Park in the Moulzoune car park.
(S/E) The path climbs, marked in yellow, along a grassy track through the heart of the beech forest to the small artificial lake of Moulzoune, used for breeding Atlantic salmon (picnic tables).
(1) Continue climbing on the left side of the reservoir. Just follow the markings to discover the plateau of the old Fangas mines, where an old concrete platform supports the rusted remains of old mine cars. The view of the lake is already magnificent.
(2) Turn right, backwards, to pass close to the ruins of the old mine buildings (kitchen, dining hall, dormitories, management buildings) and continue climbing to the small Cabane du Vacher (1592 m).
(3) A final steep climb leads to the ridge, where you can see the Monts d'Olmes resort and Le Fourcat opposite.
The route then continues to the left and, almost immediately, you will see a signpost. Leave the path to the right towards Pic Saint-Barthélemy and head left, along the mountainside, to the stony pass of the old Porteille quarry (1,650 m).
(4) A short detour to the right reveals the old ruined buildings and the steam engine that used to haul ore up the southern slope.
Retrace your steps for a short descent and climb up the steep slope opposite to reach a wide, flat path that was probably used for transporting wagons.
At the pass, descend to a standing stone and, about 100 m further on, climb the slope, off the trail, to discover the Cabane de Taula (1,670 m) on the other side of the mountain and on the ridge.
The view is magnificent, perfect for a well-deserved break.
(5) Continue along the grassy track that opens up from the hut and joins the marked path leading to the foot of Roc de la Gourgue, where it is easy to climb for a magnificent view of the Château de Montségur.
(6) The route turns left and joins a wide track that descends into the forest and, after a few hairpin bends, returns to the Moulzoune car park (S/E).
The top of the hike is quite snowy, so bring walking poles and good waterproof shoes, or even crampons for certain short, very steep sections that are currently snow-covered (if they freeze, as they are located on the north side). There are indeed three areas that are a little daunting with the snow, either because of their steepness or because they run alongside a ravine
, we followed the few tracks left by other hikers to find our way in these places.
