From Calmont to the port of Cintegabelle circular

A lovely circular from Calmont to the port of Cintegabelle, passing over the ridges and returning along the Hers river.

Details

21963033
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 136 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 136 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 324 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 200 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The starting point is opposite the temple on Place du 16 Juillet. Parking spaces are available.

(S/E) Take the small street opposite the temple, turn right onto Rue du Pigne, then go straight ahead. Pass the cemetery and then the water treatment plant on your left. After the treatment plant, turn left at the fork and you will arrive at the junction with Chemin des Quatre Vents.

(1) Turn right onto Chemin des Quatre Vents. At the end of the hill, you will arrive at the D43.

(2) Turn left onto the road , taking care to watch out for cars. Continue until you reach the next track on the left.

(3) Follow it; soon, you will come to a very pretty view. You will arrive at a three-way junction.

(4) Continue straight ahead on flat ground until you reach another intersection in the Bois de Bébeillac.

(5) Keep going, leave the woods and continue along the path which passes several hamlets before coming to a crossroads (elevation 291).

(6) Cross and climb the embankment on the left along the D25. Pass a first track on the right to reach a second one at a bend.

(7) Turn left and descend towards the port.

(8) When you reach the banks of the Hers, turn left and follow the river. Continue to the first path on the right, which runs alongside the Hers.

(9) Take this small path to avoid the Canet farm. At the next crossroads, keep to the right and continue to a fork in the road at the Daubouissou ravine.

(10) Continue away from the Hers until you reach Chemin de Faou.

(11) Keep going straight ahead to reach the Chemin des Quatre Vents junction you crossed on the way there.

(1) Keep going. Return to the cemetery by retracing your steps. Take the first path on the right, then the second street on the left to return to the temple (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 218 m - Temple - Château de Calmont
  2. 1 : km 1.61 - alt. 219 m - Crossroads of the circular - Hers (rivière) à finaliser
  3. 2 : km 2.15 - alt. 307 m - D43
  4. 3 : km 2.75 - alt. 313 m - Track on the left
  5. 4 : km 3.79 - alt. 302 m - Fork at the entrance to the woods
  6. 5 : km 4.46 - alt. 305 m - Bois de Bébeillac
  7. 6 : km 8.44 - alt. 291 m - Crossroads
  8. 7 : km 9.11 - alt. 292 m - Turn left onto the track.
  9. 8 : km 10.29 - alt. 207 m - The Port - Hers (rivière) à finaliser
  10. 9 : km 11.46 - alt. 207 m - On the right along the - Hers (rivière) à finaliser
  11. 10 : km 13.41 - alt. 209 m - Intersection, straight ahead - Hers (rivière) à finaliser
  12. 11 : km 14.26 - alt. 217 m - Chemin du Faou
  13. S/E : km 17.72 - alt. 219 m - Temple - Château de Calmont

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Hachail
Hachail

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I loved the long ridge walk between points 4 and 6, even though most of it was on tarmac: fresh air, great views, and no cars.
Picnic downstream of the sea wall (reported by Shrando31410) at Port de Cintegabelle, on the small pebble beach. From there you can see the Ariège flowing, as you’re at the confluence of the Ariège and the Hers-vif (apparently also called the “Grand Hers”).
Thanks to the author.

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Shrando31410
Shrando31410

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy to find. At first, the uphill dirt track is difficult to identify as it has been levelled by new buildings. The only landmark is a bench on the hillside.
Picnic facilities are available at the port, near the Hers Vif jetty. (However, there is no wooden table, but the parapet serves the purpose.)
Return along the river. The trail is marked by a sign in the direction of the description (absent if you are hiking in the opposite direction). The trail is well covered by woods, very humid, refreshing in summer, but best avoided during rainy periods.
Overall, a nice hike, but a bit long. Descend into Calmont on the banks of the Hers to see the old castle.

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Jean-François ESPAGNO
Jean-François ESPAGNO

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant, starting with a short stroll through Calmont, which has some lovely spots, then a walk with, depending on the time of day, an uphill climb, a forest section, and beautiful views of the plain and the Pyrenees; in short, everything you could want.
We didn't go all the way to Cintegabelle, we cut the circular short halfway, which made it a pleasant walk that anyone can do.

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VincentLafon
VincentLafon

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike is almost "very good" because about a quarter of the route is paved. But it's still good because of the views of the countryside and the Pyrenees and the many small dirt paths. Congratulations to the trailblazer.

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geneviève crokaert
geneviève crokaert
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A magnificent hike with views of the snow-capped Pyrenees. At Le Port, I recommend crossing the bridge to visit the old Boulbonne Abbey.
On the downstream side of the bridge, observe the confluence of the Hers and Ariège rivers.
The return trip along the Hers Vif was a real pleasure: butterflies, grasshoppers, picking acacia flowers...

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Santiago3164
Santiago3164

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike offering magnificent views of the Pyrenees throughout the first part, which follows a ridge. The return route runs pleasantly alongside the river. No difficulty, little elevation gain. However, there is a short but steep hill at the start of the hike.

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iSenior
iSenior

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A pleasant walk, but with little shade on this route, which is easy to follow with the app (duration 4½ hours). A few sections of tarmac alternate with country lanes. Weather and visibility permitting, the snow-capped Ariège Pyrenees to the south provide a pleasant view as you progress along the long ridge between 5 and 6. The return journey along the Hers is bucolic, with birdsong filling the air at the start of spring.

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pat311
pat311

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

Very pretty route, but be aware that there are no markings. However, it is easy to follow with the Visio Rando app.

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hcrando
hcrando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 31, 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 hike, not difficult to follow. The climb at the start is a little tough, but the ground was dry so it wasn't a problem. The first half of the hike, along the ridges, offers superb bucolic landscapes with the Pyrenees in the background. The second half is a delightful walk through the woods along the river, and on that day, the undergrowth was covered with snowdrops. A very nice surprise. This is the right season to do this walk as there is no shade on the ridge.
Thanks to whoever made the trail.

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regarddegerard
regarddegerard

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A walk on a very windy weekend, with one clarification: at the start of the hike, we couldn't find the four paths and ended up doing the route backwards, with a descent into the Daubuissou ravine, which was well cleared but very steep.

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