Around Lias

Starting from the Fontenilles sports ground, a circular route towards Lias.
This route was used for the hike organised in aid of the Manon Hope Association, whose aim is to help fight leukaemia, particularly in children.

Details

4405027
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.13 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 193 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 192 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 289 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 205 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Fontenilles (31470)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.557536° / E 1.176984°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2043ET, 2043O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the Fontenilles sports ground next to the Maison des Sports.

(S/E) Leave the Maison des Sports on your right and the sports fields on your left, and take the dirt track between the two parts of the Espèche Industrial Estate.

(1) At the end of the straight stretch, continue along the path, turning left. This path no longer runs alongside the industrial estate but now runs alongside the Magnolias housing estate. Ignore the path on the right, which will be used on the return journey.
At the end of this second straight stretch, do not cross the bridge but turn right onto the path that leads into the woodland.

(2) Climb through the woods, staying on the path as the woodland is private. Make sure you stay between the boundary fences. On leaving the woods, the path continues to the left and follows the edge to the highest point of the walk (elevation 283).
Superb view over the village of Lias and its hamlets, as well as the Fontenilles plain. A stop is recommended.
Head down to the left, continuing to follow the boundary path between the Gers and Haute-Garonne. Another viewpoint, this time over the village of Bonrepos-sur-Aussonnelle with the Pyrenees in the distance. Continue down to a crossroads where the path on the right enters a private property, La Miraclette, which keeps sheep.
Ignore the path leading down to the left towards Bonrepos and continue straight on.

(3) Take the path on the right which descends towards the Ruisseau d'Espinassou. At the bottom of the descent, at the T-junction, take the path on the left (not shown on the IGN map) which follows the hedge. After a while, the path follows the Espinassou stream before entering a copse and emerging near the D121 Route de Saint-Lys.

(4) At the junction with the path leading to the D-road, turn right and head back up towards the centre of Lias, leaving the D-road behind you. The path becomes a road in the town centre. Cross the D535, Route d’Occitanie, with care and rejoin the path, directly opposite, which is no longer tarmac. The path descends to the bed of the Ruisseau des Crabères and then climbs back up to the D53A at the start of the hamlet of La Cabane.

(5) Turn right onto the main road and continue to the next junction.

(6) Turn left onto the dirt track that climbs up into the Bois des Arramous. Continue along this track until it bends to the left.

(7) Take the path on the right, cross the field and head downhill following the edge of the woods.
The woodland forms an L-shape at this point. At the bottom of the L, take the path on the right which leads into the woodland. The path follows a stream and passes through fairly tall bamboo before emerging into the open.

(8) As you emerge from the bamboo grove, the path continues uphill, following the edge of the woodland on the left.
Just as the woods bend to the left, take the path on the right which runs alongside the field and follow the edge of the woods on the right-hand side until you reach the track.

(9) Follow this track and head down to the right. The descent is quite steep and the middle of the track is washed out by water when it rains. Continue down until you see a gate on the left.

(10) Leave the path, which continues to descend, and take the shaded track on the right (not shown on the IGN map) which leads to the D65, the road linking Fontenilles to the hamlet of Les Arramous.
Turn right onto the departmental road and stay on the road until you reach the Haute-Garonne/Gers boundary, which is visible as the road changes appearance.

(11) Leave the D-road and turn onto the shaded path on the left which leads to the Route de Lias after fording the Ruisseau des Crabères.

(12) Turn left onto the D37c towards Fontenilles until you reach the entrance to the Espèche Industrial Estate.

(13) Just before the industrial estate, take the shaded path on the right which runs along the outside of the first part of the industrial estate to the small stream at the end. Cross the stream using the carved steps.

(1) At the top of the carved steps, turn left onto the path taken on the way there but in the opposite direction and head to the stadium car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 205 m - Fontenilles Sports Ground car park
  2. 1 : km 0.63 - alt. 208 m - Magnolias Lane
  3. 2 : km 1.39 - alt. 215 m - Start of the Magnolia Wood
  4. 3 : km 2.89 - alt. 262 m - Junction after the road to La Miraclette farm
  5. 4 : km 4.53 - alt. 247 m - Route de Saint-Lys
  6. 5 : km 6.36 - alt. 271 m - D534
  7. 6 : km 6.57 - alt. 269 m - Towards Le Moulin de la Chaü
  8. 7 : km 7.48 - alt. 286 m - Bend in the path to the left
  9. 8 : km 7.84 - alt. 254 m - Bamboo Grove
  10. 9 : km 8.18 - alt. 289 m - Chemin de Lartus
  11. 10 : km 9.18 - alt. 237 m - Vidalet Portal
  12. 11 : km 10.11 - alt. 214 m - Gers / Haute-Garonne border
  13. 12 : km 10.59 - alt. 225 m - Route de Fontenilles
  14. 13 : km 11.32 - alt. 209 m - ZA de L'Espèche
  15. S/E : km 12.13 - alt. 205 m - Fontenilles Sports Ground car park

Notes

No water sources are available during the walk.

Walking poles may be useful in rough terrain.

Manon Hope Association

Worth a visit

There are numerous viewpoints along the route, particularly before and after the highest point of the hike and on the climb after the bamboo grove.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
La Gerve
La Gerve

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk; it must get very muddy in the rainy season. Few roads and plenty of lovely paths through the woods

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La Gerve
La Gerve

A walk that is as easy to follow as it is enjoyable. Avoid doing it when it rains frequently. Few roads; mostly lovely paths through the woods.

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guirandobege
guirandobege

Good evening. I only managed to complete half of this hike because I set off too late due to Covid.
The conditions weren’t good – the path was muddy and slippery because it had rained – I can’t say any more than that.

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VincentLafon
VincentLafon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, 80% of which takes place on narrow woodland paths. Well done to the route planner. It’s worth using a GPS and the Visorando app, as some of the paths fork.

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Henry32
Henry32

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route, with little road travel.

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Bernard CONDAMINES
Bernard CONDAMINES

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

An interesting and varied route. Despite a bit of rain at the start and gloomy weather, we were treated to some lovely views of the Pyrenees. One to do again in fine weather

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Chris 5732
Chris 5732

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

We'll have to do it again when the weather's better – it was very muddy yesterday:

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