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From Bompas, follow the D20 towards Arnave. Once in the village, do not cross the bridge over the stream but turn left and park near the cross and the municipal information sign (three to four spaces). If this is not possible, there are other spaces available next to the cemetery.
Yellow PR® markings + directional posts
(S/E) Follow the stream along the Chemin des Vignes, which is tarmac at the start. In the right-hand bend, follow the stream, ignoring the track that goes uphill opposite, and you will soon reach a fork. Turn left onto a path following the sign for "Croquié" and walk along a small stream lined with hazelnut trees.
Further on, leave the ford on the right and continue left around the hairpin bend. Then stay on the main path, which climbs very steeply without any respite until you reach the metal barrier marking the arrival at Col d'Ijou. Go through the barrier, walk along a meadow on your right and you will reach the pass, marked by a signpost.
(1) Turn right towards Mercus - Croquié and you will immediately reach another hiking signpost. Turn right again, following the sign for "Cazenave". Follow the wide path along the ridge, which offers beautiful views of the Arnave basin and the Teste de Cuing, and leads to the hamlet of Serres, which you will reach after crossing two successive electric fences.
(2) Cross the hamlet, veering to the left, and you will soon rejoin the tarmac road. On leaving the hamlet, stop at the designated area where you will find an excellent orientation table showing the main peaks in this part of Ariège and Couserans. Then continue along the D71, preferably on the right-hand side. Pass the hamlet of Allens and you will come out onto the Route des Corniches (D20).
No signposts
(3) Turn right and drive carefully down this busier road to reach La Mouline.
(4) About a hundred metres before the sign marking the entrance to the locality, turn left onto a path that crosses the Sécaille stream further on. Just after the bridge, turn right and enter the forest. Stay on the main path until you reach a left-hand bend about a hundred metres before a wide power line cutting.
(5) Tricky junction: look for the small fluorescent pink mark on a tree and a very discreet cairn, both on the right. Leave the wide path you have been following and take a narrow path that widens shortly afterwards.
(6) Tricky junction: when the path begins to descend to the right, leave it and take a much less distinct flat track to the left. A fluorescent pink arrow on a small rock on the ground marks this fork; it is confirmed a little further on by a pink mark painted on a tree on each side. Be sure to follow the trail on the ground, which is quite difficult to spot on the carpet of leaves.
(7) Tricky junction: in much the same configuration as the previous one, at a small solitary holly tree, turn left again despite the absence of a visible path. A small cairn confirms that you are on the right track, but it is difficult to spot. As before, be sure to follow the very faint trail, keeping to the contour line, until you reach the junction with a wider path.
Yellow PR® markings + directional posts
(8) Head straight ahead and follow this path, which leads to the Col d'Ussat (cistern) after a short but very steep climb.
(9) Pass a hiking post and follow the track for about a hundred metres. At the next post, turn right towards "Ussat - Chapelle d'Arnave" to quickly reach a new fork at the foot of an electricity pylon.
No markings
Continue on the left, ignoring the path that branches off to the right and descends towards the chapel. Then tackle the long and fairly strenuous climb that leads to Col de Martel (cistern).
(10) Continue along the track, which is flat at first and then begins to descend with three hairpin bends before arriving at the Col de Bazech and the crossroads a few metres after a cistern.
Yellow PR® markings + directional posts
(11) Turn right towards Arnave.
(12) Ignore the path marked "Bompas" on the left and continue straight ahead to begin a descent that is partially stony, very steep and ravined in places, requiring caution. You will come to a small meadow and then a signpost. Ignore all the directions indicated and continue straight ahead to reach the magnificent Romanesque chapel of Saint-Paul. When I visited (February 2020), it was undergoing renovation work and the scaffolding unfortunately obscured the entire structure.
(13) Continue along the path, which begins to descend very steeply with some difficult sections, especially when the ground is wet. Further down, the path becomes a track and levels out, returning to grass, before reaching the junction with the path leading to the Col d'Ussat.
(14) Turn left towards the village. Before the first houses, the road becomes gravel and then tarmac. Cross the bridge over the stream and turn immediately right to return to the car park (S/E).
With 5 to 10 cm of fresh snow, we went on a family hike in hiking boots and it was GREAT. Almost reaching St Paul's Chapel, where we had a picnic, was a really nice bonus. Thank you!
Tourist office
Moderate 
Visorando member
Easy 
