Carcés and Caramy Falls

This hike will visit the village of Carcés, Carcés Lake and the splendid Caramy Falls. Best in the spring when the water flow is stronger.
You also will take a part of the path of Saint Jacques de Compostela.

Technical sheet

57480
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.65 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 198 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 199 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 309 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 131 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S) Park your vehicle in the the car park in the centre of Carcés, on Rue Giraud Florentin on the D13, in front of the "Louis Pasteur” retirement home.

The start of the hike is between two houses, a small very narrow passage located above the retirement home, to the left heading uphill. A small wash-basin marks the starting point.
Continue 20 m in this passage and turn left.
Head through the basement level of the retirement home following the canal.
Continue onwards following the canal. Great views over the rooftops of Carcés.
Pass both trails on the left and reach the "Chemin de St. Jaume" (1).
Turn left on this road, pass the trail to the right then one to the left and reach an intersection (2).
Fork left. There is a chapel on your left-hand side. Follow this road to get to the Notre Dame chapel (3).
Turn right on the road down, an apiary (built into the wall) is on your right in the undergrowth.
Turn right again and walk this road with Caramy below on the left. Go straight, passing the trail to the right to reach a house on your left (4).
Take an immediate right, the trail that rises and sinks into the forest, ignore the path on the left (14: continuing straight along the canal for 20 m and cross the canal)5(. Take the trail that goes left towards)6::. Continue straight ahead.
To the junction with a track (7), turn left then 20 m further on turn right on the path that climbs up. At the next junction, turn right. Arrive at a big track, 30 m further on at point (8) turn right.
Journeying on this track for 400 m to the intersection with a paved road, the "Route du Lac." Turn right on this road with views of the lake. Continue on this road, pass by the first path on the right and 10 m further up pass the path to the right which does not appear on the IGN map, to go to the magnificent view of the Brauch rock, 50 m above. ::9
Retrace your steps back to the road to the right.
Down this road and turn left on Chemin du Lac (10). At the next crossing turn right and then left to get to the car park.
Picnic area on the banks of the lake.
Follow the path to the lake that runs along the banks and pass by all roads to the left to reach the dam.
After the dam, continue on this road and take the first path (11) heading to Caramy on the the right hand side.
Crossing the beginning of the small irrigation canal, turn right on a small path to approach the beautiful waterfalls (12).
Take the path that runs along the small canal that runs through the meadows.
Meet the paved road (13), continue straight ahead always following the canal.
Arriving at the intersection, at point (14), turn right and take the route in reverse to reach Carcés.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 132 m - Car park in Carcès town centre
  2. 1 : km 1.59 - alt. 150 m - Intersection with Chemin Notre-Dame
  3. 2 : km 1.86 - alt. 154 m - Carrefour de la boucle
  4. 3 : km 2.19 - alt. 150 m - Chapelle Notre-Dame de Carami (Carcès)
  5. 4 : km 2.77 - alt. 142 m - Building, right-angle bend, right.
  6. 5 : km 2.97 - alt. 158 m - Carrefour de la boucle
  7. 6 : km 3.09 - alt. 165 m - Intersection, left
  8. 7 : km 3.44 - alt. 189 m - Intersection with a runway, left then right
  9. 8 : km 4.32 - alt. 282 m - Runway junction, right
  10. 9 : km 4.9 - alt. 309 m - Rocher du Brauch
  11. 10 : km 5.71 - alt. 244 m - Intersection with chemin du lac
  12. 11 : km 6.58 - alt. 174 m - Car park - Lac de Carcès
  13. 12 : km 9.7 - alt. 167 m - Path on the right
  14. 13 : km 9.87 - alt. 156 m - Path along the canal - Caramy (rivière)
  15. 14 : km 11.04 - alt. 151 m - Tarmac road
  16. S/E : km 14.65 - alt. 132 m - Car park in Carcès town centre

In the nearby area

Visit Carces

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 206 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 16737146

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Perfect. I've done over 450 hikes in 15 years and Visorando is very useful for creating my route, even if I don't follow the suggested routes exactly. I allow myself a few variations. I also use Iphigénie just to check my position. The route is accessible to everyone, but you need to be used to distances of around 15 km. Thank you.
Mr Larosa.

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bea50
bea50

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The route crosses free-ride cycle tracks. Walkers are not really welcome. We did the route during the week and there were no cyclists, which was just as well.

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michelmetral
michelmetral

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very beautiful and varied route, passing through the village, along the small canal, the banks of Lake Carcès and the Caramy waterfalls.
I recommend this tour.

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Cadiou Christian
Cadiou Christian

Very nice walk with the historical visit of Carcès and then we set off on the very pleasant circuit with the Camary waterfalls as a bonus.

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manonroro
manonroro

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A very easy hike with no difficulties. There were a lot of falls as a result of the current frequent rain.

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Cadiou Christian
Cadiou Christian

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Lovely walk with picnic by the lake and the magnificent Caramy Falls.

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debersee alain
debersee alain

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lovely hike with a peaceful walk by the lake at the end.
I recommend this walk

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jpconstant
jpconstant

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

nice easy-to-follow loop
discover CARCES
to be recommended

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Darkhann
Darkhann

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very nice loop for a reprise, not complicated but long enough. Beautiful, varied scenery and the charm of the waterfall to finish. As for the mountain bike track, we just cut across it without using it, so there's nothing to worry about.

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ericcameleon26500
ericcameleon26500

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice and varied walk, no difficulties

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Colibris
Colibris

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Very nice, varied walk in the middle of the forest, beside the water, very bucolic atmosphere, the only drawback is that after marker 14 the track is occupied by a speed mountain bike track that is forbidden to walkers, so you have to find an alternative route to get to the lake.
Les chutes de Caramy sot sympa.!!!!

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Colibris
Colibris

Very nice, varied walk in the middle of the forest, beside the water, very bucolic atmosphere, the only drawback is that after marker 14 the track is occupied by a mountain bike speedway that is forbidden to walkers, so you have to find an alternative route to get to the lake.
The Caramy falls are nice.

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Hélène chartier
Hélène chartier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very pretty walk, but the return journey along a tarmac road was disappointing.

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AmbreJulie
AmbreJulie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant trail, little used in the early morning.

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Annie VIAL-UZEL
Annie VIAL-UZEL

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A relatively long walk, but without any difficulties.
It's very interesting because it takes in so many different landscapes: village, small canal, forest, viewpoint, lake, waterfalls.
We were lucky enough to do it after heavy rain and the falls were really impressive.
The path to the viewpoint is not very visible and the road down to the lake is no longer signposted and is blocked by a mound of earth, as it is now a shared track between pedestrians and mountain bikers.

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