Country:
City:
To reach the starting point, take Avenue de la Gardiole at the roundabout at the entrance to Frontignan when coming from Balaruc. Follow this road, which becomes Chemin de Poussan. After a bend to the left and then to the right, you’ll arrive in front of an old farm: there’s plenty of space to park opposite in an open area.
(S/E) Take the track heading towards La Gardiole. The tarmac ends, giving way to a wide dirt track. Follow this track straight on, ignoring the one heading uphill to the right.
(1) At the large crossroads of tracks, marked by barriers to restrict motorised traffic, take the first track on the right which climbs up into La Gardiole. Stay on the track, which takes a hairpin bend to the left then to the right, and continue straight on, passing the track leading uphill to the right and then another track to the left.
(2) At the next track junction (tank 196), take the track on the right as it descends and carry on straight ahead at the next junction. About fifty metres further on, take the track climbing up to the left. Follow it straight ahead until you come to a climbing track branching off slightly to the right; follow this to the summit of the Pioch.
(3) Follow the second path on the left which descends down the other side of the Pioch. When you reach a level stretch with a junction, take the path slightly to the right which continues to descend. You’ll come out onto a wide track which you follow straight on.
(4) Further down, at the next junction (cistern 209), take the hairpin bend to the right onto the track which continues to descend. Follow this track straight on. When it begins to climb again, cross a small bridge over a ditch (Ruisseau du Mouchas).
(5) A few dozen metres further on, take the well-marked path on the right which plunges into the valley. At the water source, carry on straight ahead and then, at the next Fork in the road, take the path on the left. Continue until you reach a T-junction.
6:: Take the path on the left, which climbs steeply and reaches a large star-shaped junction of tracks at Col de la Moulière (tank 195).
(7) Follow the track leading downwards opposite on the right, then at the next large junction, continue along the track climbing to the right towards the sign for the Gigean Communal Forest. You’ll reach another large junction.
(8) Cross this junction towards the main DFCI track opposite and, immediately, take a narrow path climbing to the left. This leads to the highest point of the Gardiole, the Roc d’Anduze, offering a superb panoramic view of the mountain’s various slopes.
(9) Continue along the same path, which descends down the other slope. At the next fork, turn right and you’ll come out onto another DFCI track; take this to the right again. About a hundred metres further on, turn left at a 90° angle onto the path, then, when you reach the water source, turn left again, heading uphill. Follow the path as it curves in an S-shape, then take a path on the right about 200 metres further on. This leads onto a slightly wider track marked with PR®® signposts.
(10) Continue straight on along the path opposite and you’ll reach a wide DFCI track; take this to the right, with views over the salt pans and the coastline. Descend gently to reach the Col de Gigean junction (water tank 194).
(11) Turn onto the path climbing steeply to the left, which leads to the next ridge. On the descent, ignore the track to the left and continue straight on along the steeper path, which becomes more technical (scree). This path climbs again and joins a crossroads where you rejoin the original route. Take the track on the left which, a few dozen metres further on, leads to the junction where you’ll find cistern 196.
(2) Head straight ahead, veering slightly to the left, along a stony path leading downhill, which, 50 m further down, joins a wide track that continues to descend. Follow this track to the right and return to the original junction with the barriers.
(1) Continue straight on to return to the car park opposite the farm (S/E).
Visorando Member
Easy 
