditional local architecture...
    The pendulum well is based on the lever principle. It is supported in its centre on a pivot and carrying a container at one end and a counterweight at the other. Simply vary the weight of one of the arms to give it a rocking movement.
  • History

    Site of St-Nazaire

    St-Nazaire is an amazing viewpoint over the Dordogne and the Diège and offers one of the most beautiful views of the gorges.
    This place gets its name from a legend: Saint Nazaire is said to have chased the devil out of the place, and the devil left the print of a forked foot on a rock while running away in great long strides... The statue of the saint, erected in 1901, still stands guard over the site, and a pilgrimage in his honour has been organised there every year in September by the Way of the Cross which ends facing the abyss.
  • Panorama

    Cantal Mountains

    This hike offers a magnificent view of the Monts du Cantal. This massif is, in fact, the remnant of a stratovolcano born 13 million years ago, the largest in Europe, eroded by collapse and glacial erosion.

Description

Departure from in front of the town hall. Pass below the church and continue by road to the site of Saint-Nazaire and then retrace your steps.
  1. After the first houses, turn right onto a path that becomes a small trail through the woods. Cross a stream and go back up into the woods. Join a track that follows it on the left to Cronzat. Keep left in the village.
  2. As you leave the village, follow the road for 600 m. Take the path on the left (on the right for the full version of the 12 km circuit) which leads back to the starting point.
  • Departure : Town hall car park, Mairie, St-Julien
  • Arrival : Town hall car park, Mairie, St-Julien
  • Towns crossed : Sarroux - Saint Julien

Forecast

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

This circuit is a shorter version of a longer circuit (12 km) which is the subject of a special description sheet.

Information desks

287 Place Marmontel, 19110 Bort-les-Orgues

05 19 60 00 30

Access and parking

From Bort-les-Orgues, take the D 979 towards Ussel. 6 km after Bort, turn left and head towards St-Julien on the D20 then the D127.

Parking :

Town hall car park, Mairie, St-Julien

More information

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