The ‘Route du Chien’ in the Bouconne State Forest

Park in the car park at the Maison Forestière Saint-Louis in Pujaudran, accessed via Chemin des Moulins and Impasse Saint-Louis.
Path names: see Practical Information.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, cross the central path, which runs south-west to north-east, and take Side Path No. 38 opposite, which runs perpendicular to it. Continue until you reach the^third path, which runs parallel to the central path.

(1) Take the path that branches off diagonally to the left and follow it to the junction with the^second path you come to, marked No. 42.
Turn left onto it and follow it to the end. It crosses Side Path No. 39, then the^GR®653towards Santiago de Compostela, and passes close to a high point.
After the^GR®, the track becomes a path that winds through the undergrowth to the southern edge of the forest, then heads back inland, eventually rejoining the GR^®. Follow it to the left until you reach the junction with Track No. 43.

(2) Turn right and continue along Path No. 43 heading north-east. About 200 metres further on, it meets Side Path No. 3 and becomes a footpath that bends to the right and joins Path No. 42.

(3) Turn left onto Path No. 42. Less than 100 metres further on, it becomes a footpath after the junction with Path No. 38. The footpath gradually curves to the right and reaches Side Path No. 37.

(4) Turn right onto Side Path No. 37, ignore the turn-offs to the right and continue straight on until you reach the^first path on the left.

(5) Turn left into this unnumbered lane and follow it north-eastwards until you reach the Central Path just before the Léguevin entrance car park. Continue in the same direction for a few dozen metres.

(6) Turn right into the side lane and head downhill until you reach a perpendicular lane marked^GR®653.
Turn right at a 90° angle and follow the^GR® until you reach a side path where the Way of St James from Léguevin joins. Turn right at a 90° angle towards the central path for about 150 m.

(7) Leave the^GR® and take the^first path branching off to the left towards the south-west, which descends towards the southern edge of the forest. Follow it until you see a group of houses on the left: the hamlet of Mayras.

(8) At the lowest point of the path, turn right and head back up towards the central avenue.
When you reach the central avenue, turn left and head back to the car park where you started (S/E).

Avenue designations:
The Bouconne Forest is criss-crossed by a network of side paths that run perpendicular to the central path, which is roughly oriented south-west to north-east and runs through the entire forest.
The so-called side paths run perpendicular to the central path.
The main side and peripheral paths are numbered in ascending order from the north to the south of the forest.
At the junction of the paths with the central path, a post displays the path number on a red background.

There are no water points along the route.

At the car park, there is a map of the forest showing the numbering of the paths. It is advisable to take a photo of it.

You can have a picnic in the Saint-Louis car park; there are tables and benches available.

During the hunting season, the forest is closed to the public one Thursday a month; the closure dates are displayed at the entrance car parks.