Around Issus through the ages

This walk will take you past the stately castle of Issus, then up the hillsides where you can admire the Lauragais countryside with an exceptional view of the Pyrenees. The route ends with a leap into modernity with the satellite dishes of a Telecom station.

Details

4384133
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.13 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 151 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 154 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 261 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 192 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Issus (31450)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.424342° / E 1.505844°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2144O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at the car park of the Issus town hall. Along the hike, you will see round posts with a blue ring bearing the name of the locality. These are landmarks of the SICOVAL of Toulouse. They will be indicated here with quotation marks.

(S/E) Opposite the town hall, turn right and head south towards Pouzé.

(1) Turn left onto Rue du Château and walk past the castle with its brick walls facing the Pyrenees, which are magnificent when the weather allows you to see them.

(2) Turn left onto Chemin de Pourville. Pass the "Las Costes" landmark and continue to the bend in the D68 at "Los Bouèmios".

(3) Leave the tarmac road and take the grassy path opposite, towards Espanès. This path rejoins a tarmac road at Beauregard.

(4) Turn left and cross the hamlet.

(5) Turn right onto Chemin de Roumieu and follow the grassy path until you reach the "Roumieu" sign.

(6) Turn left towards Espanès/Mirguet. When you reach a sign indicating private property, take the path on the right that climbs through the undergrowth to the "Mirguet" signpost.

(7) Turn left towards Issus.

(8) In Lourdel, continue straight ahead, cross the bridge over a stream and you will come to a four-way crossroads at the Aussaguel Telecom station.

(9) Turn left. At the crossroads before the cemetery, turn right to reach the centre of the village and the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 213 m - Town hall car park
  2. 1 : km 0.22 - alt. 225 m - Église Saint-Sernin (Issus)
  3. 2 : km 0.49 - alt. 231 m - Castle - Route de Pourvile
  4. 3 : km 2.29 - alt. 241 m - Los Bouèmios
  5. 4 : km 3.9 - alt. 253 m - Beauregard
  6. 5 : km 4.36 - alt. 242 m - Chemin de Roumieu
  7. 6 : km 5.2 - alt. 204 m - Roumieu
  8. 7 : km 6.24 - alt. 260 m - Mirguet
  9. 8 : km 7.1 - alt. 233 m - Lourdel
  10. 9 : km 8.32 - alt. 210 m - Aussaguel
  11. S/E : km 9.13 - alt. 213 m - Town hall car park

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
Tata Sab
Tata Sab

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Too many tarmac roads for my liking (best avoided in hot weather as there’s little shade – make sure you stay hydrated), but handy in wet weather. That said, it’s still a pleasant route to follow, offering beautiful views of the Pyrenees and the surrounding hillsides. The route is very well signposted.

Machine-translated

Marie1960
Marie1960

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

With beautiful panoramic views of the Pyrenees, this circular route takes you along many small, quiet roads that are convenient in rainy weather. The paths are well marked and cross through woods or run alongside fields with small climbs, nothing complicated. A pleasant walk in winter, but I would not recommend it in summer as there is a lot of tarmac with no trees for shade. The same applies if you have dogs or children with you, so please be careful.

Machine-translated

C.Andre
C.Andre

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting hike offering beautiful, sweeping views. The Visorando description is clear and reliable. The route is also very well marked by Sicoval, so it is impossible to lose your way. However, there is a short section that is not maintained, where you will need to make your own path through the tall grass. The fact that a large part of the route is on small, safe roads may discourage some, but will be an advantage for others after periods of heavy rain.

Machine-translated

agnes31450
agnes31450

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

wonderful

Machine-translated

xaviem
xaviem

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An airy route with beautiful views of the hillsides and the Pyrenees. Beautiful red brick buildings in the village of Issus.
Please note: the grass can be tall on the paths in spring.

Machine-translated

Bernard CONDAMINES
Bernard CONDAMINES

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with beautiful views of the Pyrenees. The small tarmac roads allow you to walk without too much inconvenience after days of heavy rain.

Machine-translated

emmathena
emmathena

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

perfectly signposted, so you don't have to worry about anything, which is just as well when the weather isn't ideal. Beautiful view of the mountains indeed. Perhaps a little too much tarmac.

Machine-translated

Shrando31410
Shrando31410

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hilly terrain in the countryside, ideal for hiking. We added a few extra kilometres to have a picnic at the Passelègue mill in Montbrun-Lauragais. Yellow markers placed by Sicoval make it easy to find your way.

Machine-translated

Ludi
Ludi

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Hiking on many tarmac roads to do after a rainy spell!
At point 5, when you take the grassy path, it is not maintained and the grass comes up to your knees!
The Château d'Issus is only visible from a distance!
Very disappointed with this hike.

Machine-translated

drgre
drgre

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful landscapes but too much walking on roads (even if they are not very busy). The castle is not very visible.

Machine-translated

Olivier Bel Air
Olivier Bel Air

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This walk is best enjoyed after a period of rain, as much of it takes place on small tarmac roads, which fortunately are not too busy, except between points 7 and the finish, where we encountered quite a lot of traffic (school leaving time?). The view of the Pyrenees must be beautiful, but the weather was gloomy and, despite a cold wind, the sky remained overcast. The village of Issus is worth a visit.

Machine-translated

mitchum31
mitchum31

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful panoramic views. However, it is best to avoid days when the Autan wind is strong, as the view of the Pyrenees is obscured and the route is very exposed to the wind. Main criticism: too much of the route is on tarmac roads... ultimately lacking in interest.
It's a shame, as the region is very beautiful.

Machine-translated

JOADIE
JOADIE

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The main attraction of this hike is the beautiful view of the snow-capped Pyrenees. The village of Issus with its castle is also out of the ordinary. Most of the route is on small, quiet roads, which is nice at this time of year as the paths are muddy. You can chat away without worrying about getting lost thanks to the Sicoval signs.

Machine-translated

CG2513
CG2513

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Enjoy your walk, often on quiet tarmac roads. Lovely views of the Pyrenees.

Machine-translated

lalala9
lalala9

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Stunning views of the snow-capped Pyrenees
Many paved roads or paths, mostly fairly quiet, ideal for stretching your legs after a rainy spell!

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.