(Published May 2014, last updated May 2023)
The eight-day walk from Martel to Rocamadour weaves through 127 kilometres (80 miles) of glorious French countryside. Located in the Lot Valley (adjoining the better-known Dordogne region), this walk visits fairy-tale castles, underground caves and passes through six of France’s most beautiful villages.
It’s a walk best taken slowly; an experience to be savoured and enjoyed. Each day will bring new delights, and your biggest challenge will be deciding whether to linger where you are or move on to discover the next village.
View from the watch tower of Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux
My suggested itinerary leaves plenty of time to lean against the stone walls of an ancient chapel and ponder the hands that built them a thousand years earlier; to look out through the observation slits in a medieval tower and imagine invading armies charging up the hill…
Where is it in France?
Map of the walking path from Martel to Rocamadour
There are couple of ways to approach this walk, with train access close to Martel and Rocamadour and also at Biars-sur-Cère between Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne and Bretenoux. Your options are:
Martel to Rocamadour
Trains on both the Brive-la-Gaillarde to Figeac and Brive-la-Gaillarde to Aurillac lines stop at Saint-Denis-près-Martel, seven kilometres (five miles) from Martel. Bus connections to Martel are available from here.
Follow the walking loop clockwise as listed, from Martel to Rocamadour. The Rocamadour-Padirac train station is three kilometres (two miles) away and from here you can take a train on to Figeac and then to anywhere in France.
If you need to return to Martel, the same train will return you to Saint-Denis-près-Martel. Alternatively, Martel is a twenty-kilometre (twelve-mile) walk from Rocamadour, reached by backtracking to Montvalent and continuing along the GR 46 to Martel.
Bretenoux to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne
Trains on the Brive-la-Gaillarde to Aurillac line stop at Biars-sur-Cère, which is two kilometres (one mile) from Bretenoux. Bus and taxi connections to Bretenoux are available from here.
Follow the walking loop clockwise as listed, from Bretenoux to Rocamadour, then backtrack to Montvalent and follow the GR 46 to Martel. From Martel, continue clockwise around to Biars-sur-Cère to catch the train back out.
Accommodation from Martel to Rocamadour
Villages along the long-distance walking path from Martel to Rocamadour offer accommodation at intervals to suit most walkers.
0.0 km (0.0 mi) Martel
18 km (11.3 mi) Turenne
26.8 km (16.8 mi) Collonges-la-Rouge
43.2 km (27 mi) Curemonte
55.5 km (34.7 mi) Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne
68.8 km (43 mi) Bretenoux
78.8 km (49.3 mi) Autoire
84.8 km (53 mi) Loubressac
100 km (62.5 mi) Carennac
125.8 km (78.6 mi) l’Hôpital
126.8 km (79.3 mi) Rocamadour
How to book accommodation in French
Suggested itinerary for walking from Martel to Rocamadour
Recent changes to the GR 480 and GR 652 Grand Randonnée paths which this walk follows have prompted me to rethink my itinerary.
A slight extension to the route between Collonges-la-Rouge and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne pushed it too far beyond my 25 kilometre a day limit and I now recommend breaking this section in two with an overnight stop in Curemonte.
A more significant rerouting of the path from Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne to Bretenoux caused me to remove this section entirely. On day 5, I suggest you consider the following two options:
- Spend more time exploring Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne in the morning and stay for lunch; take a taxi to Château de Montal early in the afternoon and a taxi from the château to Bretenoux, or
- Walk alongside the D41 and D803 from Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne to Bretenoux. This road follows the western side of the Dordogne River but will be fairly quiet, at least until it doubles back to cross the river past Lioudres, and I imagine will only see a small amount of local traffic. This way is 13.3 kilometres (8.3 miles) and will still leave time for exploring Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. (Note: the D940 which links Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne and Bretenoux further to the east carries a lot of fast-moving traffic and is much too busy to walk alongside.)
My suggested itinerary recommends a mix of long and short days to allow plenty of time for exploring Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux and for lingering in the nine ‘most beautiful villages’ that this walk visits.
It is certainly possible to complete the walk in fewer than the recommended eight days, but this schedule is based around my ‘enjoy breakfast, walk ten kilometres, have a nice lunch, walk another ten kilometres and linger over dinner’ philosophy.
The last section, from Carennac, requires a walk of 25.8 kilometres (16.1 miles) to l’Hôpital or 26.8 kilometres (16.8 miles) if you continue on to Rocamadour. If this is further than you wish to walk in a day, I recommend taking a taxi from Carennac to Montvalent and continuing your walk from there.
