Preixan in the vineyards and fields

A pleasant route through very hilly terrain. Fields, vineyards and forests alternate throughout the walk.

Details

237391
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.02 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 192 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 194 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 288 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 149 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Preixan (11250)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.145494° / E 2.28869°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2346O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) There is always some parking space available in front of the village hall. The D211 is the main road through the village. The start is on this road below the church. Follow this road for about 100 metres towards the north-west.

(1) Once there, turn left and then left again onto the tarmac road that climbs and climbs... Follow this road without deviating. You will find some beautiful houses along the way.
(2) Leave the tarmac road on the left and take a wide, unpaved track heading south-west. Follow this track until you reach a major crossroads.

(3) Continue along the same track, leaving another major track on your right. After fifty metres, take the road on the left and follow it all the way.
(4) Please note: after about one kilometre, you must leave the main road and turn left onto a smaller road. 250 metres further on, there is a road that continues straight ahead on the map, but we were unable to find it. Continuing along the road, we headed south. After passing a shed on your left, you will come to a crossroads.

(5) Take the first left and, after passing a house on your right, continue along this road without taking any of the paths that branch off to the right or left. Continue until you reach a stream at the bottom of a small cliff, which prevents you from taking the path up to the village.

(6) Continue to the bottom of the hill, make a hairpin turn and return via the lower road after crossing the Moulins stream. Quickly turn right along the vineyards onto a road that climbs and looks more like a tractor track than a real road. Continue to the tarmac road, which is the D211. Turn left onto it and you will arrive at your starting point after passing the cemetery (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 173 m - Parking is available in front of the town hall.
  2. 1 : km 0.1 - alt. 165 m - On the left, still on the tarmac
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 212 m - Leave the tarmac road on the left.
  4. 3 : km 2.81 - alt. 282 m - Go straight ahead at the crossroads and turn left.
  5. 4 : km 4.01 - alt. 271 m - Be careful not to miss the path on the left.
  6. 5 : km 4.55 - alt. 261 m - Still on the far left
  7. 6 : km 5.99 - alt. 160 m - The cliff on the left means you have to keep going.
  8. S/E : km 8.02 - alt. 175 m - Via the D211 opposite the town hall.

Notes

The path can be quite muddy when it has rained. Don't forget to bring water and a hat if it is very sunny, as there is not much shelter.

Worth a visit

You are 10 km from Limoux, a great opportunity to go and taste the Blanquette.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
User 3873791

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, shaded route for most of the way. It starts on the road, but the majority of the walk is on paths and includes a welcome stretch through the forest (we did the walk in early August). There are some lovely views along the way, but not all the way, as we had expected more panoramic views.

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general11
general11

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant and easy route with good paths leading up to the ridges, where you can admire the panorama of the Pyrenees and the Montagne Noire.

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Danielle11
Danielle11

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied 8 km hike with hills, climbs, descents, woods, fields... with views of Carcassonne, the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Montagne Noire. It was not difficult (we had a good guide who knew the route) and ended with a visit to the pretty village of Preixan (2½ hours in total).

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bleucath
bleucath

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Varied and very pleasant

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Tenzig11250
Tenzig11250

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

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Antoine G4.
Antoine G4.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Start of the paved road hike After a great route

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agrandespattes
agrandespattes

Good evening, Lippo, thank you for your reply.
Indeed, "leave the tarmac" is at No. 2 (typo on my part).
However, it is when the road surface changes (the tarmac road becomes a track) that you indicate that you should "leave the tarmac ON THE LEFT", but when the tarmac road becomes a track, you should continue straight ahead (which we checked) to stay on the right track and not "ON THE LEFT".
It's no big deal, and we'll happily do this little hike again.
Kind regards

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lippo
lippo

Sorry you got lost.
But "Leave the tarmac..." is at point 2. I've just checked my description and I can't see how you could have got lost.
I hope it goes better next time.

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agrandespattes
agrandespattes

From the outset, we were captivated by the beautiful landscape. But unfortunately, we were unable to continue the hike: there was an error in the text in chapter 3: "you leave the tarmac road on the left" (which we did at the end of the tarmac road, but this rather long track was a dead end), when we should have continued straight on to find the important crossroads.
After checking our arrival at the important crossroads, we were a little disappointed, as it was the first time we had used Visorando, so we decided to turn back.

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monian11
monian11

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

A pleasant short hike nearby that can be done at night to share the space with nocturnal wildlife.

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Denis N1.
Denis N1.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 03, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

An easy hike suitable for all ages.

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Pedrosam
Pedrosam

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely little walk through vineyards, fields and forests. Very pleasant.

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montlegun
montlegun

Hello Lippo,
We're going to do this hike again in a little while to familiarise ourselves with it before taking the group there.
I will then let you know exactly what made us hesitate.
Thank you for this beautiful hike.
See you soon.
Best regards.
Montlegun

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lippo
lippo

Hello Montlegun.
I have just reread my description. I find it very clear. Could you tell me what confused you so that I can amend it?
Thank you in advance.

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montlegun
montlegun

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A few minor errors at (no. 2) caused us to hesitate and lose a little time, but overall very satisfactory.
A beautiful hike that I will take my hiking group on in March.

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