From Montusclat to La Gagne via the gorges

Park at the far end of the village, opposite the newly restored village hall.
Then follow the Gagne route (7), the trail (in reverse) from (7) to (9), then the Yellow route from (9) to (S/E).

(S/E) Set off towards the church, then, before reaching it, head down the road to the left to cross the Ruisseau de Montusclat. Leave the sandy track on your right and head back up the road opposite towards the houses.

Yellow markings

(1) At the end of the road, turn right onto a track that climbs through meadows. As it enters the forest, continue along this track, which winds once to the left and then once to the right.
Continue climbing, leave the woodland, reach a grassy clearing and, at the pass, come to a cross, a tourist information point (view of Mont Mézenc) and a road.

(2) In the distance on the right, you can see a cluster of crosses known as the Croix de l’Étoile. Continue straight on along the road which descends towards the hamlet of Pouzol Vieux. After about 200 metres, leave the road to the left, following the yellow markings. Join a small road on the right, then leave it again to the right, following the yellow markings. Pass in front of a pilgrim’s house.
Join the road and carry on straight ahead; you’ll very quickly reach the end of the hamlet. The road turns into a track that crosses meadows before heading down into the forest.
You’ll come to a 90° bend to the right and immediately spot a vaguely passable track on your left.

(3) Take this track, which descends gently before reaching a flat section. On your right, you’ll see an old forest track that descends steeply. Take this overgrown track, which winds down in three hairpin bends and ends in the middle of the forest.

(4) You’ll see another track about twenty metres below. Rather than heading straight down to it (the ground is steep and slippery), follow a faint path straight ahead which winds down to join the track below.
Follow this track to the left, which descends gently, overlooking the deeply incised Montusclat Stream.
The track turns into a path, then a narrow trail, and finally opens out into a meadow.

Unmarked

(5) Walk down along the meadow, following the course of the stream, to reach the confluence with the Gagne. Ford the stream just before the confluence, near a bridge – which is unfortunately of no use as it lies downstream of the confluence.
This brings you to a stony track, which you take to the right to climb back up onto the plateau. This leads to a junction of tracks.

(6) Leave the main track and take a track on the right which climbs quite steeply and leads to the edge of a meadow. Follow the track on the left, which curves in a semicircle, emerges onto the plateau through the meadows and reaches a road next to a cross.
Cross the road and head up a stony, fairly steep track. You’ll reach a three-way junction at the edge of the woods.

Trail markings

(7) Let the track climb to the left and instead take the path straight ahead, which climbs gently (if you look back, you’ll see you’re on a trail, which you’ll follow in the opposite direction as far as (9)). You’ll reach another three-way junction.

(8) Ignore the right-hand branch, which follows the contour line, and head steeply uphill to the left. Reach the ridge and follow the path, the traces of which are quite clearly visible. The path crosses over to the other side of the ridge and joins a track suitable for vehicles. Take this track to the right, leave the forest and reach a pass in the middle of the meadows. Continue straight on and you’ll come to a three-way junction after about a hundred metres.

Yellow markings

(9) Take the right-hand fork, which overlooks the valley offering fine views, and joins a road.
Cross this road and head down a damp path which joins a wide track. Pass close to the cemetery and head down towards the church. In front of the church, take the road running alongside it on the left, pass the town hall and return to the starting point (S/E).

Estimated duration, including breaks: 2 hours 45 minutes
After (5), depending on the time of year, take care when crossing the meadow (cattle, hay not to be trampled, etc.).

Make the most of the walk to stroll through the village of Montusclat (12th-century church, medieval houses).
From (2), you can head right to the site of the Croix de l’Étoile, a place of pilgrimage.
Between (6) and (7), at the confluence of the Ruisseau de Montusclat and the Gagne, you can take the bridge on the left and head up to the beautiful hamlet of Bigorre. You can even combine this route with the one that crosses the Gagne Gorges via Bigorre.