Coteaux de l'Aouach

This is a pleasant route that winds along the slopes of the Aouach in Estantens, offering beautiful views of the valley.
The return journey is along a magnificent little path that winds through a stunning forest, alongside the Garonne, offering beautiful views of the river in places.

Details

13887928
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.30 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 155 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 157 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 286 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 166 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the car park below the hamlet of Aouach, at the end of the D43, near the picnic area on the banks of the Garonne.

(S/E) Head back up towards the hamlet of Aouach. At the village, turn right and follow the signs for Parking, then take a look at Notre-Dame de l'Aouach. Go around the church on the right, then take the road that goes back up towards Beaumont. Pass under a high-voltage power line, then ignore the access to the left of a house and join the three-way junction that follows, just after a left-hand bend.

(1) Take the path on the left that climbs gently, at the start of which there is a small sign indicating: Muret. Ignore the turn-off on the right (private) and continue on the main path. Pass under the high-voltage power line, then descend and find a path on the left, halfway up the next climb.

(2) Turn onto this path and continue along the single track lined with shrubs.

(3) At the road, turn left, cross the hamlet of Saint-Amans, then descend to the chapel car park.

(4) Enjoy the magnificent view of the valley, then descend along the single track, opposite the chapel from the car park. Take care on the descent!

(5) Cross the small bridge, then immediately descend to the left. When you reach the road, turn left, walk about a hundred metres, then follow the path that goes straight ahead, marked by a green circle on a tree. Walk along the Garonne in the undergrowth, offering pretty views of the river in places.

(6) At the intersection, take the path on the left. Stay on this path, which sometimes veers slightly to the left, until you reach the edge of the woods.

(7) When you leave the woods, turn right, then return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 170 m - Car park - Garonne (fleuve)
  2. 1 : km 1.6 - alt. 229 m - Three-way junction, left
  3. 2 : km 2.98 - alt. 278 m - Path on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.26 - alt. 270 m - Road, on the left
  5. 4 : km 3.64 - alt. 245 m - Viewpoint - Chapelle Saint-Amans (Muret)
  6. 5 : km 4 - alt. 176 m - Small bridge
  7. 6 : km 4.73 - alt. 166 m - Path on the left
  8. 7 : km 6.11 - alt. 170 m - Exit the woods
  9. S/E : km 6.3 - alt. 170 m - Car park - Garonne (fleuve)

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
DrineRando
DrineRando

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Unfortunately, I tend to follow the map more than the explanations, so I can't really judge, but when I needed to find my bearings, the explanations helped me get on the right track...
Thank you 😊

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momovoy
momovoy
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very good indication. To be done in dry weather as there are muddy sections.
In good weather, as we had, you can enjoy beautiful views of the Pyrenees.
It's a shame that the chapels are closed.

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PANJO
PANJO

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Walk taken with our dog, a 9-month-old Jack Russell. We parked in the hamlet of L'Aouach (rather than in the car park as indicated on the information sheet) to avoid having to drive too far at the start of the walk, even though it is very quiet, especially on a Sunday!
The walk is pleasant, with the first part offering beautiful views of the valley and the second part, in the forest, being really nice as you walk along the Garonne. Our dog had a great time, and so did we!
Towards the end of the hike, there is a kind of beach by the river, which is a lovely place to sit down, have a picnic if you like, or at least take a break to admire the scenery!
I strongly advise against doing this route after rain, as the path becomes extremely muddy and slippery. Good walking shoes will be very useful for the small climbs and descents, which can be a little steep at times!
We followed the route of the hike on the Internet, on the Visorando website of course; it's really great, at least you can be sure you won't get lost!

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gunam
gunam

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Route taken after lunch at the picnic area (2 tables and benches) in the Aouach car park. Starting point as indicated in the description of the 'circular route' 'Boucle de Saint-Amans', which avoids the road (and unfortunately the chapel) at Aouach.
Route taken anti-clockwise as indicated, but you have to tackle difficult descents on wet ground towards the Garonne. In the opposite direction, the climbs would perhaps be easier. Walking sticks and hiking boots may be very useful.
During the walk, we decided to extend it to Estantens as described in the circular route "Boucle de Saint-Amans".
Unfortunately, the foggy weather meant that visibility was poor in the distance.
The route was straightforward but completed with the help of GPS.

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Frala
Frala

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty route indeed, with two beautiful chapels (L'Aouach and St Amans), lovely views over the Garonne plain and a very pleasant path running alongside the Garonne. However, care should be taken when the path is wet or muddy, as the path leading down to the river and running alongside it can be dangerous.
Note that the Chapel of L'Aouach is open to visitors. 100 to 200 metres after the car park, you can see the remains of the old ferry crossing on the Garonne with a plaque paying tribute to the ferryman of the time.

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hcrando
hcrando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty route offering superb views of the Pyrenees. A bit of road at the start but no traffic. The path down from the chapel is steep but the ground was dry so it was manageable. Not to be attempted in wet weather or after days of rain. However, the path through the forest along the banks of the Garonne was still slippery and rutted. There is a large beach where you can go down to the river towards the end of the route. It was a sunny Saturday, so there were a few walkers but no crowds. A pleasant walk but only suitable for able-bodied people. Thanks to the author of the route.

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madydou
madydou ★

Next time, simply click on "Alker au départ" and the application will give you directions on how to get there.

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Fontan
Fontan

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

We didn't know exactly where the hike started. Whether we had to go to Estantens or Soûlent. We're not from around here.

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grandpirate
grandpirate

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike in dry weather!
Beautiful views over the plain.
However, definitely not recommended in rainy weather!
The description "easy" does not apply to the descent below the St Amans chapel.

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JLM 31
JLM 31

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

The heatwave certainly plays a part in the beauty of the landscapes (which are not as lush as usual due to the drought), but this hike disappointed us.
Unfortunately, right from the start, at the car park and sometimes along the rest of the path, we noticed that the rubbish collection services were slow to pick up the rubbish. Probably because it was 15 August... What a shame!
As for the route, which is partially described correctly (watch out for the coloured circles on some trees...), you only walk along the Garonne for very short periods, except in the "beach" area. The path down from St-Amans Chapel is "challenging" in summer... what about in winter? There were few interesting views and the chapels were closed.
The "easy" classification is not appropriate for a significant part of the route (from the chapel to the beach area).

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casserole
casserole

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

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maximRando
maximRando

If the Garonne riverbank route does indeed exist.
You must not have been able to find it.
Too bad for you, because it's a beautiful and pleasant walk, and the climb back up must not have been easy.

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camy monique
camy monique

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

It was difficult despite the "easy" criterion.
It was impossible to do a circular because there is no route along the banks of the Garonne.
The problem was that we were accompanied by a 74-year-old person – their tendonitis flared up again and we were forced to go back down everything we had climbed on paths rutted by cross bikes and other motocross bikes. Very tricky!!!
Fortunately, no one was hurt, but it was very uncomfortable to have brought someone who was not very mobile.
Furthermore, the starting point is not in Estantens... So, please mention the locations clearly. It remains very uncertain in terms of accuracy. So, maybe we're just bad at it.
MC

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Astere
Astere

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk with beautiful, varied scenery. Gentle uphill climb. Takes 2 hours and 10 minutes at a leisurely pace. A real pleasure.
Allow at least 15 minutes to get there from Le Fauga.

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maximRando
maximRando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderfully varied walk, suitable for families. As a reward, a superb beach on the Garonne awaits you at the end.

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