Aimed at both novices and experienced cyclists, this route is all the more accessible since the electric bike is now available. The bicycle guarantees an ideal rhythm for taking the time to discover, meet and share.
Through this 61 km touring cycle route, a rich territory, in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional des Grands Causses, is waiting for you. A journey through the Roquefort region, discovering the King of cheeses, his singular history and his agro-pastoral heritage which will lead you to the mythical maturing cellars nestled in the hollows of the Combalou. Visits to farms and dairy productions are proposed along the route, to discover the dairy trades and the know-how of passionate craftsmen.
A TOURIST CYCLE ROUTE COMBINING GASTRONOMY AND HERITAGE
After a short crossing of the villotte, the cyclotourist will take the green lane (V85), a charming bucolic track, to Saint-Jean d'Alcapiès, at the foot of the Col des Aiguières, for the first climb of the day. The route continues here towards Roquefort, the village of origin of the king of cheeses, where a visit to the numerous maturing cellars will quench the curiosity and delight the taste buds of the visitors. After a well-deserved break and a visit to Tournemire, the Templar village of Saint-Jean d'Alcas will be the next stop. This stop will allow visitors to admire the "Fort des Dames", a real medieval pearl in the heart of the town, but also to discover the agro-pastoral heritage through guided tours of the "Ferme d'Alcas", an organic farm.
The route will then continue on the fore-causses, to Mascourbe, with a passage in front of the Caussenarde hospitable farm "La Borie du Commandeur". The descent towards the Sorgues Valley and the long, winding false flat that follows will lead the cyclist to the final climb towards the Hermilix farm, a typical Roquefort farm. A 360° panorama of the typical agropastoral landscape awaits cyclists before the final descent to Saint-Affrique.
Feedback
On the small roads of the Aveyron, four cyclists, who are also friends and work colleagues, discover this cycle tour. Their first stop was at a family farm that milks sheep, whose milk is used to make Roquefort cheese.
The owner of the farm is inexhaustible about all the stages of milking, in front of the sometimes incredulous tourists.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Difficulty of the route: difficult but very accessible and family-friendly on an electric bike.
Estimated time based on 15 km/h: 4h05 for the full route and 3h10 for the 47 km variant.
Cumulative elevation gain: 937 m for the full route and 650 m for the variant.
A variant is also possible in order to avoid the loop in the direction of Hermilix, which reduces the route to 47 km.
THE MUST-SEES :
The Roquefort maturing caves
Cistercian fort of St-Jean d'Alcas
The Caussenarde hospitable farm "La Borie du Commandeur
Fleurines farm
Hermilix farm
Restaurant du Pont Neuf
Restaurant Le Chat qui Dort
Restaurant le Combalou
Restaurant La Cave des Saveurs
Crêperie La Bergerie
Consult the circuit or download the Rando Grands Causses application.
There's nothing like discovering the cheese flavours of our region to punctuate a bike ride, after the effort the comfort!