Grésale Loop

Park in the car park of the church in Serres-sur-Arget. Yellow markings.

(S/E) Set off along the road, Rue du Village, to the left towards the west. Continue straight on until the second crossroads.

(1) Take the road on the left in the village and stay on it until you reach the Y-junction at the end of the village.

(2) Take the road on the left until you reach the end.

(3) Go almost straight ahead. Enter the hamlet of Larnac and continue until you reach Chemin du Lavoir at the end.

(4) Turn right onto the path and continue straight ahead until you reach the wash house.

(5) Continue straight ahead on the dirt track Chemin des Morts. Continue until you reach the crossroads.

(6) Take the path on the right to reach a fork.

(7) Follow the path on the right to reach Le Fautils.

(8) Further on, keep left until you reach a fork.

(9) Keep slightly to the left and you will reach the next fork.

(10) Turn left. Further on, there is an iron-rich spring on the left side of the path. A second spring is located a few hundred metres further on. This is the Fontaine de la Grésale. Reach a ridge and a track.

(11) Turn left onto the track. You will arrive at a crossroads with several paths at Col de l'Homme. Turn immediately left to begin the climb. There is a steep incline to reach the summit (altitude 1056).

(12) As you leave the forest, the view opens up with the Château de Foix in the distance. From this point, the rest of the route is downhill. Follow the ridge to the end.

(13) Descend opposite to reach a place called Lairolle.

(14) Go around the house and take the track on the right. Pass through Cambus. At Murat, the path gives way to a road, which you follow until you reach a crossroads.

(15) Turn left onto the road. Cross Sahuc.

(16) On leaving Sahuc, leave the road and take the path on the left until it ends.

(17) Take the road on the left. Follow it until you reach the hairpin bend.

(18) Before this bend, take the path on the right and head into the forest until you reach the crossroads from the outward journey.

(6) From this point, follow the route in reverse to return to Darnac.

(5) Continue straight ahead. At the crossroads, turn left to return via a different street from the outward journey and rejoin the outward route shortly afterwards, following it to the left. Continue along the reverse route of the outward journey to the car park (S/E).

The church car park can accommodate around ten cars, but there are other car parks, notably at the nearby cemetery.