Livernon is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Geopark of the Causses du Quercy. Prehistoric burial sites, sacred architecture and dry-stone buildings give a stay a range of cultural highlights. There are also two clear options for planning a day hike: a loop to the Menhir de Bélinac and the longer Circuit de Livernon-Assier-Viazac.

Dolmen and Église Saint-Rémy

The Dolmen de la Pierre Martine takes you back to a distant past: its chamber served as a tomb for people of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. Several human skulls and a copper knife were found there. The dolmen has been listed as a historic monument since 1889. Its burial chamber and the finds make it a different cultural highlight from the sacred buildings constructed later.

The Romanesque apse and bell tower of Église Saint-Rémy have been listed as historic monuments since 9 April 1910. The church also has fifteen stained-glass windows dating from the late 19th century. Here, you can distinguish Romanesque architectural features from fittings dating to a much later period.

Dry-Stone Buildings and Landscape

Mas de Tourel is a remarkable rural complex from the 18th and 19th centuries, near the centre of Livernon on the Causse de Gramat. It comprises a Cazelle, a bakehouse, a barn and a pigsty. The complex was built of dry stone and covered with a roof of stone slabs. It stands in a dry grassland landscape dotted with small oak trees and dry-stone walls. Here, the architecture and surroundings can be seen as features that together define the rural complex.

Two Hikes, Different Distances

The hiking loop to the Menhir de Bélinac starts in Livernon. It is 8.2 kilometres long, easy, and takes about two hours. Its destination is a striking prehistoric stone: the Menhir de Bélinac is the largest menhir in the Lot. The limestone slab, almost 3.55 metres high, leans slightly to the south.

The Circuit de Livernon-Assier-Viazac is approximately 13 kilometres long and has no major difficulties. It follows paths across the Causse, lined with dry-stone walls, and passes two dolmens and exceptionally well-crafted Cazelles near Viazac. Route markings may be incomplete on some sections; take this into account when planning. The menhir loop is shorter and has an estimated duration, while the circuit offers a longer route option.

A Well and a Cazelle by the Lake

Puits Mage is the most significant of Livernon’s approximately twenty wells and is largely cut into the rock. Another dry-stone structure is the Cazelle du Lac de Lacam. It is located near Lake Saint-Namphaise, whose waters reflect the structure. Both examples complement the buildings at Mas de Tourel with further forms of dry-stone architecture.

Summer Connection

In summer, the LIO tourist line 876 serves Livernon and runs between Figeac and Padirac. Check the seasonal line’s operating dates before travelling. The two hiking loops and the cultural sights offer different starting points for planning your stay in Livernon.

Discover more destinations: Crayssac, Flaugnac, Gorses, Saint-Martin-Le-Redon, Lentillac-Du-Causse, Puy-L'evéque, Montclera, Lacave.

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