Chemin de Bouissières

Park in the car park below, behind Castelnau-de-Lévis town hall.

(S/E) Head towards the exit, to the right of the recycling bins. Leave the car park and turn right onto Rue du Tarn; walk down the entire street, ignoring any side streets on either side. Pass close to the Serres del Castel, then go past the entrance to these greenhouses and arrive at the Estradiès access road, where a path begins on the right.

(1) Turn right onto the path through the woodland leading to a footbridge. Note a fisherman’s hut on stilts on the left, in the middle of the Tarn. Cross the footbridge, then head up the track that continues from it. Initially wide, the path narrows towards the top of the climb and emerges next to a sewage pumping station, in front of Les Mirgouses.
On the tarmac, continue along the houses on Rue la Grèze. Leave the hamlet and reach the bend leading to Saint-Pierre.

(2) Continue along the grassy track to the right, walking between meadows and cultivated fields, heading west, until you reach the bend. Looking back from time to time offers varied views of the village.
After the bend, stay close to the edge of the field and respect this private property.
The path climbs up to Chemin de Bouissières, at the foot of a small disused house.

(3) Turn right and stroll leisurely along this farm track overlooking the plain below. Further on, the tower of Castelnau looms in the background. A bench signals that the road is approaching.
Once on the tarmac, cross a brick bridge, then keep to the right until you reach the Stop sign.

(4) Turn left onto Rue des Mûriers. Walk along the perimeter of the Les Blés d'Or retirement home and, in front of its entrance and the roundabout, head right.
Follow the side road up to the town hall, then, in front of it, go round the fountain and head back down towards the car park where you started (S/E).

This route is distributed free of charge with the booklet Balades en Albigeois.
FFRP Hôtel Reynès 14, rue Timbal - 81000 ALBI.

Toilets and drinking water point, to the left of the town hall and, further up, behind the fountain.

From the Occitan castèl nòu, derived from the Latin castellum novum, a ‘new castle’ is a town or village founded in the Middle Ages near a castle.
The town of Castelnau-de-Lévis was originally called Castèlnòu de Bonafõs, after the hill (Pech) on which it was built.
Castelnau de Bonafous became Castelnau du Tarn during the Revolution, before being renamed Castelnau-de-Lévis in^{the 19th century}.