Around the Caroux plateau

Walk on the Caroux plateau, which offers magnificent views of the Orb valley, the Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenees.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.07 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 453 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 447 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,090 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 887 m

Photos

Description of the walk

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).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 895 m - Car park in the hamlet of Douch
  2. 1 : km 1.04 - alt. 1,056 m - Leave the signposts and turn right.
  3. 2 : km 2.18 - alt. 999 m - Turn left at a cairn.
  4. 3 : km 3.01 - alt. 1,045 m - Refuge de Font Salesse
  5. 4 : km 3.76 - alt. 1,026 m - Table d'orientation du Caroux
  6. 5 : km 4.24 - alt. 1,062 m - Leave the GR, turn right
  7. 6 : km 5.06 - alt. 1,010 m - Turn right onto the small path.
  8. 7 : km 6.32 - alt. 956 m - Turn left at the crossroads.
  9. 8 : km 7.79 - alt. 1,047 m - Turn left onto the GR
  10. 9 : km 8.25 - alt. 1,057 m - Leave the GR, turn right
  11. S/E : km 11.07 - alt. 895 m - Car park in the hamlet of Douch

Notes

Much of the route is marked only by cairns, so it is best to be an experienced hiker.

A better marked alternative route with fewer viewpoints is possible by shortening the route:

  • At the junction at point (1), continue straight ahead on theGR® and head for the Font Salesse refuge at point (3).

Alternative route suggested by hiker apap_antoine
(5) Continue straight ahead on theGR®7for about 150m to reach a crossroads. Leave the main path and turn right onto a smaller path. After leaving the woods, cross a peat bog area on footbridges. At Jasse de Jouclas, ignore several paths on the left and continue for about 200m to reach the crossroads (9).

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 64 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 14900988

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Unfortunately, it was a hike in the rain and wind, but still... absolutely beautiful!!! We did it in autumn, so there were stunning colours and breathtaking landscapes. It was 11 km and took 4 hours and 11 minutes, including lots of breaks to admire the scenery. Definitely worth doing!!! And in spring, it must be just as pretty with all the flowers!!!!

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Mérou.c
Mérou.c

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike! It's uphill from the start, but it's not very difficult. You need to follow the route carefully as there are several changes in the signposting.
I recommend it for beginners!

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franky34
franky34

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Many thanks for this very varied route through these landscapes and along the different trails. We enjoyed excellent weather on this sunny day on 1 November. The route is relatively easy to follow, but you need to keep your eyes open when you start following the blue markings and also when you switch to the red markings. We set off equipped with a GPS and the route map, and had no problems. I already knew the plateau, having explored it many times on my mountain bike, but I was able to discover some new trails.
This is definitely one of my top 5 rides in the area.

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clemence.fabre
clemence.fabre

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike around Carroux. Very pleasant, varied terrain. We hiked in rain and mist, but the landscapes were magnificent nonetheless. A real diversity of truly different spots. To enjoy unobstructed views, plan for a sunny day.
It starts with a fairly steep climb but then levels out to a fairly steady pace.
We had a picnic after the orientation table, which breaks up the hike a bit.
I highly recommend it! However, a GPS is highly recommended as it's easy to get lost without one...

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Isalucas
Isalucas

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike with flowering heather. No particular difficulty. The GPS route is necessary as it is not always easy to find the cairns.

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tronc
tronc

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike!
Relatively easy (a few small climbs but nothing too difficult)
A GPS device may be useful for some sections
I did it when the broom was in bloom in July. I'll do it again at the end of August when the heather is in bloom.

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marcheur1
marcheur1
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Excellent views of the Hérault, Canigou with snow,
Mont St Clair, Sète and the sea.
Fog over the sea in the morning, clearer in the afternoon.
Best enjoyed with a north wind for clearer views.

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DGUI
DGUI

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with magnificent landscapes and atmospheres. Be sure to follow the GPS route carefully.

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J.C.34
J.C.34

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike done on a day with a tramontane wind. Not much wind and beautiful sunshine. Great unobstructed views. Ideal weather for hiking in autumn.

At first, follow the yellow markings, but then you need to follow a blue or red dot.
In any case, the GPS works well for this route and is even essential because, although there are always cairns and markers, there are several trails and it's easy to lose your way.

Very beautiful views. Varied landscapes.

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CAT34
CAT34

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with no real difficulty (apart from the climb at the beginning) and magnificent, varied landscapes.
A real delight.

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etienne92.d
etienne92.d

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We went on this magnificent hike on a very hot day.
Admittedly, the start of the hike is a little steep, but what a pleasure it was to see all the heather in bloom—it was simply magnificent! My thoughts go out to those who have done this hike in other seasons and haven't seen this spectacle.

The advantage of going around the plateau is that you avoid the busy GR trail and get to see some magnificent landscapes.
It's a shame we had heat haze, so we couldn't see the Pyrenees.
I recommend it 200% and thank you for the idea for this route.

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philippe565
philippe565

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. A bit of trudging at the very beginning to find the "Douch" signpost, but then no more problems. Very beautiful panoramic views. Indeed, when you reach the official trail, there are a lot of people, especially near the orientation table. After leaving this trail, nature is once again all ours. The only downside was that we did this hike on a windy day and on the plateau the wind was blowing hard... Be careful when leaving Lamalou les Bains, as it was 25°C when we left and 14°C when we arrived at the Douch car park. Don't forget to take warm clothes with you. I will do this hike again.

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platanus
platanus

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Easy except at the beginning: very tough climb. Beautiful, varied landscapes. Magnificent moorland.

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jpvls
jpvls

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this tour during the July heatwave, but despite the altitude and wind, we managed just fine.
A magical place, full of beauty, with a variety of flora and fauna (we even saw a mouflon!). On the
plateau, you can get close to the cliffs and admire the Espinouse in all its splendour. Another bonus was the
heather in bloom. What a joy! Thanks to Slinky for this discovery.

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Bontemps Daniel
Bontemps Daniel

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike but very crowded; Caroux has become too famous.

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