Cacia Circular Loop

The start of the hike is at the exit of the Clue du Riolan (following the direction of the water flow, where recesses on either side of the main road allow for parking for around ten vehicles. Depending on the time of year, the site is very popular with canyoning enthusiasts. If there is no space left, you can try parking at the entrance to the Clue or in the village of Sigale, from where a path leads to marker 136.

(S/E) From the exit of the Clue du Riolan, walk along the main road towards the village of Sigale for about a hundred metres and take the path on the right which descends towards the River Riolan.

(1) Head down towards the two marker posts No. 77, and although I haven’t included it in this route, I recommend taking a short round trip (5 mins) along the path branching off to your right to the bridge spanning the Riolan, from where the view of the Clue is impressive. Once back at marker No. 77, take the path in front of you to continue on level ground between the main road and the Riolan.

(2) When you reach marker No. 138, the path climbs back up to the main road, which you should follow for about a hundred metres until you reach the bend in the road.

(3) The start of the path is on the left, at the entrance to the bend, right next to the entrance leading up to the house above the road. Marker 137 was difficult to see from the road when we passed it. The path continues on level ground, partly in the shade of the oak trees, along the meadows with a lovely view of the Riolan riverbed, the surrounding mountains and the Barre des Molières. From here, you wonder where on earth the path might go that will take us to the summit without having to do any climbing!

(4) On reaching marker No. 122, take a track on the left leading to a property and head towards the Barre des Molières. The 500-metre climb lies ahead of us and the start of the path is to the left of the property entrance. The slope becomes steep immediately, but we remain in the shade of the trees for the first third of the ascent. Then the trees become very sparse and the landscape turns rocky, offering unobstructed views of the valley and the rather impressive Barre des Molières. When you are facing the Barre des Molières, head left until you reach almost the foot of the ridge, then follow it to the right towards the Cime de la Cacia.

(5) Here we are at marker No. 136; before heading back down, we’ll make one last push over scree to reach the Cime de la Cacia, from where the 360° view is magnificent!

(6) The climb is short but it is difficult to walk over the scree, the small sharp rocks and the scrub. I would nevertheless advise you to make the effort to the end as the view of the surroundings is well worth it. After admiring the view, you must head back down the way you came, taking care to watch your step so as not to injure yourself.

(5) Back at marker No. 136, turn onto the path leading down to the right into the Forêt du Pali.

(7) Once you reach marker No. 135, you can either continue down towards the river and join a track leading to the main road, or, as we did, turn directly left and stay on fairly level ground in the forest, where the temperature in the shade of the trees is very pleasant. The descent starts off gently but becomes steeper towards the end.

(8) The end of the descent brings us to marker No. 140 on the main road, which you must follow to cross the Clue du Riolan and return to the starting point. This allows you to see the bottom of the Clue du Riolan, which isn’t possible when travelling by car. Be careful of passing vehicles, however, as you have to stay on the road and cars struggle to pass each other in certain places. After admiring the Clue, we’re back at our starting point (S/E).

- Make sure you bring plenty of water per person; the climb between waypoints (5) and (7), in direct sunlight, means you’ll use a lot.
- Do this hike in good weather to avoid slipping on the climb between the waypoints (5) and (7).
- I do not recommend doing this hike without proper hiking boots.
- I also advise against this hike if you suffer from vertigo or are with young children.

- Go to the bridge spanning the Riolan at the exit of the Clue; the view is impressive.
- You can plan to swim in the Riolan, particularly at the foot of the bridge, but it is often very busy.
- Visit the little village of Sigale.