Circular around Gabian and Font de l'Oli

Starting from the Château-Abbaye de Cassan, discover Font de l'Oli, an ancient oil seep known since the Middle Ages. Between 1923 and 1950, this deposit was exploited and produced 200,000 tonnes of the precious liquid. Be careful at the end of the route in case of high water: the ford may be impassable.

Details

86803977
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.41 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 115 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 116 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 182 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 86 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Château de Cassan car park.

(S/E) With your back to the castle, go to the end of the car park and take the small road on the right, lined with olive trees.

(1) Leave the road and take the path on the right that goes around the Bois de Sainte-Marthe.

(2) Turn right and you will reach the chapel at the bottom of the castle grounds.

(3) Turn left, passing in front of the Font du Prieur. Once at the crossroads, make a short first turn right then left to take the path that runs alongside the vineyards and leads to the banks of the Thongue.

(4) Continue between the vineyards and the Thongue.

(5) Follow the path that enters the undergrowth along the river and go to the end.

(6) Turn right and cross the bridge. Continue to the district road, turn right and walk for about 500 metres.

(7) Take the path between two vineyards to the Font de l'Oli cottage.

(8) Then walk up the secondary riverbed to the bottom of the village

(9) Turn left onto Ancien Chemin de Margon and join the D146. Turn right, then left and then right again, coming out onto Avenue du Roujan.

(10) Follow it to the right for about 100 metres, then turn left onto the Ancien Chemin de Roujan (camin vielh de Rojan). Walk for about 150 metres, then, after passing a building, turn right between two vineyards and cross the ford over the Thongue river, which may be impassable in high water. Return to the path, turn left and climb up to the tarmac road.

(11) Follow it to the left and walk uphill for about 1 km until you reach a fork.

(12) Turn right and follow this path to the castle car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 146 m - Car park - Prieuré Royal notre Dame de Cassan
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 162 m - Path on the right
  3. 2 : km 1.47 - alt. 167 m - Crossroads, on the right
  4. 3 : km 1.86 - alt. 134 m - Chapel, on the left
  5. 4 : km 2.68 - alt. 87 m - Entrance to the vineyard - Thongue (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 2.92 - alt. 88 m - Start of the path in the undergrowth
  7. 6 : km 3.24 - alt. 93 m - End of the trail, on the right
  8. 7 : km 3.94 - alt. 97 m - Fork
  9. 8 : km 4.13 - alt. 90 m - Font de l'Oli
  10. 9 : km 4.42 - alt. 91 m - Fork
  11. 10 : km 4.9 - alt. 102 m - Avenue de Roujan
  12. 11 : km 5.41 - alt. 109 m - Road
  13. 12 : km 6.38 - alt. 158 m - Fork in the path
  14. S/E : km 7.41 - alt. 145 m - Car park - Prieuré Royal notre Dame de Cassan

Notes

Blue markings on the ground

Worth a visit

Geological curiosity of Font de l'Oli, a former oil seep.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Ariégeois
Ariégeois

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike with beautiful views in places. Discovering the Font de l'Oli site was very interesting and surprising due to its history. The blue markings are not obvious in places but are reliable and necessary. I recommend this hike.

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nearby38
nearby38

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike
The start is not very clear and the signposting is not very explicit and unconventional.

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Dominique D3.
Dominique D3.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, presenting no difficulties. Beautiful views of Cassan Castle. There was no water in the ford. We enjoyed the easy-to-follow route.

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Marc Maniere
Marc Maniere

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy route but poorly marked, or not marked at all at some junctions. Fortunately, GPS tracking puts you back on the right track. Worth doing, the landscapes are varied and pleasant.

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