The Cabane des Carmilles from Les Brougues

de fr

Most of the hike takes place in the forest on easy trails. At Les Brougues, and especially at the Cabane de Carmilles, you have a beautiful view of the Pyrenees. A beautiful hike for a very hot day!

The starting point for this hike is not accessible in snowy conditions.

Details

n°24089532
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.63 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 210 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 215 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,342 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,182 m
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Photos

Panorama at the top of the route
Commemorative monument - Maquis de Croquié
Signpost 'Vers Mont Fourcat' and immediately on the left
Route to Mont Fourcat

Description of the walk

Access: take the D618 and in the centre of Mercus-Garrabet, head towards Croquié (D61).
Once in Croquié, continue along the road on the left (Route de la Forêt) until you reach a small car park.

(S/E) Take a small uphill path marked with a yellow Mont Fourcat sign

(1) When you reach a forest road, follow the direction indicated by a yellow Mont Fourcat sign and then, immediately afterwards, take a small path on the left (see photo). Join the track further on and follow it to the left.

(2) Leave the forest road and take a path on the right. Further on, cross a stream.

(3) Ignore a path on the right, which you will follow on the way back, and continue straight ahead to reach the Cabane de Carmilles.

(4) At Cabane de Carmilles, there are picnic tables and fresh spring water. Enjoy the fantastic view of the Pyrenees. Turn back to the previous intersection.

(3) Follow the wide path down to the left.

(5) Cut across by taking the path on the right to descend more quickly (steep slope!, choice of route), or stay on the wide path that has been completely destroyed by forestry machinery. Further on, rejoin the path and follow it to the right until you reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,198 m - Car park on Route de la Forêt
  2. 1 : km 0.41 - alt. 1,255 m - Follow Fourcat and immediately take the path
  3. 2 : km 0.97 - alt. 1,311 m - Intersection of forest road and path
  4. 3 : km 1.83 - alt. 1,313 m - Round trip
  5. 4 : km 2.03 - alt. 1,342 m - Cabane des Carmilles
  6. 5 : km 2.5 - alt. 1,281 m - Track/path intersection
  7. S/E : km 4.63 - alt. 1,199 m - Car park on Route de la Forêt

Notes

(4) Picnic tables and spring water at the start/finish and at the Cabane de Carmilles.

Worth a visit

(S/E) Back at the car park, you will find picnic tables and spring water. A little further on, there is a beautiful monument in honour of the Maquis de Croquié and an orientation table with a magnificent view of the Ariège Pyrenees towards Andorra.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 14 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
mjbonnet
mjbonnet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This cabin is fairly easy to access, well equipped and attracts many walkers who want to spend the night there.
But there was no one there when we went. It was quite cold.

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User 14908467

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

To avoid the 3 km of very narrow road from the village to the car park (hike to Mont Fourcat), take Croquié's personal route via Chemin de la Rivo and Trou de Creil.
The first part is on a path that is quite overgrown with vegetation, but it's passable. Return from the Aynat hut via Les Brougues.
7.5 km with 486 m of elevation gain, at a leisurely pace.
Just one small problem: the app (very good) drained my phone battery in 4 hours... So I'll go back to my old Garmin GPSmap 60 Cx, which is more reliable in bad weather.
That said, I still have a compass and the IGN 1/25000 map for the hike.
I'll also remember to pick up a branch or two to put in the shed, in case we want to make a fire in the cabin...

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User 27078515
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful trail through the forest. Arriving at the mountain hut is a wonderful surprise. A welcoming place steeped in history, with magnificent views and fresh spring water!
We had to check the directions with the map.
The monument in honour of the Resistance fighters near the car park also offers a beautiful view.
Please note that it is a very long drive between the village and the car park (and the dry toilets are out of order)

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User 10465312

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb viewpoint that is easily accessible

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Lisaro06
Lisaro06

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Hello
A pleasant route despite the foggy weather, which prevented us from enjoying the view
To be repeated in good weather

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Dante31190
Dante31190

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this hike on Sunday, taking it in the opposite direction. I think it's a little less difficult than going the other way. We did it in the snow, so be careful not to slip. And I can confirm that between points 3 and 4, you MUST FOLLOW THE YELLOW MARKINGS. Don't try to follow the GPS track. In any case, it was a very beautiful hike where I was able to make my first snowman 🥰

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Jimegé
Jimegé

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike, I recommend it.

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Roel964
Roel964

Thank you for your comments, Astere!
As indicated in the description, point 5 is indeed difficult to find, but you can also stay on the wide path instead of cutting across the road.
I don't understand your comment about the 30-40 minute journey time from Les Brougues.
Les Brougues is located at coordinates N 42.871806° E 1.668889°, which is where the route begins.
From Mercus-Garrabet, it takes about 25 minutes to reach this starting point.

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Astere
Astere

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with stunning views after only an hour's climb (ideal in spring when it starts to get warm and the mountains are still covered in snow)
We had a little trouble finding point 5 (because you have to leave the path and go off-trail up the slope, which isn't marked), but thanks to the GPX track we were able to find it easily.
There are picnic tables at the top and bottom (at the bottom at the memorial, photo of the statues, which are on the other side of the road from the starting point).
Please note that the hike does not start at Les Brougues at all; there is a 30- to 40-minute drive uphill after Les Brougues, and a GPS is recommended.
The view is well worth the trip, as is the historical interest.

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martine.bourgeois@hotmail.fr
martine.bourgeois@hotmail.fr

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Easy hike. Cabin in a great location. Magnificent view

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remi2525
remi2525

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely two-hour walk for the whole family, with children aged 10 and 8.
I recommend it, the entire route is shaded and offers a beautiful view of the Pyrenees.
Thank you

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2049jf
2049jf
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant little walk and well-maintained paths.
GPX track very useful as there are no distinctive markings.
A landslide obscures the route after the hut on the way back.
Follow the slope down to the right.
Clean hut and fountain for spring water.
Worth doing again

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georgevelyne@gmail ;com
georgevelyne@gmail ;com

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike undertaken in intense heat (+31 degrees) in August with two young children (aged 6 and 3).

As the route is well sheltered by vegetation, relatively flat and, at the end, there is a beautiful viewpoint with a hut and water source, this hike lived up to all our expectations

A big thank you to the author and to Visorando for helping us discover it
Evelyne and Georges

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En Pascot
En Pascot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful and short walk in the cool air. Between altitude and shade, perfect for summer. After an hour, the cabin offers a superb view and a perfect spot for a picnic.

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christophe5757
christophe5757

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent view at the summit. Shady. Perfect 1.5-hour hike!

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