Ventalon ridge via Soleyrols

Between Pont de Montvert and Vialas, leave the D998 at the Croix de Berthel and take the D35 to the hamlet of L’Espinas. There are several car parks on either side of the Relais. The start of the walk is opposite the Relais de l’Espinas.

(S/E) Take the path that climbs up to a fork in the tracks.

(1) Turn right, then right again to make a return trip to the viewpoint, where there is a small information board.

(2) Return to the first path on the right.

(1) Turn right onto this path, which descends until it reaches the end of a track.

(3) Turn right onto this track, then after about 50 metres, leave it to take the path on the left towards Castagnols, which leads onto a road.

(4) Take this road on the left towards Castagnols.

(5) In the middle of the hamlet, take the path that descends to the right. Then, when you reach a road, follow it to the right for about 200 m before turning onto a path that branches off to the right towards Rieutor. Join a road.

(6) Turn left and follow it for a few dozen metres, then continue along the path that branches off to the right and leads back onto a road. Follow it to the 90° bend.

(7) Take the hairpin bend onto the path that climbs to the left, running parallel to the road at first, to reach a road at the entrance to the hamlet of Soleyrols.

(8) Follow this road to the left to the end of the hamlet. A few metres before the last house, a barely visible path descends to the left, running parallel to the road, then veers off to the right: take care, as the path is not easy to spot, even though there is a yellow marker not indicated in advance. Follow this path in a west-south-westerly direction and cross a stream.

(9) Cross it via a footbridge and continue southwards, following the Ruisseau du Villaret until you cross it.

(10) Take the hairpin bend to the right as you cross the stream and follow this path, which winds its way in wide loops, to reach a road at the entrance to the hamlet of Villaret.

(11) Follow the road to the left and, on leaving the hamlet, leave it to take the path that climbs to the right and leads to the Col de la Baraquette, where it joins the GR^®.

(12) Turn left but do not continue straight on, as the^GR® route on the IGN map has been altered. Turn right a few dozen metres further on to reach the Col de la Baraquette.

(13) Ignore the road and turn left onto the path running parallel to it, continuing to the Col de Chalsio.

(14) Leave the^GR® on your left and continue along the yellow-marked path which follows the Ventalon ridge.

(15) Continue to the right.

(1) Keep right again to return to the Espina rest stop and the car park (S/E).