Bell Towers and Lakes Trail discovery video

Hiking lovers, we've tried out for you the Saint-Léonard de Noblat Bell Towers and Lakes Trail. We'll take you to the town which possesses a fantastic treasure. Its Abbey Church has an enormous reliquary built in the beginning of the 11th century to house the relics of St Leonard, patron founder of the town. Today, it's a passage for Santiago De Compostela walkers because Saint-Léonard is situated on the Vézeley Way. In 1998, the Abbey Church, a historical monument, was listed as a World Heritage of Humanity site by UNESCO due to the Santiago De Compostela Roads. The town is also a member of the tourist network: "The Most Beautiful Detours in France".

But let's get back to the bell towers and lakes circuit: it's a 15-km walking and MTB trail that takes 3 h 45 mins on foot. 415 m of altitude change and marked in yellow. For mountain bikers, the trail is easy even if several slopes, typical of the surrounding area, could be daunting for the least experienced. For more experienced cyclists, the circuit is a decent training run. There are no particular difficulties except for a few passages across streams or several round stones that could cause a gentle fall.

For walkers, you'll have an enjoyable walk with fantastic viewpoints over the Limousin countryside. The circuit is hilly. A lovely slope when exiting Saint-Léonard after having left the Vienne will prepare you for the rest of the circuit. Then you'll alternately pass through clear areas with beautiful panoramas and woody passages or along small lakes. The environment is lovely. The circuit also passes along rural paths in the middle of farms or small hamlets.

Okay, enough talking. In this video, you'll feel like you're really on the trail with us sharing our impressions and images:

If you enjoy the video and the trail, then why not share this page with your friends and entouage.

You'll find the description and the topography guide on the Haute-Vienne's walking website. GPX and KML tracks are available for those who want to register the circuit in their mobile devices.

Enjoy your outing and think about sending me your observations and comments.

Article written by Stéphane Roux