From Bize-Minervois to Montouliers

This route offers magnificent views. Depart from Bize-Minervois via the D5 departmental road, known as "La Minervoise".
Route on tracks through heath, then through pine forests.

Details

961589
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 353 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 342 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 221 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 53 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the D5 departmental road: 2 options.

(S/E) From the car park of the La Grange restaurant, which is large enough to accommodate several cars.
At the restaurant, turn left and take a tarmac road that turns into a track (this road crosses an old railway line). Follow it to the picnic area in a pine forest. As you climb, you will pass two old lime kilns.

(1) From the picnic area, take the middle path. On this track, you can see drystone shelters (dry stone huts) marked by signs. Follow this north-east-facing track for about 3 km until you reach a large crossroads where you can see the ruins of an old sheepfold.

(2) Take the second track on the right towards Mont Caramel. Continue to the Mont Redon crossroads.

(3) Turn right onto a small path towards Mont Redon, which offers a beautiful view of the entire route. Descend via the same path to the track and continue to the right.

(4) At the next junction, turn right and follow the path that cuts across a track before joining another track, which you will follow until you reach the D36E3 road.

(5) Cross it and follow the track opposite until the next fork.

(6) Turn left and continue for about 250 metres until you reach a small plateau.

(7) Turn left onto the track on the left. You will come to another crossroads with a track and a path, with a cistern nearby.

(8) Take the track on the left, then the one on the right and follow it. Continue along the path that runs below the track and follow it until you reach the next fork. There is a car wreck there.

(9) Take a very small path marked in blue on the left, which will take you back up to the track. Follow this track (option shown on the map).

(10) Leave the track and take a small path that descends, which will take you back to the road.
Turn right to join the D36E3 and follow it to the right for about 100 metres.

(11) Leave the road, turn left until you reach another small bridge and take a small path marked in blue opposite. Follow this path through a pine forest. You will come out onto a wide track.

(12) Take it to the right. At the next junction, take the track on the right which leads back to the ruins of the old sheepfold you passed on the way there.

(2) Ignore the fitness trail, turn right and almost immediately take the path going up to the left. Follow this path straight ahead, passing a reservoir and a sign indicating the hang-gliding site, and arrive at the picnic area.

(1) Retrace your steps back to the restaurant car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 53 m - La Grange restaurant car park, near the - Cesse (rivière) - Affluent de l'Aude
  2. 1 : km 0.87 - alt. 111 m - Picnic area
  3. 2 : km 3.68 - alt. 163 m - Crossroads, ruined sheepfold
  4. 3 : km 4.85 - alt. 164 m - Path to Mont Redon
  5. 4 : km 5.37 - alt. 159 m - Junction
  6. 5 : km 6.39 - alt. 129 m - Crossing the D36E3
  7. 6 : km 6.87 - alt. 176 m - Turn left at the fork.
  8. 7 : km 7.07 - alt. 191 m - Small plateau
  9. 8 : km 7.6 - alt. 177 m - Track, left then right
  10. 9 : km 8 - alt. 142 m - Small steep path
  11. 10 : km 8.55 - alt. 127 m - Turn right towards the D36E3.
  12. 11 : km 8.79 - alt. 100 m - Path on the left marked in blue.
  13. 12 : km 9.57 - alt. 136 m - Turn right onto the wide track.
  14. S/E : km 13.72 - alt. 55 m - La Grange restaurant car park

Notes

Mont Redon: from this summit, discover the village of Montouliers, sadly damaged by a major fire in September 2017. You can also see the Canal du Midi and the Canal de la Robine.

Worth a visit

-Bize side: see the drystone shelters (stone shepherd's huts) along the route.
-Montouliers side: Visit the Grotte de l'Ermite
One of the four Lasfonds caves or Bize caves. From point 8, take the track on the right, then the track on the right again, known as the "du travers de Verdeyre" track.
Access to this cave is quite difficult. A small path leads off this track at a small cairn. This path descends the cliff to a rock equipped with a rope. This adds about 4 km to the route. Route not shown on the track.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.9 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
meynadier
meynadier

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy route. Wide tracks that are a bit monotonous but with lovely views.

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jean-claude septier
jean-claude septier

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike with beautiful views.
Despite a major fire a few years ago, nature is beginning to reclaim its rights.
It is advisable to do this hike in February because, although the route is mostly through forest,
it is not too shaded.
On the other hand, the paths are wide, ideal for a large group.
From point No. 8, there are quite a few variations for the more athletic.
We started from the station car park, which adds 300 metres but is much better for parking.
Personally, I didn't like parking in the car park of a restaurant.

