Along the heights of Leucate

Far from the hustle and bustle of Port Leucate, there is a magnificent place where peace reigns. The cliffs of Leucate. They link Leucate Village to La Franqui and this short walkk will let you discover their different features: cliffs, vineyards and pastures for sheep.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.43 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 60 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 63 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 53 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Leave from the Office de Tourisme in Leucate Village (and not that of Port Leucate). Parking is easy and several walks start from this location(S).

Go down the Avenue Francis Vals which then becomes the Avenue Jean Jaurès. This is Leucate's main street, going the direction of Leucate beach. There are lots of shops on this street (provisions available). Follow this avenue until the end. There you will see house typical of the region, and the small bistros lend themselves more to relaxation that to walking!

At the second roundabout(1), take the cycle path opposite and slightly to the right. Continue for about 700m along the Avenue Charles de Gaulle. On your right you'll see the Leucate pond and in the distance, the Canigou, the mountain of the Catalans.

(2) Leave the cycle track and turn left on the lighthouse path in the direction of the semaphore. When you get to the fork(3), turn left and walk past the Phare de Cap Leucate lighthouse and the telecommunications tower. On your right you can see for miles over the Mediterranean and the beaches of Leucate.

Walk along the edge of the cliff on the trail. Below you'll see two small beaches. You'll arrive at the Cap Leucate and the French Navy installations.

Continue on the trail along the top of the cliffs. Ignore a path to the left and at the Cap des Frères, take a trail on the left(4). Be careful, there are numerous trails leading off. The one you need to take is bordered by a wall approximately 80cm high (with yellow marks and symbols in white plaster). You'll then have your back to the sea and the trail is straddled by small pastures bordered by dry stone walls.

After 850m, turn right along a small road. 150m further on, turn left(5). Olive tree plantations line the path.
After a slight descent, you'll see the first vines of the Cap Leucate vineyard. The path meanders a little, bending to the right to join a road(6). On both sides are nothing but vineyards. In front of you is the Leucate pond and in the distance, the Canigou and Pyrenees.

You arrive at point where your path crosses with a larger path(7). Turn left and immediately after take a trail on your right. Walk past an old mill which has lost its blades. A steep descent of about twenty meters via the Rue du Cercle will lead you into Leucate. Continue straight on to join the Rue Francis Vals(8), that you take on the right to join the car park at the start point.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 27 m - Tourist Office car park
  2. 1 : km 0.15 - alt. 23 m - Carrefour de la boucle
  3. 2 : km 1.13 - alt. 3 m - 2nd roundabout. Take the cycle path.
  4. 3 : km 1.68 - alt. 1 m - Leave the cycle path. Turn left.
  5. 4 : km 2.53 - alt. 43 m - Three-way junction. Turn left.
  6. 5 : km 3.21 - alt. 48 m - Path on the right along the cliff
  7. 6 : km 5.19 - alt. 44 m - Cap des Frères, left
  8. 7 : km 6.01 - alt. 38 m - Small road on the right
  9. 8 : km 7.45 - alt. 41 m - Road, right
  10. 9 : km 7.84 - alt. 36 m - Intersection. Turn left.
  11. S/E : km 8.43 - alt. 28 m - Tourist Office car park

Practical information

To get to the start point for this walk, take the D927 and exit at "Leucate" . It's the first exit coming from Narbonne and the second in the other direction.

In the nearby area

A few kilometres from Leucate Village, you can visit La Franqui and its beach.
At the start point, you can visit the Cap Leucate cooperative winery.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 67 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Loicsimon
Loicsimon
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Super very nice route

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zenitude66
zenitude66

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Hello,
Very nice walk, the first kilometre is less interesting, but it's still a very pleasant walk. Many thanks.

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Sb43
Sb43

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Lovely walk in fine weather. The climb to the plateau is via the car park access, so there's a bit of road traffic! But then it's pleasant. Need to use the app on the second half to stay on track.

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SABINE80
SABINE80

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A short, easy hike with magnificent scenery around the cliffs.

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Marylinec
Marylinec

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

An interesting family tour: scenic beauty and diversity

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Krugg31
Krugg31
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

The part of the walk above the cliffs (very frequented) and on the plateau (almost deserted) is magnificent. The part on the road between the village and the cliffs, unfortunately, much less so.

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MERRY KRISTEEN
MERRY KRISTEEN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very nice little walk, around 2 hours, beautiful views, we went all the way down to La Franqui to see the sea, easy, no change in altitude apart from the end to get back up from La Franqui, refreshing, no problem for the family.

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Didgtt01
Didgtt01

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : May 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Nice walk for the views, despite the uninteresting start.
On the way back, we lengthened the route a little by returning along the winegrowers' path.

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Juanmu
Juanmu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Nice, easy walk with a beautiful viewpoint

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Visiteur31
Visiteur31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lovely easy walk with many magnificent views of the coast, cliffs and beaches. Avoid the hottest times of the day in summer.

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BOB6634
BOB6634

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

SUPERB MORNING HIKE TO DO WHEN IT'S NOT TOO HOT
LOVELY VIEWS;

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Christian DUVIC
Christian DUVIC

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Walk above the cliffs of Leucate without difficulty, very pleasant except the beginning with the crossing of Leucate on pavements and tarmac.

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Mescal
Mescal

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful route along the cliffs overlooking the sea, then back across the plateau between the vineyards.

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loulou34310
loulou34310

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

Our group didn't do the whole route. For a day outing, we opted for the first 2 loops with a return on our steps from waypoint 9.
This is where things got complicated, as a landowner had closed off his property to all traffic, including pedestrians, forcing us to turn back. The fact that there is a stream meant that we followed it, but in the opposite direction to the original route and were forced to retrace a section we'd already done in the morning.
We'll do the same route again, trying to climb higher from waypoint 9 and get to the right side of the stream.

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randobizanet
randobizanet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

parish specific to Brittany bravo to the person who commented on it.

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