An easy circular hike of about two hours, a medieval pilgrim bridge and a botanical garden with more than 500 plant species offer different ways to discover Saint-Chély-D’aubrac. The village lies in the valley carved by the Boralde de Saint-Chély between the Aubrac Plateau and the Lot Valley. You can therefore focus your stay on hiking, architectural heritage or the flora of the Aubrac.
Landscape and La voie romaine
La voie romaine is a clearly defined circular trail: the easy hike is 8.5 kilometres long and takes approximately two hours. It starts at Place de la Mairie in Saint-Chély-D’aubrac. The route follows the Boralde de Saint-Chély, passes through woodland and along dry-stone paths, and runs partly along the old Roman road. The river, woodland and historic sections of the route give the hike distinct landscape and cultural highlights.
Both the approximate walking time and the length of the circular route are useful for planning your time. The easy rating describes the trail, but does not indicate what conditions will be like on any particular day. Trail conditions and access details can change seasonally, so check the latest route information before setting out.
Pont des Pèlerins and the history of pilgrimage
The 14th-century Pont des Pèlerins crosses the Boralde de Saint-Chély. A stone cross bearing a bas-relief of a pilgrim stands on its parapet. The bridge is therefore defined by more than just its construction date: its name and the relief refer to the tradition of pilgrimage, which remains part of its story today. Pilgrims use it on the route from Le Puy-en-Velay to Santiago de Compostela.
The wider context is also notable: the Pont des Pèlerins is one of the 78 elements of the UNESCO World Heritage property “Chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle en France”. Visitors interested in the village’s cultural heritage will find a connection here between a specific structure, a readily recognisable image and a pilgrimage route that is still in use today.
Church art and distinctive architecture
The church in Saint-Chély-D’aubrac contains a 14th-century altarpiece, considered one of the earliest in Europe. The church also has unusual double wooden galleries. These two features offer different perspectives on its interior: the altarpiece represents historic art, while the galleries stand out for their distinctive design. Together, they form a cultural and historical highlight in their own right, alongside the pilgrim bridge.
The flora of the Aubrac
In the Aubrac village of Saint-Chély-D’aubrac, the Jardin Botanique de l'Aubrac displays more than 500 wild plant species from the Aubrac in recreated habitats. The regional origins of the plants and the recreated habitats give the garden a clear natural history focus. This makes it a different highlight from the village’s buildings and pilgrimage history: here, the landscape’s flora takes centre stage.
Discover more destinations: Connac, Rignac, Castanet, La Salvetat-Peyralès, Sainte-Juliette-Sur-Viaur, Salles-la-Source, Montézic, Saint-Salvadou
For the main travel overview: Aveyron.
