Around the lake by the stadium in Sainte-Foy-de-Peyrolières

Park in the car park at the Sainte-Foy-de-Peyrolières stadium.

(S/E) Turn your back on the changing rooms and take the path running alongside the tennis courts to the path leading to the lake.

(1) Turn left as you leave the stadium onto the path leading to the lake, which forms part of the^GR® 86.

(2) Carry straight on, leaving the path on your left which you will take on the return journey. Walk the full length of the lake, then follow the course of the Ruisseau de la Galage, which feeds into it.

(3) At the signposts, carry on straight ahead, leaving the path on your left – you’ll take this one on the way back too.

(4) After a short while, pass through a residential area where the track gives way to a tarmac road, then returns to a track until you reach the start of the ranch’s premises.

(5) Ignore the track on the left leading to the ranch, and head up towards the road from Saint-Thomas to Sainte-Foy. You’ll reach a junction offering a stunning view of the surrounding countryside, stretching as far as the Pyrenees.

(6) Leave the track that continues towards the road and take the path on the left to head down towards the ranch.

(7) After passing through the middle of the ranch, rejoin the^GR® and turn left onto it.

(5) Turn right and follow the path you took on the way there until you reach the signposts.

(3) Leave the^GR® and turn right to walk round the lake. Cross the small wooden bridge over the stream and head uphill until you reach the tarmac road.

(8) Turn left onto the road heading towards the centre of Sainte-Foy.

(9) At the start of the climb, leave the road and take the path on the left which follows the lake shore.

(10) Leave the track leading towards the road to the stadium and follow the path on the left which runs along the top of the embankment.

(2) At the end of the embankment, turn right, rejoining the^GR® and the path you took on the way there.

(1) Do not go all the way to the road; instead, take the path on the right a few metres before it, passing behind the tennis courts to reach the car park (A/D).

There are no water points along the route, but you can buy a drink at the ranch bar.

(7) This is the highest point on the route and the view of the surrounding area is superb; you may even be able to see the Pyrenees.

(10) When you’re on the embankment, there’s a lovely panoramic view of the lake, the stadium and the village.