Day 1 Martel to Turenne (18 km/11.3 mi). Explore Turenne and the château in the afternoon.
Day 2 Turenne to Collonges-la-Rouge (8.8 km/5.5 mi). Arrive in time for lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing and exploring the village.
Day 3 Collonges-la-Rouge to Curemonte (16.4 km/10.3 mi).
Day 4 Curemonte to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne (12.3 km/7.7 mi).
Day 5 Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne to Bretenoux (13.3 km/8.3 mi).
Day 6 Bretenoux to Loubressac (16 km/10 mi). Visit Bretenoux markets (Tuesday or Saturday mornings only) and stop at Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux on the way to Loubressac.
Day 7 Loubressac to Carennac (15.2 km/9.5 mi). Take time for a tour of the Gouffre de Padirac and arrive in Carennac in the afternoon, in time to visit the church and cloister.
Day 8 Carennac to Rocamadour (26.8 km/16.8 mi).
Day 9 Rocamadour. Take a well-earned rest and explore Rocamadour.
If you prefer to set your own agenda, I share the steps I take to plan my itinerary on any long-distance walk (using the Chemin de Stevenson as a case study).
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WALK FROM MARTEL TO ROCAMADOUR
Poppies bloom in the fields behind Château de Montal
Visit nine of the most beautiful villages in France
There are more than 30,000 small villages in France but only 172 of them can claim to be among the ‘most beautiful’. (To qualify, a village must enjoy a rural setting, have a population of less than 2,000 and at least two historical monuments which the community commits to protecting and preserving.)
This corner of France has more than its fair share of most beautiful villages and on the walk from Martel to Rocamadour, you’ll visit:
Cafés surround the covered halle which hosts the fresh food market in Martel
Martel
Founded in the eleventh century, Martel was once the capital and commercial hub of the Turenne region. All that remains now of the walls that once protected the town are seven towers—earning Martel the nickname la ville aux sept tours.
View from Tour César, Turenne
Turenne
The village of Turenne was once dominated by a château which was home to the ruling families of the region between the tenth and eighteenth centuries. A charming maze of narrow lanes leads uphill to the Guards Rooms, which now contains a small museum, and the twelfth century Tour César which offers commanding views over the countryside.
Take a look around Turenne and find a comprehensive list of accommodation.
Pretty-as-a-picture – Tourist Office in Collonges-la-Rouge
Collonges-la-Rouge
Originally founded by monks in the eighth century around the abbey church of Saint-Pierre, Collonges-la-Rouge is, I think, the highlight of this walk. With its distinctive red-brick cottages and fairy-tale turrets, this gorgeous village was the very first ‘most beautiful village in France’, an association formed in 1981 by then mayor Charles Ceyrac who dreamed of bringing visitors, and economic prosperity, back to the small, picturesque villages scattered throughout France.
Take a look around Collonges-la-Rouge, find a comprehensive list of accommodation and discover more about the most beautiful villages in France.
Side street in Curemonte
Curemonte
During the Hundred Years War in the middle of the fifteenth century, many villages in France were destroyed, including la Combe, where life in this part of the world was centred. Today, only the twelfth-century church remains. The villagers moved a short distance to the site of present-day Curemonte, building homes around three châteaux constructed during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
Visit the church of Saint-Hilaire de la Combe, then take a look around Curemonte and find a comprehensive list of accommodation.
Boats reflecting on the river in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne
After the last few days of passing through small villages where pharmacies and supermarkets have been hard to find, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne offers a welcome opportunity to stock up on bandaids and trail mix and to raid the cash machine. The narrow streets wind through a sprawling town centre which surrounds the Benedictine abbey church dedicated to Saint-Pierre and leads down to banks of the river where the Chapelle des Pénitents is reflected in the waters.
Pigeon house in Autoire
Autoire
First settled in Roman times, Autoire was devastated during the Hundred Years War with the English. Not a lot has changed since the village was rebuilt five hundred years ago—the elegant stone-and-timber cottages look much the same today as they did then.
Take a look around Autoire and find a comprehensive list of accommodation.
Porte Est, Loubressac
Loubressac
Allow an hour or two to explore the narrow streets lined with medieval houses covered in lush vines and surrounded by flower-filled gardens. From the lookout beside the château, relax and enjoy the spectacular views over the surrounding countryside.
Take a look around Loubressac and find a comprehensive list of accommodation.
