Ax-les-Thermes - Mérens via the Chemin de Llatta

Go to Ax-les-Thermes SNCF station. Free car park with 125 spaces.
Public transport: train, bus.

Off the marked trail

(S) Head towards the town centre. After about 350 m, turn right and cross the Ariège via the road bridge.

Yellow and red markings for the^GRP® Tour des Montagnes d'Ax.

(1) Turn left onto the^GRP® and follow the Ariège for about 400 metres.

(2) Cross the Ariège river again via a road bridge and immediately turn right.

(3) Cross the footbridge and arrive at the ticket office for the Ax-Bonascre cable car.
Pass under the cable car and turn right, climbing up to join the GRP^®. Walk alongside the spa and climb up to the right until you reach the end of a dead-end road. Continue between the houses and keep going straight up. After about 50 metres, you will reach a fork in the road.

(4) Continue straight ahead^, following the^GRP® markings^. You will reach a five-way crossroads. Take the second road on the left, passing a building with a picnic area.
You will reach the N2020. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and climb opposite via the^GRP® for about 150 m.

Yellow^PR®markings

(5) Turn right, heading south on the^PR® or Chemin du Llatta, towards Petches. Pass under the railway line. Be careful: there are many strange signs that can be misleading. Pass under a power line and continue uphill. You will reach the road leading to Petches. Follow it to the right and you will come to a fork with a wash house and a drinking water fountain on your right.
''A short detour into the village is possible''.
With the wash house behind you, take the street that turns right and you will soon reach a very distinctive signposted area.

(6) Climb left up the beautiful path through the woods, passing a wooden chicane. Cross the Llatta Forest Road, follow it tangentially further on and continue climbing. Join the forest road again and follow it to the right. In the sharp left-hand bend that follows, continue straight ahead to reach a four-way crossroads at an altitude of 1265 metres.

(7) Head straight ahead, due south, then turn south-east onto this good path. Join the Route Forestière du Llatta again and follow it to the right for about 150 metres until you reach a grassy track that climbs to the left.

(8) You can climb a few metres to a beautiful, well-maintained and equipped hut.
A very nice place for a well-deserved break.
Continue along the forest road and, very soon after the next bend, take a beautiful path opposite that climbs into the forest. Cross the Lacout Forest Road and continue climbing through this beautiful beech forest.
You will come to a fork with directional signs nailed to the beech trees.

(9) Climb up opposite towards the Col de Joux and its clean and well-maintained cabin.
This isan excellent spot for a well-deserved lunch break.

(10) Turn around to descend to the previous fork.

(9) Continue left towards Pont du Rial via Courtal - Juan. Follow the almost level path to the closed forest refuge (observed on 1 August 2022). Continue downhill for about 30 metres along the track, which has been damaged by forestry work, and you will reach a fork in the forest tracks at an altitude of 1545 metres.

(11) Keep to the far right, staying almost level, and you will reach a crossroads with three major tracks and a fourth, grassy track that is less visible. Directional sign.

(12) Turn left and descend this grassy track towards Couillet de Bergon, Mérens No. 21.

(13) You will reach a fork in the road with two tracks and a path at the small Col de Couillet de Bergon in the middle of the forest. Turn left, heading south along the path, and begin a descent through the forest to reach a track suitable for vehicles. Follow it to the left, heading south. Pass under a power line and continue generally south. You will arrive directly below another power line.
Leave the track and turn right for a few metres to discover the small iron Croix de Larguis and a beautiful view of the valley and Mérens. Mown area (observed on 1 August 2022).

(14) Return to the track and cross it to climb up opposite via a beautiful path overlooking Mérens.
You will arrive opposite the Saint-Pierre Chapel in Mérens-d'en-Haut. Walk a few metres to the right on the road and descend to the right along a stony track to reach the inn.

(E) Auberge du Nabre: first day's stop.

Mountain environment: you will need the appropriate equipment, including warm clothing and rain gear, two litres of water, walking sticks, a compass, GPS or Visorando, a 1:25,000 map, a GPX track and a description.

To shorten this stage: go directly from
- from (6) to (13),
- from (8) to (12),
or do not go to Col de Joux (10).

(S) Drinking water available at the SNCF station.
(6) Drinking water at the Petches wash house.
(10) Spring under the hut facing north (marked and signposted).
(8) Borde de Gabriel and (10) Cabane du Col de Joux open (observed on 1 August 2022).

Auberge du Nabre
Mérens-les-Vals Town Hall