La Pouncho d'Agast —
trails, vultures and flight over Millau

There are places that belong to a town without ever being part of its official postcard. La Pouncho d'Agast is one such place. This rocky plateau on the Causse Noir, which closes off the eastern horizon of Millau at an altitude of 840 metres, is as dear to the people of Millau as the Viaduct is to the rest of the world — their mountain, their landmark, their playground for as long as they can remember.

For visitors, La Pouncho offers three overlapping experiences: one of the most complete paragliding sites in France, a network of forest trails to explore on foot or by trail running, and the silent spectacle of griffon vultures circling in the same thermals as the paragliders.

An exceptional paragliding site

La Pouncho d'Agast has several take-off zones spread between 820 and 840 metres: three south-facing launches — oriented from south-east to south-west — plus a west and a north take-off. Together they cover almost every wind direction, making the Pouncho one of the country's most versatile sites. It regularly hosts competitions and is popular with experienced pilots and beginners in all seasons.

For those who want to experience flight without piloting themselves, several Millau schools offer tandem flights from La Pouncho — discovery flights in calm morning conditions, or longer flights in the afternoon when the thermals lift. Seeing Millau, the Viaduct and the gorges from the air is an experience that permanently changes how you understand this landscape.

Griffon vultures — the other pilots of the sky

From the Pouncho's take-off zones, pilots and hikers are regularly treated to a spectacular sight: griffon vultures, with V-shaped wings and a wingspan of over two metres, circling the plateau on the same thermal currents as the paragliders. Reintroduced to the neighbouring Gorges de la Jonte in the 1980s, these scavenging raptors have gradually colonised all the surrounding causses. Watching them glide in silence just metres from the colourful wings is one of the most unusual sights this corner of Aveyron has to offer.

The trails — three ways to tackle the Pouncho on foot

La Pouncho d'Agast is not a manicured park with a single waymarked circuit. It is a dense network of forest tracks, singletracks and ancient paths that crisscross the Causse Noir — pine forests, boxwood, oaks, dolomitic rock passages and root-covered descents. The central hub is the car park at Le Cade, an old causse farmstead with a picnic area, from which almost all the loops depart.

• The Cade loop (~6.5 km · +200 m · easy to moderate) — The introductory loop. Depart from Le Cade, cross the forest, plateau and return via the tracks. Well waymarked, little elevation gain, ideal for a two-hour family outing or to explore the area before venturing further.
• From Millau (~9–10 km · +500–660 m · 3–4 h) — The real ascent. Starting from the valley floor, a sustained climb through forest with rocky sections, possibly passing near the Grotte des Faux-monnayeurs, arriving at the take-off zone with the town below. The version that earns its views.
• The Monna loop (~14 km · +600 m · intermediate) — The full loop: Ravin de la Monna, views over the dolomitic cliffs, Le Cade, plateau viewpoints. Recommended for experienced walkers or trail runners looking for a long outing with elevation and variety.

For runners, Trail No. 02 of the Parc des Grands Causses (27 km, +837 m) also crosses the area, weaving singletracks and balconies above the Dourbie. GPX tracks are available on AllTrails and Komoot for all these loops.

Montpellier-le-Vieux — the stone city of the Causse Noir

La Pouncho lies on the Causse Noir, the same plateau as Montpellier-le-Vieux — around twenty kilometres north-east of Millau. This spectacular site, formed by the erosion of dolomitic rock into a succession of towers, arches and natural labyrinths, is one of the most surprising geological curiosities in France. It can be explored on foot along waymarked trails, on a small train (in season) or via a via ferrata accessible to accompanied beginners. Combining the Pouncho in the morning with Montpellier-le-Vieux in the afternoon makes for an ideal day on the Causse Noir.