Sightseeing along the way
Najac : the walk starts from Place du Faubourg in Najac, next to the bastide. This is the 'newest' part of Najac (13th century!), built by Alphonse of Poitiers to extend the original castelnau constructed at the other end of the promontory. The brother of Saint Louis and son-in-law and heir of Raymond VII, count of Toulouse, Alphonse of Poitiers turned Najac into a bastide, one of several medieval 'new towns' so typical of Midi-Pyrénées that were designed to boost trade in the area.
'Les hauts de Najac' : this holiday village which blends in perfectly with its surroundings is proof that tourism is alive and well in this innovative 'Station Verte' (green holiday resort). In the 1970s the local mayor managed to persuade SNCF to open a railway station here, and at a stroke this tiny town found itself with direct connections to London, Brussels and Amsterdam!
From then on a part of Midi-Pyrénées' burgeoning tourism industry, Najac developed an outstanding choice of accommodation options (holiday villages, camp sites, gîtes, chambres d hôtes and hotels) combined with a vast range of activities (white water sports, swimming, tennis, etc.).
The railway line : the walk passes under a railway bridge. That might seem rather ordinary, but this railway line is anything but! This is the Brive-Toulouse line, built in 1862, which still serves towns such as Figeac, Najac and Gaillac. It is one of the very few French branch lines still in service, with the luxury of not having to be profitable.
Constructing the 16 km of line along this wild stretch of the Aveyron Gorge south of Najac involved building no fewer than 13 bridges and 13 tunnels. The line was partially restored in 2000.
The River Aveyron : from its source east of Rodez, the Aveyron flows into the Tarn downstream from Montauban, after running its course for almost 291 km. Between Najac and Montricoux, with Saint Antonin Noble Val along the way, it has eroded an impressive gorge around 50 km long. Cooled by the dense vegetation, it has cut its way through the rounded wooded mountains and the limestone plateaux of the causses, eroding towering crags and cliffs along the way.
This deep but very irregular river is a paradise for canoeists, and even for rafting in the spring when the level is high.
Pont Saint Blaise : this 13th century arched bridge spans the river in the middle of abundant greenery. Despite the alterations made in the 17th and 19th centuries, it still looks as it originally did, and is only just wide enough for cars.
Najac fortress : this masterpiece of medieval military architecture serves as a useful distant landmark for your way back to Najac. In 1253 Alphonse of Poitiers designed this impregnable quadrilateral, built on top of an older fortress, with its towers anchored in the rock, 6.8-metre-high arrowslit walls and impressive keep towering 200 metres above the Aveyron.
The Church of Saint Jean : the people of Najac were forced by the Inquisition to build this church in 1258 as punishment for having supported the region's Cathar 'heretics'.
Place du Faubourg : with its covered walkways and 'Griffoul' ornamental fountain (1344), this square typifies the bastide and marks the end of the walk. You reach the square along Rue du Barriou, which runs along the narrow rocky spur from the castle end, opening onto stepped passageways and lined with half-timbered houses and fine town residences decorated with flowers.
Practical info
The 'village perché' of Najac
Start and end point
Najac - Place du Faubourg (post office).
Length
11 km.
Duration
3 hrs.
Total height difference
171 m (182 m to 353 m).
Waymarking
Yellow (PR®), red/white (GR®36)
Level
Intermediate. For regular walkers.
Best time to go
Practicable all year round.
Additional information
This walking route is also open to mountain biking and horse riding.
Getting there
Najac is 24 km south of Villefranche de Rouergue via the D922 and D39.
Information
Najac Tourist Office – Tel. +33 (0)5 65 29 72 05 – www.tourisme-najac.com
Standing at the entrance to the Aveyron Gorge, Najac occupies a strategic position that you will have plenty of time to appreciate on this shady walk through the trees.
From the more open ground occupied by Villefranche-de-Rouergue, the loops and meanders of the River Aveyron head south to Najac, once lauded as the "gateway to all the land". This village of houses clad in schist, sensitively restored by local skilled craftsmen and women, stands proudly here, forever proclaiming its bold "Who goes there?" to passing visitors.
Najac is perched high up on a rocky spur hugged by a sharp bend in the river. Standing on the prow of the promontory is an imposing fortress.
Originally a 'castelnau' (castle-enclosure settlement), Najac was enlarged by Alphonse of Poitiers, the last count of Toulouse, into a bastide in the 13th century. The fortress, built in around 1250, is also his work, and rumour has it that it was designed more to show off his power than to defend a key strategic location.
Wild river and ancient buildings
Along the way, history gives way to groves of stunted oaks that stand out around the shrubs and bushes of the maquis. You enter the hidden and quiet realm of the Aveyron Gorge, stretches of which are inaccessible by car.
From Najac as far as Montricoux in the neighbouring département of Tarn-et-Garonne, the gorge winds its way through attractive green and wild countryside. Highlights en route are the wild trees and rocks, the narrow goat trails and towering cliffs, and the boxwood and stones of the riverside villages, worn smooth by the passing of the centuries. And not forgetting the fast-flowing sections of the river here, which are very popular with canoeists.
The last third of the route climbs up to Najac on the old medieval hill road, giving you a whole new set of views and a close-up view of the plethora of architectural details that give this village all its charm: Najac is officially recognised as one of the most beautiful villages in France.
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Route guides
The route description (in French), written by the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre, can be downloaded from www.randonnees-midi-pyrenees.com
The following 'topoguide' walking guide is also useful for reference: L’Aveyron à pied - Editions FFRandonnée / Ref D012.
This topoguide is available from good bookshops or via the website of the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre: www.ffrandonnee.fr
http://crtmp1.cnstlltn.com/master/9334d26d-96c6-48eb-b70b-6a471a0ea2ee/najac.kml
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