The Aubrac region of Lozère is crisscrossed by several long-distance hiking trails (GR), offering walkers a unique opportunity to explore its diverse and wild landscapes. These carefully marked and maintained paths allow hikers to discover the region’s natural and cultural treasures while enjoying the fresh air and sweeping vistas of the Aubrac plateau.
Located at the crossroads of Lozère, Aveyron, and Cantal, the area is easily explored thanks to several iconic routes: from north to south, the Urbain V trail; from east to west, the Saint-Guilhem trail and the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago); and, around the plateau, the Tour des Monts d’Aubrac offers a complete loop for long-distance hiking enthusiasts.
The GR65 long-distance hiking trail crosses the Aubrac plateau for nearly 90 km between Peyre-en-Aubrac and Estaing. Two sections—Nasbinals in Saint-Chély-d’Aubrac and Saint-Côme-d’Olt in Estaing—are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The pilgrims’ bridge in Saint-Chély-d’Aubrac and the bridges over the Lot River in Espalion and Estaing are also listed.
The Saint-Guilhem Way, an ancient transhumance route, connected the Montpellier hinterland to the Aubrac plateau. Shepherds led their flocks along it to the high-altitude pastures. From the Middle Ages onwards, it also became a pilgrimage route, passing by Gellone Abbey before continuing on to Santiago de Compostela or Rome.
Inspired by the penultimate Avignon pope, this 435 km route connects the Way of St. James to the city of the popes, passing through the Cévennes. A meeting point between territories and cultures, it crosses four UNESCO World Heritage sites.
An iconic loop in the Aubrac region, this long-distance hiking trail (GR) largely traverses the high plateaus. The route takes between 2 and 8 days and can cover up to 165 km in total. It perfectly embodies the “Aubrac destination” as one might imagine it.