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Adélalou
Adélalou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike, thank you for the description. It was a Wednesday during hunting season, but luckily it was quiet. I called the town hall, but they couldn't tell me if there was a big hunt that day; they didn't know, but if there is, there are signs. For points 8 and 9, it's not a good idea to leave the track to go down and back up, except for lovers of very old cars 😉 (how did it get there?!).
The weather was fine, so we had some beautiful views.

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jeanmarieeliane
jeanmarieeliane

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views in places. In 8, there is no point in taking the track that follows the main track below to the car wreck, and even less so in 9, the goat path that climbs back up to the main track.

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gsigsi
gsigsi

Scheduled for 8 October. Hike not completed due to too many hunters. I usually avoid hiking on Saturdays and Sundays during hunting season, but I happened to be in the area at that time.
I am not anti-hunting, but I find it increasingly difficult to go hiking in autumn/winter, even during the week.

Have a good day.

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RAILSETDRAILLES
RAILSETDRAILLES

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is mostly wooded, except on the ridge and slopes of Pech, which was severely damaged by fire (three or four years ago, we were told), but this means there are now unobstructed views of the Aude plain, the Corbières, Canigou, the Pyrenees and the entire southern edge of the Massif Central. From time to time, we came across a few walkers or sports enthusiasts who were completely harmless (it was a Monday).
Between 5 and 6, the steeply sloping path was once tarmac. I wonder if it led to a mine, as the surrounding land is so ferruginous.
In fact, we set off from the station car park (more reassuring and shaded) and followed the old railway line to the level crossing. On the way back, we took the beautiful terraced path of Cacau (marked "Retour Bize" at point 1). At the bottom, you can reach the station immediately by crossing the new, clean Clos des Moulins housing estate.
Note: Visorando maps, which are otherwise welcome, have one drawback: the numbered blue markers can obscure tricky junctions. That's why I prefer to supplement the Visorando map with a "blank" printout from Géoportail, and then highlight (in yellow, for example, a less aggressive colour) the route according to the Visorando map.

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cigale60
cigale60

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

You had to be very focused to stay on the path. When you walk with friends, you tend to talk and have fun. The first part had nice views, but the second part was less interesting. Good exercise. It's another walk for the cooler season. It will be very hot during the summer months.

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61205
61205

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike in good weather.
A few minor difficulties for people approaching 80 years of age, but quickly forgotten when you see the magnificent scenery.
Superb weather added to this beautiful day.

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Guilhem nem
Guilhem nem

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, perfect GPS, magnificent views thanks to clear weather.
We filled a whole bag with rubbish on the way back :/
Thank you, Visorando.

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sogeco
sogeco

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route is interesting and can also be done on a mountain bike with a few variations, as there are so many possible paths in the area.

Please note that the directions in the guidebook are no longer accurate for large sections of the second circular (see previous comments); however, the car wreck is still there, which means that anyone who hasn't found it has taken the wrong route!

My report with some photos: https://sogeco31.blogspot.com/2021/09/de...

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to give your opinion.

For your information, "Map route" refers to evaluating the accuracy of the route as it appears on the map in relation to the actual terrain.

As you followed the route using the Visorando GPS app, I assume that the route is correct.

See you soon!

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MICHELE34120
MICHELE34120

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike difficult to follow without Visorando

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

the trees marked with blue paint have been cut down
the marker for the car wreck is no longer there.

Visorando does not recommend markings as they can be changed or erased, whereas information about the terrain is stable.

Visorando provides a detailed description (which can be improved) and a 1:25,000 IGN map. And for those who have difficulty finding their way around, Visorando offers free virtual markings in the form of a GPS application.

See you soon!

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Michel AMOROS
Michel AMOROS

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful hike without any major difficulties. One downside, however: the route description is sometimes confusing and leaves you unsure which direction to take. At point 3, at the start of the trail, it would be good to point out that the vegetation has taken over and it is not easy to see (a cairn is currently being built).
At point 11, the trail is very easy to lose because a large area has been cleared and the trees marked with blue paint have been felled.
At point 8, the landmark of the car wreck is no longer there.
Otherwise, there are some very beautiful views of the Pyrenees and the plains of Minervois and Narbonne, especially at the cross at point 3.

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henri57
henri57 ★
• Edited:

Hello,

However, the area between points 4 and 5 is difficult to interpret, which led us to point 10.

It is difficult to find your way in the forest because the connection between the map and the terrain is not obvious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaNlRW0s...

Comment posted on Tuesday, 6 March 2018 at 8:06 a.m. by nanibabou


But perhaps due to deforestation work, the area between points 4 and 5 is difficult to interpret without GPS. And in fact, you can find yourself at point 11

We will go back and do it again as a group in November.

I strongly encourage you to use three tools:

1. The description
2. The Visorando map (IGN 1:25,000) with the route.
3. Check your position with the Visorando GPS app or your GPS.

https://www.visorando.com/article-mode-d-...

See you soon!

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