epoque

Un itinéraire sportif qui permet de rallier Crouy-sur-Ourcq depuis Lizy-sur-Ourcq en découvrant les vallons des affluents de la rive gauche de l'Ourcq tout en traversant les villages qui les peuplent.

The route begins under the majestic beech trees of the Retz National Forest. It then passes through typical villages with a rich architectural heritage. The path overlooks the valleys of the Ourcq and its tributaries. You will discover the beginning of the Ourcq Canal. The Donjon du Houssoy welcomes you at the end of the route in Crouy-sur-Ourcq.

Along the meandering lower valley of the Petit Morin with its steep slopes, amidst meadows, wetlands, woods and farmland, you pass through several villages and hamlets boasting a fascinating history and heritage. Two detours up onto the heights of the Briard plateau offer a glimpse of the richness of its vast agricultural expanses.

After a climb through the forest to wake up our muscles, we leave the mountain pastures of the Bas-Chablais Pre-Alps behind us. The route runs alongside several lakes and offers panoramic views stretching from the Jura mountains to the Mont Blanc massif before plunging down below the Cornettes de Bise.

From Arbigny-sous-Varennes, the waters of the Presle stream flow into the Mediterranean, whilst from Orbigny-au-Mont those of the Liez flow into the English Channel. Perched on its hilltop, Langres serves as our landmark.

This stage offers the chance to discover some of the springs of the Langres Plateau, whose waters feed into the English Channel. After skirting the marshes, you enter the Auberive State Forest, in the heart of the Forêts National Park. The abbey founded by Saint Bernard in 1132 reveals its secrets. But why Auberive, exactly?

This stage takes place in the Marne catchment area, whose waters flow into the English Channel. Perched on a high hill detached from the plateau, Langres invites us to stroll along its ramparts. Opt for its restaurants rather than the usual picnic.

This stage begins opposite the Roches de Solutré and Vergisson, classified as a Grand Site de France, with a panoramic view of the Jura mountain ranges and Mont Blanc. You pass through two natural areas of ecological, faunistic and floristic interest (ZNIEFF) and renowned vineyards (Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Vinzelles), overlooking the châteaux of Chasselas and Vinzelles.

This is the first of eight stages in the Côte d’Or valleys on the Mediterranean side of the Atlantic/Mediterranean watershed. We set off from the entrance to the Forêts National Park and then cross the Mont de l’Échelle and Bonière State Forests. We then emerge onto a path jutting out above the Ignon valley. The heritage sites include wash houses, hemp retting pits, wells and a communal oven converted into a shelter.

Between the Causse de Blandas and the Gorges de la Vis, the entire route lies within the “Causses and the Cévennes” site, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the drovers' road linking Languedoc to Aubrac, used by sheep to reach the summer pastures of Aigoual, take the time to observe the unique world of the Causse. To round off the day, enjoy the spectacular views of the Gorges de la Vis offered by the descent of the Travers de Navacelles.

A gentle stroll in the shade of two national forests. From Le Soulié, at an altitude of 900 m in the Somail National Forest in the Hérault, you descend gently to Labastide-Rouairoux through the Haut-Agout National Forest in the Tarn. Here, the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park hides a mystery: what might Le Somail have looked like when the dolmens and menhirs that line this route were erected? This hike may be prohibited depending on the fire risk level. Remember to check the map.

The hike begins in the Cévennes National Park. This first stage takes place in the Aigoual State Forest, which forms part of the “Les Causses et les Cévennes” site, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We follow the drovers' road linking Languedoc to Aubrac, still used today by sheep to reach the summer pastures of the Aigoual.

In the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park, you cross the Plateau du Somail at an altitude ranging between 900 and 1,000 metres, passing through forests and moorland. The balcony-like sections offer panoramic views of the valleys below and the other peaks of the Haut-Languedoc. After a break at Lac de Vesoles, a cliff-top descent overlooks the Saut de Vesoles and the Gorges du Ruisseau du Buraut, offering a bird’s-eye view of the Gulf of Lion.

This route runs entirely through the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park. It passes through two typical villages and offers numerous panoramic views of the Orb Valley, the Monts d’Orb, the Montagne de l’Espinouse and the Caroux Plateau. Charles Péguy, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Paul Nizan (Les chiens de garde), Robert Desnos and hundreds of others await us in the Forêt Domaniale des Écrivains Combattants.

This walk takes place entirely within the "Les Causses et les Cévennes" site, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Navacelles, you climb up the Gorges de la Vis to its resurgence. After visiting the Moulins de la Foux, the return journey halfway up the southern slope of the Causse de Blandas offers spectacular views of the Gorges de la Vis and the Cirque de Navacelles. You have to walk in the Cirque de Navacelles at least once in your life, that's all there is to it! Don't think twice: just go!

The Caroux is a mountain range with steep slopes and significant elevation changes. The plateau is dotted with purple heather and peat bogs. It overlooks the Orb valley and the Colombières, Héric and Bardou gorges. The 360° panorama stretches from the Montagne de l'Espinouse to the Pyrenees with the Gulf of Lion in the background. This is the most beautiful stage of this itinerary due to its location in the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park.