Saint-Cirq-Lapopie from Bouziès by the Lot towpath

From the car park by the Lot at Bouziès, a track and then a rocky path follow the river upstream, under a railway bridge, along the old towpath; a tarred road then continues at the foot of the cliffs below Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. A path climbs in bends to the village, which sits on the cliff above the river; the Rocher de la Popie viewpoint looks down on the Lot. The way back leaves the village over the causse by a footway above the valley and comes down to Bouziès by the Chemin de Pech Larive.

It is 8.4 km round with 217 m of ascent; allow about 2¾ hours. The grade is Moderate: level walking on the towpath, then a steep climb to the village of about 100 m and a rolling return, with some rocky ground. The Occitanie tourist board's own loop from Bouziès to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie and back is 8.5 km, 286 m of height gain (the board's 'dénivelé') and about 3 hours, rated moderate and waymarked yellow; our line is drawn along mapped paths and is not the same. Our height data may undercount small climbs; the board's figure is higher.

The line crosses the D8 near the village, meets the D40 on the causse, and finishes along the D40 for about 450 m into Bouziès; the tourist board warns walkers to cross those roads with care, and says its own route passes private land where gates must be closed after you. Keep to the mapped path and close any gate you open. Lot Tourisme, the Lot's tourist board, warns that in heavy rain the Lot's floods can make the towpath between Bouziès and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie impassable. OpenStreetMap marks the road at the foot of the cliffs below the village with a rockfall warning; do not stop under the cliff.

The car park is by the Lot in Bouziès. The commune of Bouziès says its car parks are charged from 15 March to 15 November. The Occitanie tourist board's page for the walk gives the liO bus stop 'Bouziès - Pont' as under 10 minutes' walk away.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.