DAUGHTER OF THE RAILWAYS 22 THE RAILWAY CHILD WALK With its station, Eiffel-designed bridge, plus its river, road and railway tunnels, -Gare presents an fMEDIUM f SITUATION : CAPDENAC-GARE, 6 kms south of via the D840 (Aveyron) exceptionally complete synthesis of the 19th C. transport revolution. Before 1858, the , with weirs and locks f START POINT : Water sports centre built along it, was the main commercial route enabling GPS Coordinates : : N 44.577171° E 2.07333° goods to be sent towards the Garonne and Bordeaux. At that time, the tonnage of coal mined in the Aubin- DURATION : 3 hrs. 30 mins Décaezville basin and transported on the river reached LENGTH : 13,6 kms over 50 000 metric tons/year. In 1857, the Grand Central

company decided to complete the Tinsou-Montauban

WAYMARKING : Yellow railway line. This decision revolutionised modes of trans- 367 m port, and brought into being in less than 50 years the 241 m town of Capdenac-Gare. The «Eiffel» bridge over the Lot 167 m enabled the Capdenac-Figeac- line to be opened. In 1866, the Paris-Toulouse link via Capdenac was com- D At the children’s playground, take heads directly eastwards and passes Le pleted. In 1886, the Capdenac-Figeac- line came the path to the left beside the Lot. Causse Blanc by. into service. Trains completely replaced river transport, A walk around a Pass behind the campervan park and and the Capdenac railway «star» was born. Before la Remise, turn left on the little townset in the country, sports grounds. After the second dyke, 5 “ hilltop road. Pass behind the water from the banks of the Lot come to the road and turn right on to tower. The road turns back into a track up to the heights of it. After the racecourse, take the dirt which goes down towards Combe- track to the right. Go past the Foissac the Causse Blanc. vigane. Take the road to the right for wells and turn left to get to the banks 60m and turn left, then right on to the of the Diège. ” track to Cabrespine. Take the D994 to 1Cross the Courroul bridge and conti- the left towards the cross. nue towards St-Julien. Cross the boule- TO SEE IN THE AREA… At this, turn left, then right on the vard to take the road opposite. 6 • Capdenac-Gare : tarmac track to «La Croix Blanche». entrance to the river Go down to the road named «P. traffic tunnel with its 2 Take the former D86 going left, Grange», which you take heading double lock and after the bridge over the Diège, • Village of Saint-Julien turn right. The road becomes more right. Cross the D994 and continue d’Empare : the Foissac rural until at del Sal it turns opposite (n°77). The track goes down prehistoric caves into a path along the bank. When you to the wood then winds towards the • Figeac: Town of Art and come up to Le Bancarel, continue on railway. Go through the tunnel and History along the bank on the tarmac surface rejoin the road at the shooting range. • Capdenc-le-Haut : for 150m. Hilltop village with 7 Take this road to the left for 100m, ruins of castle, gates 3 Go through the tunnel on the left then follow the track to the right along and ramparts from 12th - running under the railway line. As you the bank of the Lot. Go through a copse 14th C. come out, turn left. Then go left on the and turn left towards the pumping tarmac surfaced road, but before it goes station. Here, turn right on a metalled f FOOD SHOPS/ back under the railway, take the grassy road. Come back to the banks of the RESTAURANTS ETC path on the right. Coming into Lacoste, Lot then turn left towards Las Fargues. Capdenac-Gare take the steep, rmac rise leading back After Las Fargues, go under the Eiffel- up to the road. style bridge, then the road bridge to get f INFORMATION back to your start poin Grand Figeac 4 Take the path opposite which Lot and Célé Valley climbs through the field. After 150m, Tourist Office at the mast, fork left and just after a 05 65 34 06 25 house, take the track to the right. This www.tourisme-figeac.com