The magnificent entrance to l’eglise Saint-Pierre in Carennac
Carennac
Founded in the eleventh century by Cluny monks who built a monastery here in a small clearing by the river, Carennac soon grew to include a château whose high walls protected the occupants. Tucked away next door, behind an arched gate in the wall is the abbey church dedicated to Saint-Pierre with its magnificent entrance and ornately carved tympanum which dates from the twelfth century.
Take a look around Carennac and find a comprehensive list of accommodation.
The view of Rocamadour from l’Hôpital
Rocamadour
Eight days of walking from Martel brings you to Rocamadour—an ancient village clinging precariously to the side of cliff, and the second most important religious site (after Mont-Saint-Michel) in France.
It is said that Zaccheus (also known as Armadour and a servant of Mary, mother of Jesus) came to live here in the caves as a hermit, bringing with him a black, wooden statue of the Madonna. The statue is displayed in the Chapelle de Notre-Dame and many famous figures—including King Henri II of England, accompanied by Sir Thomas Beckett—have come to pay their respects over the last nine hundred years.
Take a look around Rocamadour and find a comprehensive list of accommodation.
Customers inspect trays of fresh fruit at the Saturday morning market in Bretenoux
Stock up on trail mix at the local markets
In addition to the visual feast that awaits you in these lovely places, you’ll discover fresh food markets at several villages where you can find regional delicacies to bolster your picnic lunches. Time your walk to visit at least one!
Martel—Wednesday and Saturday morning
Curemonte—Wednesday evening from mid-June until mid-September
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne—Wednesday and Saturday morning, except for Saturday following the local fair which is held on the first and third Friday of each month. In July and August, a local produce market starts at 5 pm on Monday evening.
Bretenoux—Tuesday and Saturday morning
Carennac—Tuesday evening in summer
Château de Montal
Explore Château de Montal and Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux
From Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne or Bretenoux a short taxi ride will take you to Château de Montal. Built in the first part of the sixteenth century, the château has been faithfully restored and refurnished, providing a fascinating insight into the daily life of the nobility.
Wikipedia claims that the Mona Lisa was hidden at Château de Montal during World War II. I don’t know if this is true—there was no mention of it in any brochure given out by the château—but it is a great story!
A brochure (available in many languages) will guide you through the beautifully decorated rooms.
Approaching Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux
As you leave Bretenoux and continue on your walk, you’ll reach Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux, a thirteenth-century fortress where ruling barons kept an eye out for invading armies. The rugged walls and towers of this medieval fortress provide a stark contrast to the delicate, refined architecture of Château de Montal. A climb to the top of the artillery tower will reward you with stunning views over the surrounding countryside.
Guided tours are available and expositions are often held during the summer months.
Gouffre de Padirac
Journey deep underground at Gouffre de Padirac
From Loubressac, a variante of the GR 652 walking path offers a shortcut to the next village of Carennac. You could follow it and enjoy a restful day but I recommend continuing along the GR 652 which passes by Gouffre de Padirac—a series of underground lakes and caves 103 metres below the surface.
From Easter until October, a guided tour takes you by boat along an underground river before you disembark and continue on foot past majestic stalagmites and stalactites.
A red and white blaze marks the GR 652 path near Autoire
GR paths and IGN maps
The walk from Martel to Rocamadour follows a number of connecting Grand Randonnée paths—the GR 46, GR 480 and GR 652. There is no TopoGuide unfortunately which summarises this walk into a single book but a few easy-to-follow IGN maps will keep you on the track. You’ll need:
Martel to Turenne—follow the GR 46, IGN map 2136 ET
Turenne to Collonges-la-Rouges—follow GR 46 and GR 480, IGN map 2135 O
Collonges-la-Rouge to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne—follow GR 480, IGN map 2135 E
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne to Bretenoux—follow the D41 and D803 Departmental Roads, IGN map 2236 O
Bretenoux to Carennac—follow GR 652, IGN map 2236 O
Carennac to Rocamadour—follow GR 652, IGN maps 2236 O and 2136 ET
IGN maps provide a lot of detail, including topographical contours, villages, rivers and the GR path. They do not extend to street level but provide more than enough detail to guide you safely each day. Having one will allow you to assess possible shortcuts along a road and give you a feel for how far away the next village is. Personally, I like to carry a map (when no TopoGuide is available), and have used them in the past to find a detour around the occasional hill.
