Fonfrège loop to Les Bouissières

On the right bank of the Tarn, Castelnau-de-Lévis is a walk between ridges, plateaus and hills with remarkable views of the surrounding valleys. A beautiful architectural heritage of half-timbered houses, dovecotes, crosses and a castle.

Details

1719997
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.86 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 205 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 206 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 273 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 139 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the town hall car park.

Yellow markings

(S/E) When leaving the car park, turn left and cross Rue Sicard Alamon ( with caution). Take the street opposite that goes up to the left.

(1) At the cemetery, make a slight first turn right then left and continue straight ahead. At the three-way junction, turn right.

(2) Then, on your left, follow the dirt track that passes between two houses. Continue straight ahead, cross the stream and, at Route de Catié, turn left then right. Continue along the road, passing the hamlet of France and following the yellow markings.

(3) At the crossroads in the hamlet of Saint-Marty, keep left and continue straight ahead. Cross the hamlet of La Mouyssetié. Continue along the road until you reach Fonfrège. Continue along the path to the Route des Crêtes.

(4) Follow the road to the right for 900 metres and then turn right onto the dirt track that runs between the vineyards, offering panoramic views.

(5) At the electricity pylon, turn left, then immediately right to rejoin the road. Follow the road to the right. Pass the first path on the right and continue to the next dirt track on the left. Go downhill, cross the stream and go back uphill to the road.

(6) Turn right and continue to the castle. Go around it on the right and return to the cemetery.

(1) Walk along the right-hand side of the castle and descend the wooden steps on the left, which lead to the main road. Keep slightly to the right to cross this road (with caution).

(7) Follow the pavement to the retirement home and, at the roundabout, turn left and follow Allée des Amandiers.

(8) At the last houses in the housing estate, turn right and continue along Chemin des Bouissières with its white stones, following the yellow markings.

(9) Leave the track opposite to descend to the left, passing along the edge of a field. Go around it and follow the path through the fields (view of the tower) to the hamlet of Mirgouses, which you will cross.

(10) At the crossroads, turn right and descend towards the Moulines stream, cross the footbridge, climb back up to the road and then, on the left, return to the car park where you started (A/D).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 166 m - Town hall car park
  2. 1 : km 0.16 - alt. 186 m - Cemetery, crossroads of the loop
  3. 2 : km 0.28 - alt. 191 m - Dirt track between two houses
  4. 3 : km 1.52 - alt. 208 m - Place called Saint-Marty
  5. 4 : km 3.49 - alt. 273 m - Route des Crêtes, turn right for 900 metres
  6. 5 : km 5.05 - alt. 236 m - At the pylon on the left
  7. 6 : km 6.14 - alt. 194 m - Road, turn right towards the castle
  8. 7 : km 7.13 - alt. 168 m - Pedestrian pavement
  9. 8 : km 7.54 - alt. 163 m - End of the housing estate, on the right
  10. 9 : km 8.68 - alt. 164 m - Path on the left
  11. 10 : km 10.09 - alt. 154 m - Les Mirgouses, on the right - Tarn (rivère)
  12. S/E : km 10.86 - alt. 166 m - Town hall car park

Notes

Toilets outside the Town Hall and water point in front of the Town Hall.

Worth a visit

On the side of the footbridge (former farm track), there are still some typical fishermen's huts.
From the castle ramparts, there are views of the surrounding plains, Saint-Barthélémy Church and half-timbered houses.

This hike can be done in reverse, so that you finish with the climb up to the castle and descend through the narrow streets.

Hike completed on 7/11/2018

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 19 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Marie-pierre
Marie-pierre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, stunning panoramic views, and Castelnau de Levis is a lovely village worth exploring.

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jean-jacques
jean-jacques

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful hike, enjoyable even if there is a bit of tarmac. I recommend it

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EliCha
EliCha

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We chose to have a picnic right at the castle to enjoy the view.
The lower loop was sunny, but the walk along the banks of the Tarn was pleasant.
An easy hike, suitable for everyone.

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ITZA
ITZA

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very well marked trail. We started with the loop near the Tarn, which isn't particularly interesting, mainly in the vain hope that the fog would lift! The picnic area with a view of the beautiful church is lovely. No major difficulties after that. Definitely worth doing again when there's no fog!!!

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allezmarche
allezmarche

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk with no particular difficulties. Well signposted. Don't hesitate to take a detour to visit the castle.

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christiantalon
christiantalon
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note, however, that the path can be muddy in wet weather.
But nothing insurmountable.
Hike completed in clear, sunny weather with beautiful, unobstructed views.

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gasfranc
gasfranc

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy, well-marked hike starting from the car park below the town hall (information board with route map)
A varied route in a "wave" or "figure of eight" shape, which can be divided into two parts: a hilly section, the longest, to the north in the hills, and a second section on the plain along the Tarn river.
Pretty landscapes, beautiful views of the medieval village and the ruins of its castle, Albi and its cathedral, the Tarn valley and even the Pyrenees in the distance.

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Farce
Farce

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike

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Le traileur du 81
Le traileur du 81

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice: I recommend it for all types of hiking, and the first part can also be used as a circuit to work on trail running up to an intermediate level, particularly for working on speed on descents/false flats

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domi.vergez
domi.vergez

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this walk on a cool summer's day in the Tarn (22-23 degrees, slightly overcast) and it was ideal.
The directions are precise. The route is now signposted and marked in yellow.
Lovely views and a detour to the castle ruins

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Tarn59
Tarn59

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike under generous winter sunshine. We covered a total of 11 km in 2½ hours (without stopping at the pretty ruins of Castelnau, which are worth a detour but which we had already seen). No difficulty. Well marked. Beautiful scenery on the northern part with even a splendid view of the snow-capped Pyrenees! Quite a few very quiet roads, but it's interesting at this time of year because there is sometimes a lot of mud on certain parts of the trail.

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Florentine
Florentine

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The northern loop is really nice and the views are superb. The southern loop along the Tarn river does not offer any particular panoramic views except for some pretty views of Castelnau-de-Levis and the charming little fishermen's huts. I highly recommend this hike.

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GVergniaud
GVergniaud

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route offering beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and as far as Pic de Nore!
On your return, be sure to visit the castle and the beautifully restored village.

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mariegiraud
mariegiraud

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a beautiful route with stunning views, especially when you can see the Pyrenees, which wasn't the case. Some sections, particularly around the vineyards, are muddy and slippery, so be careful after a few days of rain. We stopped at the castle and then walked through the village. However, the second loop is uninteresting apart from the few hundred metres near the Tarn where you can see the fishermen's huts.

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Thut
Thut

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very well marked trail. Not recommended in very hot weather as much of it is in direct sunlight

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