The hillsides of Pamiers and the banks of the Ariège

The starting point is in a large, well-maintained and shaded car park near the Salle du Jeu de Mail in Pamiers, along the D119.

(S/E) Follow Avenue du Jeu de Mail (D119) westwards, then turn right onto the large metal bridge (dating from 1895) which crosses the Ariège.

(1) As you come off the bridge, turn left, following the river. At a fork in the road, turn left. At the next junction, take a path on the left and follow the Ariège. Enter a wood and, further on, reach a fork in the road.

(2) Then veer left. You’ll come back to the Ariège and follow it on your left until you reach a junction just past an electricity substation.

(3) Then turn right at the hairpin bend. Follow a small road (Chemin du Rigail) through a residential area, ignoring all the side streets on the left.

(4) At the end of the residential area, turn left onto a steep, narrow path that climbs (the path is signposted as closed to motor vehicles). You can’t go wrong on this path, which climbs steeply and continuously (the old path shown on the IGN map is blocked by a ‘no entry’ sign). Carry on, heading west-north-west, to the highest point of the walk (at 416 m), and enjoy the view of Pamiers to your right.

(5) Continue along the path, which descends gently and remains very well marked, until it joins a tarmac road (electricity pylon on the right).

(6) Follow the road to the right, passing at the foot of the pylon. Continue along this small tarmac road for about 2 km and enjoy the beautiful view on your right (the Pyrenean foothills). This quiet little road passes through the hamlet of Puchauriol (a farm and an old building).

(7) As you come out of the left-hand bend, there is a wooden hiking sign pointing towards Pamiers: leave the road and take a path leading off to the right. This path, which descends, leads to a very large clearing.

(8) Then, at the far end on the right, take a clearly visible path that winds through the forest. It descends until it joins the D119.

(9) Cross the road carefully and continue straight ahead along a wide, well-maintained path. Pass under a high-voltage power line, rejoin the Arière stream and follow it on your left. Then walk between the stream and the D119. Next, turn off the road.

(10) At a blue pumping station, take a path leading off to the right. Join the D119 and follow it to the left, taking care (keep well to the left). Walk past the municipal campsite.

(1) Cross the metal bridge over the Ariège again, continue along the D119, and you’ll soon reach the starting point at the Salle du Jeu de Mail car park (S/E).

Bring walking poles and bear in mind the 180 m elevation gain, which takes place over a good kilometre.

A high-visibility jacket may be useful to make yourself clearly visible to oncoming motorists on the fast road on the way back (take care over 500 metres!).