Maps are available online, at the Paris store (8 Avenue Pasteur, Saint-Mandé) and sometimes in the local tabac (store).
It is also possible to track your location using the GPS tracker on your mobile phone with the iPhiGénié app (a paid subscription service which is available for both Android and Apple phones.
Local bus and train services
Several local bus services provide connections to one or two other villages on this walk. Select Departement 46 to check the timetable.
Many walkers arrive in Rocamadour having followed the Chemin de Saint-Jacques variante from Figeac. It is possible to return to the Chemin de Saint-Jacques at Figeac by train from Rocamadour on the Rodez—Figeac—Brive train line.
Practical tips for long-distance walking—preparation, packing and avoiding blisters
Ready to go?
Download the 2023 (PDF) edition of the I Love Walking in France guidebook—Martel to Rocamadour
82 pages packed with dozens of photos, taxi phone numbers, links to accommodation websites and train and bus schedules, Tourist Offices, market days, where to find a pharmacy or an ATM, useful French phrases—and many more practical tips!
Hi Melinda,
If we cannot walk more than 18km per day is it still possible to find accommodation?
Thanks,
David
Hi David,
It certainly is! My suggested itinerary has two days longer than 18 km but I suggest you do the following –
1) Collonges-la-Rouge to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne can be broken with an overnight stop in Curemonte breaking it into two days of 15 km and 12 km (accommodation in Curemonte is limited so I recommend booking in advance). Alternatively, take a taxi from Collonges-la-Rouge to Curemonte and walk from there to Beaulieu.
2) There are no villages offering accommodation to break up the last day from Carennac to Rocamadour. I would take a taxi from Carennac to Montvalent and walk the ten kilomtetres to Rocamdour from there.
Melinda
Hi Melinda,
I’m having some difficulty following the GR routes on the topo maps.
Are the GR routes well-marked? Will the locals be able to help us out if we get lost? Are we likely to meet other randonneurs along the way?
Do the GR routes show up on GPS?
My husband and I arrive in Paris Sept 6, and will spend the 6th and 7th in Martel, then start our randonnee to Turenne the 7th. We are very excited! I’ll keep you posted…
Terra
Hi Terra,
The GR routes will show up on the IGN maps. You can download the mobile app and use the GPS in your phone to track your progress. https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/ It is not as popular as the pilgrims trails and it is quite possible that you won’t see any other walkers but I have always found the French to be very helpful if you need pointing in the right direction.
Melinda
Hi Melinda,
I’m getting down to planning the details for this walk with my husband. I have more questions…
1.I’ve been studying the GR maps, and having a hard time finding the GR routes. Then, when I do
locate them, they seem to stop abruptly and resume somewhere else. So, I’m wondering how well marked they are. Will we be able to pick them up if we stray? And do you think there will be many other travelers walking the trails? Or other people to ask directions? Will the locals be familiar with the GR routes? Will they appear on a GPS map?
2. Are the trails maintained? Are they in good condition?
3. Do you think we will be able to find someone to transport out small suitcases? We’ll be carrying daypacks only. (I speak French)
4. Do restaurants and lodging generally have internet on this route?
5. Will we be able to take a boat on the river from any of the towns to the next?
Thanks for your help!
Terra
Hi Terra,
The GR paths are maintained by an army of volunteers. They are generally well maintained and I usually find that if I’ve wandered onto a path that is not well maintained, it’s a sign that I’ve left the GR path. They can be muddy and slippery after rain.
You will probably need to have your bags transported by taxi but your host will be able to do this for you each morning.
Internet can be patchy – even hotels that advertise wifi and provide a password, may need you to sit near the lobby to be in wifi range or may only have capacity for one logged in device per room. Others can have great internet. Sometimes it will be secured and sometimes it won’t. I don’t rely on it to do internet banking. My advice would be to message home/friends when you have it as it may not be available everywhere.
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne and Bretenoux section is your best bet for canoeing or kayaking and the Tourist Offices there will be able to help.
Have fun!
Melinda
Melinda,
Thank you for the excellent guide, and for your helpful suggestions.
My husband and I are planning to do this walk this coming September. We aren’t
Sure how far we want to walk each day, so prefer to make reservations for accommodation as we go. Do you think we will have any problems finding good places to stay that way?
We won’t be in any hurry…
Also, we’ll have to arrange our luggage transfer day by day
Hi Terra,
The worst of the tourist season will have passed by September so I think you will be safe. The flexible you are in accommodation type (hotel, chambre d’hôte) you are, the more options you’ll have. Once you get a feel for how far you prefer to walk each day, choose a target for that day’s walk and ask your host to phone ahead and book you a room for that night. This way there will be no disappointments when you arrive in the village.
