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To get to the starting point, take Avenue de la Gardiole at the roundabout at the entrance to Frontignan when arriving from Balaruc. Follow this road, which becomes Chemin de Poussan. After a left turn and then a right turn, you will arrive in front of an old farm: parking is easy opposite on an open space.
(S/E) Take the path leading to La Gardiole. The tarmac ends and gives way to a wide dirt track. Follow this track straight ahead, ignoring the one going up to the right.
(1) At the large crossroads with barriers to restrict motorised traffic, take the first track on the right which climbs up to La Gardiole. Stay on the track which makes a hairpin bend to the left then to the right and continue straight ahead, ignoring the track going up to the right and another track to the left.
(2) At the next crossroads (cistern 196), take the track downhill to the right and continue straight ahead at the next intersection. About 50 metres further on, take the track going up to the left. Follow it straight ahead until you find a track going slightly to the right, which you should follow to the top of Pioch.
(3) Take the second path on the left, which descends the other side of Pioch. When you reach a flat area with an intersection, take the path slightly to the right, which continues to descend. This leads to a wide track, which you follow straight ahead.
(4) Further down, at the next crossroads (cistern 209), take the sharp right turn onto the track that descends further. Follow this track straight ahead. When it starts 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 that descends into the valley. At the water point, continue straight ahead and then, at the next fork, 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 crossroads at Col de la Moulière (cistern 195).
(7) Follow the descending track opposite on the right, then at the next large crossroads, continue on the track climbing to the right at the sign for the Gigean Communal Forest. You will reach another large crossroads.
(8) Cross this junction towards the large 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, with a superb panorama of the different slopes of the mountain.
(9) Continue along the same path, which descends on the other side. At the next fork, turn right and you will come to another DFCI firebreak, which you take to the right again. A hundred metres further on, turn left onto the path at a 90° angle, then at the water point, turn left again and go uphill. Follow the path that curves in an S shape, then take a path on the right about 200 m further on. This leads to a slightly wider path marked withPR® signs.
(10) Continue straight ahead on the path opposite and you will come to a wide DFCI track which you take to the right, with views of the salt marshes and the coast. Descend gently and you will reach the Col de Gigean crossroads (cistern 194).
(11) Turn onto the path climbing steeply to the left, which leads to the next ridge. On the descent, ignore the track on the left and continue straight ahead on the steeper path, which becomes more technical (scree). This path climbs back up and joins a crossroads where you will find the starting route. Take the track on the left which, a few dozen metres further on, leads to the crossroads where you will find cistern 196.
(2) Go slightly to the left onto a stony path leading downhill, which joins a wide track 50 metres further down, continuing downhill. Follow this track to the right and return to the initial crossroads with the barriers.
(1) Continue straight ahead to return to the car park opposite the farm (S/E).
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Association / Club / Walk leader
