De Lastourg à Villefranche-de-Conflent

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Comment gagner Villefranche-de-Conflent depuis Lastourg sans emprunter la dangereuse N116, qui n'a aucune circulation piétonne de prévue ?
Petite découverte d'un circuit alternatif le long de la Têt !
Attention, cette randonnée qui emprunte un itinéraire partiellement sur le terrain d'ERDF (non clôturé), se fait à vos risques et périls !

Details

n°74217
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.41 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 0h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 21 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 42 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 482 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 440 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Pyrenees
  • ⚐ City: Fuilla (66820)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 42.581193° / E 2.352476°
  • ⚑
    End: N 42.586623° / E 2.365297°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2349ET, 2349ETR
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Description of the walk

(S/E) Départ devant la route menant au camping et à la station hydro-électrique de la SHEM.

Se diriger vers le camping (à pied) et traverser le pont privé de la Têt, prendre sur la droite en direction de la station hydroélectrique (S.H.E.M.). Ne pas gagner la station, mais prendre 50m avant, sur la droite un sentier qui monte un peu et passe franchement sur la droite et à une cinquantaine de mètres de la station.
Le sentier n'est pas bien entretenu, en été de hautes herbes l'encombrent, dans cette première partie non ombragée.
Après avoir parcouru une centaine de mètres, le sentier est en meilleur état et s'enfonce dans le sous-bois. en longeant la rivière la Têt en contrebas.

(1) Arrivé à l'aplomb de trois déversoirs, d'une échelle à poisson, de l'embouchure du canal d'amenée à la centrale électrique en contrebas et d'un petit bâtiment sur le bord de la Têt, trouver le sentier qui descend à pic sur la gauche à travers un sous bois peu épais en 2 rapides lacets jusqu'au bord de la rivière.
Monter alors sur les équipements en béton et emprunter sur la droite le chemin en béton qui longe le canal vers la centrale hydroélectrique.
Le chemin est bordé de 2 garde-corps parfaitement sécurisés.
Vous passez au large du Mas Py sur la droite. Le chemin débouche sur le pont-canal qui traverse un affluent de la Têt, la Rotja.
Passé le pont-canal, reprendre le chemin le long du canal. On laisse sur la droite un 1er petit pont qui traverse le canal et on arrive à un 2nd pont (pont-canal) tout en brique, d'un certain cachet.

(2)Traverser sur la droite ce pont-canal et rejoindre la D6 par un court sentier le long d'un verger.
La suite du circuit emprunte la D6, il faut donc rester vigilant. Mais la circulation est nettement moins importante que sur la N116. La circulation à pied y est donc vraiment moins dangereuse.
Gagner ainsi le carrefour de la D6 avec la N116. Là un cheminement piéton permet de gagner Villefranche-de-Conflent en toute sécurité.

Le retour s'effectue par le même parcours.

(S/E) Gagner le parking du départ.

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 461 m - Camping Mas de Lastourg
  2. 1 : km 1.06 - alt. 469 m - On the path, turn left and go down - Têt (fleuve)
  3. 2 : km 1.51 - alt. 457 m - Cross the canal bridge to the left
  4. E : km 2.41 - alt. 440 m - Camping Mas de Lastourg

Notes

Le cheminement sur les rives de la Têt(1) et sur les abords du canal d'amenée d'eau à la centrale hydroélectrique (2)se fait aux risques et périls du randonneur, comme toute rivière de montagne avec des captages ou des lâchers EDF. Le passage est d'ailleurs indiqué déconseillé. Toutefois, ce risque semble largement moins limité que le risque de marche ou course à pied le long de la N116 (pour avoir pratiqué les 2...).
Voir également d'autres commentaires sur le forum de cette randonnée.

Il n'y a pas de point d'eau potable sur le circuit et pas d'abri en cas de pluie importante. En cas d'intempérie sérieuse (orage, ...) il y a le Camping du Mas de Lastourg, le Mas Py ou la ville de Villefranche-de-Conflent.

De simples chaussures de sport sont nécessaires pour ce circuit. L'aller-retour peut se faire en une demi-heure en course à pied.

Il est recommandé de cesser de courir et ne pas affoler les éventuels troupeaux et chiens patous à proximité du Mas Py. Les troupeau et les chiens sont toutefois dans des champs clos sans aucun danger, ni pour le randonneur, ni pour l'exploitation. En cas de problème, conservez votre sang froid, avancez les arguments de sécurité et donnez des preuves que les randonneurs en général, et les visorandonneurs en particulier, sont courtois et civilisés. Espérant qu'il soit sensible à ces arguments de bon sens...
Autre variante : dès le franchissement des ouvrages des déversoirs (WP(1)), on peut descendre du chemin bétonné aux gardes-corps sur la gauche et marcher ainsi sur un sentier jusqu'au pont canal de la Rotja. Selon la saison on peut passer ici à gué et rejoindre les bords du canal le plus loin possible du Mas Py.

Worth a visit

Sur ce circuit on ne peut que s'étonner du génie constructeur humain qui a réalisé tous ces ouvrages d'art : captage, déversoirs, ponts-canaux multiples, irrigation, centrales électriques ...
Par ailleurs la tranquillité de ce circuit tranche avec le bourdonnement de la N116 à seulement quelques centaines de mètres. On est dans un havre de paix...