Good luck and thank you for those kind words 🙂
Bon chemin
Melinda
Another question:
What is the best way to get from Paris to Martel?
Terra
Hi Terra,
Check the Rome2Rio website for train schedules from Paris to Saint-Denis-près-Martel. From there, you can catch a bus or take a taxi to Martel.
Melinda
Hi Melinda,
I’m thinking of taking this walk with my daughter in May. Just a few questions:
To shorten the walk slightly I thought we’d walk Day and 2 on one day – is this doable?
We’ll be arriving and leaving by Flixbus from Brive La Gaillard. Is there a taxi that can take us to and from the start/ finish of the walk?
Thanks
Hi Robyn,
Day 1 and 2 combined is only 22.7 kilometres so absolutely doable in one day. My only suggestion would be don’t rush through Turenne and Collonges-la-Rouges, take some time to explore and enjoy the villages – they really are the highlights of the walk.
I’ll email you some screen shots showing where the walk starts in relation to the Tourist Office in Martel.
Enjoy the walk!
Melinda
Thanks Melinda,
I’ve booked accommodation and planned the route for my 21 year old daughter and I to walk Turenne to Rocamadour for the beginning of May. The weather looks OK – well no rain and a mild 20 degrees during the day.
I substituted the Beaulieu to Bretenaoux walk with a 2 hour kayak to give us more time at the Wed market at Beaulieu and to give our feet a rest (I couldn’t find accommodation between Collanges and Beaulieu so a 27 km hike the day before).
Will let you know how it all goes.
Thanks you for the inspiration.
Robyn
Hi Robyn,
I love the idea of kayaking from Beaulieu to Bretenoux and it will give your feet some recovery time after the long day into Beaulieu. Good thinking!
Melinda
Hi, I was wondering if this walk has become very popular? I want to go walking in France but i don’t want to be with 100’s of other people. I don’t mind a few of course but like the idea of it not being too busy.
Hi Trish, this walk is less busy than most, probably because it does not follow a dedicated GR path around the loop – it starts on the GR 46, switches to the GR 480, then the GR 652 and GR 46 again. During the summer months, you’ll find the villages quite crowded as this is one of the most beautiful and most popular parts of France! Enjoy! Melinda
Dear Melinda – thanks for your absorbing site. I’m planning to walk the Dordogne in late September 2016 with a couple of friends. We have everything organised except luggage transfer – we’re too old to carry fullpacks these days. Have you heard or know anyone in the Dordogne who has such a service?
Before that walk I’m planning to walk the GR34 in early September, doing day walks either out of Nante or St Malo. Have you any suggestions? If so I’d really appreciate them.
With thanks,
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
I’m with you – I prefer to have my luggage transferred. I’m not aware of anyone who does it in the Dordogne region but since there a a few of you to share the cost, I would call a taxi each morning and ask them to take your bags on to the next hotel. I have done this in Burgundy, the hotel made the call for us and the taxi gave us a quote, usually 40 – 45 euros. We then left the money and the bags at the hotel and started our day’s walk. Everything went smoothly. Shared among four of us, the cost was reasonable.
I haven’t done that part of the GR34 but I’d be tempted to look at the section between Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel. It would too far for a single day but you would probably get to the end of the peninsula and should have beautiful views across to Mont-Saint-Michel. Saint-Malo does look a beautiful town.
Have a wonderful time!
Melinda
Many thanks Melinda – I think your suggestion of taxis for luggage transfer will be the way to go. Yes, St Malo does look interesting doesn’t it.
Bon walking!
Barbara
You’re most welcome Barbara 🙂 Enjoy!
Melinda, I love your suggestion of picking up picnic fare at the village markets. In average, about how many kilometers do you walk each day?
Hi Tricia,
I normally walk between 20 – 25 kilometres each day with a few shorter days or even a rest day thrown in. Next week I will be walking along the GR65 Chemin de Saint-Jacques from Le-Puy-en-Velay to Aumont-Aubrac and from Aire-sur-l’Adour to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and my days are all between 14 and 23 kilometres.
Eiropean markets are such a good source of fresh breads, cheeses, figs and fresh fruits and often a bottle of wine – they make for a wonderful picnic!
I’d love to do this walk! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Nancy. This one passes through some stunning countryside and beautiful villages.