Parking is mandatory at the entrance to the hamlet of Douch (municipality of Rosis).
(S/E) From the car park, head west towards the hamlet, following the yellow markings. Pass the oven and follow the path uphill to the left. 50 m further on, at the junction with the Douch sign, take the left-hand path signposted Sommet du Carroux. The yellow markings join the red and whiteGR®7 markings.
The fairly steep climb takes you through beech trees, then out of the forest and up a few steps to the plateau.
(1) At the crossroads, ignore the markings opposite and continue on the path on the right. Please note that this section is not marked on the ground, unlike the route shown on the map.
Stay on the wide, clearly visible path, which approaches the cliffs above the Héric Gorges. A few tracks allow you to get a closer look.
(2) When the path becomes less visible and descends slightly, leave the path opposite and look for a cairn. This indicates that you should turn left onto a barely visible track that looks like a drovers' road, marked by cairns.
It descends towards a small stream, cross it and find the blue markings again. The path, which is more clearly marked, climbs slightly to the left through the fir trees and then over rocks to return to the plateau. Follow the blue markings, enjoying the views of the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, until you reach the Font Salesse refuge nestled among the fir trees.
(3) Follow the yellow markings, continue straight ahead and, 50 metres further on, turn right, following the signpost without paying attention to the path on the left. Here too, the views are magnificent.
(4) At the orientation table, follow the markings, which soon turn north into the pine trees. Pass a large cairn in the middle of the path and you will come to a crossroads 50 metres further on.
(5) Leave the markings and continue right on the path marked by cairns. 200m later, at the fork (not visible on the map), continue left on the path that turns into a trail.
When you leave the forest, a large cairn marks Peyre Grosse. Continue straight downhill until you reach a T-junction next to Roc du Boutou. Turn left and continue for about 150m.
(6) Find a path on the right (not very visible) marked by a cairn that descends towards a stream. Cross it, head right for 10m, then climb up to the left to go around a rocky spur (the blue markings reappear).
The path soon descends again towards the Combe Gairau stream. Cross it and climb slightly to the right to return to level ground. The path turns right, heading south, to arrive at the Roc Mato-Capel viewpoint.
Continue, descending once again towards a stream which you must cross and continue opposite. After another viewpoint, the path descends and returns to a crossroads.
(7) Take the path on the left that climbs gradually. The blue markings have been replaced by fairly discreet orange markings. Leave a path that branches off to the left and, further on, the path that descends to the right towards the Ravin de Cadiol.
Continue straight ahead to find a grassy path through the heather that leads to a crossroads with numerous cairns.
(8) Return to theGR®7markings and turn left for 500 metres.
(9) Leave theGR® and turn right onto the yellow trail markers. The path climbs up to the tower that marks the summit of Caroux. Pass it and continue west on the path that descends to join a track.
Take this track on the right, ignoring the other paths, and head back to the car park (S/E).