Reviews and comments

1.7 / 5
Based on 2 reviews
Reliability of the description
2 / 5
Ease of following the route
2 / 5
Route interest
1 / 5
mira66
mira66

Yes, it certainly does, Marc.

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MCTOUL
MCTOUL

Mira, what do you mean?
This hike doesn't go along the main road. Could the route I mapped out have been blocked?
Best regards

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mira66
mira66

Hello Marc,
unfortunately not. All other access is blocked by private property. We have checked everything.
Best regards
Mira

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MCTOUL
MCTOUL
• Edited:

Hello mira66,
You must be on the wrong route, as this journey does not take the national road.
Best regards

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mira66
mira66

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

You have to take the main road. Avoid it!

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MCTOUL
MCTOUL
• Edited:

Hello Jean François,
On the advice of the moderator, I will provide a detailed response.
Your comment initially annoyed me , but now I am simply perplexed. However, my love of hiking and my desire to share it with others outweigh my initial reactions...
You have been a Visorandonneur since 22 July. That's great, we should welcome newcomers and encourage them to continue. However, your judgement of someone who has been here longer seems a little harsh. You haven't posted anything yet, this is your first comment and you are publicly attacking someone...
A little patience and encouragement for those who take the trouble to publish their routes wouldn't hurt!
I've done this "hike" about fifteen times and everything described is perfectly accurate.
The route couldn't be simpler or shorter. Anyone can follow it on the IGN map and even on Google Maps. To question its reliability is surely to admit that you got lost... I'm willing to accept partial responsibility for that, but please be more specific about where you went wrong on the WP...
Regarding your warnings about the risks involved, a number of alerts are already included in the "Practical information" section. I'm not opposed to adding more if the moderators deem it necessary...

I will respond to your arguments in detail:
This hike crosses his property at two points. This is incorrect. It follows the concrete canal embankment and then the canal bridge, which is the exclusive property of ERDF and is not fenced off, but it does not belong to the farmer. Furthermore, the farmer does not own his plots of land but only rents them from the city. The hike does not pass through "his" plots.
We spoke with the farmer, who explained his disagreement with this route, which I understand: ... with his herd guarded by patous that are not inclined to let "strangers" in, plus the crossing of the orchard, which appears to be subject to some illegal harvesting.
This hike does not cross his fields, land, yard, etc., where his goats and patous are kept, nor his orchard, but only a path running alongside his orchard, which is part of the public domain of the municipality of Villefranche. Either you are mistaken, or the farmer is spreading misinformation or acting in bad faith.
The orchard is next to the D6, with a small path that is convenient for parking, and it is more likely that you will find the thieves there than among the hikers or runners.
If the trail does indeed pass close to his fields, in an unfenced area alongside the canal leading to the nearby hydroelectric plant, it causes no inconvenience other than ill-placed irritability.
However, I am mentioning it in the description, as the farmer does not appreciate people passing close to his property, so I would reiterate my recommendation to pass slowly and quietly so as not to upset the animals or their owner...

In addition, the descent to the fish ladder is overgrown,
Agreed... It is a path in the undergrowth, but passable by any hiker, including 5-year-old children if necessary. It is not a GR (long-distance footpath), of course, otherwise I would have mentioned it...

crossing the dyke for more than 300 m (which is private property belonging to the hydroelectric company) is clearly prohibited by signs
Exactly. Hence my comment. "This risk seems far greater than the risk of walking or running along the N116." Now, everyone must take responsibility for their own actions in full knowledge of the facts. No one forced you, JF, to take the canal when you saw the prohibition signs! The same goes for all other hikers.

and is dangerous in damp undergrowth (vipers coiled around the handrails).
That's right, nature is full of horrible and dangerous animals that put hikers' lives at risk...! Yes, JF, on this canal as everywhere else in France... But personally, I have never seen a single viper (or any other snake) on this route.

I think this route should be removed from the website. I obviously don't share this opinion... Dozens of people travel to Villefranche regularly by road. Suggesting an alternative route to the RN is a lifesaver!

I would add that the route could avoid the canal if the farmer hadn't closed off the end of the path that continues after WP(1).
On the land registry, the communal path arrives just after the farmyard and allows you to safely rejoin the last section of the D6 road via a bridge crossing the Rotja. But he is not complying...
Let everyone choose their side in full knowledge of the facts.
Don't impose too many restrictions, there are already enough as it is...

I hope I haven't offended anyone!
Enjoy your walks in our beautiful Pyrenees!
Best regards

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POULIN Gérard
POULIN Gérard ★

Hello Jean-Francois V.,
Thank you for your comments. Before this hike is potentially unpublished, a private message has been sent to the author. We will take further action depending on their response.

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Jean-francois V.
Jean-francois V.

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

This hike crosses private property. We spoke with the farmer, who explained his disagreement with this route, which I understand: it crosses his property in two places where his herd is guarded by patou dogs that are not inclined to let "strangers" in, plus it crosses an orchard that appears to have been subject to some poaching.
In addition, the descent to the fish ladder is overgrown, and crossing the dyke for more than 300 m (which is private property belonging to the hydroelectric company) is clearly prohibited by signs and is dangerous in the damp undergrowth (vipers coiled around the handrails).
I think this route should be removed from the website.

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