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The hike starts at the small dirt car park on the right bank of the Têt, opposite the access road to the Mas Lastourg campsite.
(S/E) Take the service road that runs parallel to the N116, climbing up into the valley.
Walk for about 800 m until you reach a small house, a former shepherd's hut, and a shed on the right-hand side of the path. Normally, the old historic path passed south of the rock at an altitude of 573 m, the Kerlong, a large rock standing like a boundary marker. However, the start of the path is no longer accessible. You will therefore have to go around this rock to the north and the Collet de Rocanso, which is not mentioned on the IGN map but is shown on the Napoleonic cadastral map (photo No. 24994).
(1) As the land behind the small house is now (since 2025) impassable, you will need to reach the terraces by another route. A few dozen metres before this house, turn right onto a track that winds its way up in two hairpin bends. Reach a terraced field and walk along it horizontally, through sparse vegetation, until you reach the top of the property. Continue climbing for a short distance and, as soon as possible, take a path on the left. Climb from terraced field to terraced field for about 100 metres, sloping diagonally to the left. Head towards the north of Kerlong until you reach the trace of an old irrigation canal. You can see the outline of this canal on the IGN map, but it is difficult to spot on the ground as it has been filled in (see detail of the route on photo No. 25013). It is only after a few dozen metres horizontally that you will be able to clearly see the traces of this old canal on the ground. So persevere!
For this hundred metres or so through the vegetation-covered terraces, there are several traces of paths. It doesn't matter which one you follow, as long as you find one that reaches the canal. One of these traces has been "marked" with thick orange adhesive tape on the trees, which may help.
Follow this irrigation (or watering) canal, known as Rocanso, heading south-west (photo No. 24998). This will take you to the Rocanso small pass, between the rock at 573 m and the side of the massif (photo No. 25000). The path continues along this old canal clinging to the escarpment for a few hundred metres (photos 25001 and 25002).
The canal ends where it joins the Ruisseau des Horts, a ravine that is usually dry: photo
No. 25010). But on the other side of the ravine, there is a path that continues the route. Walk a few dozen metres south, descending towards the base of the rock, then turn sharply to the left, staying on the path to join the trace of the old path from Villefranche-de-Conflent to Les Horts.
(2) At this junction is the (probable) end of the old Jando canal (coming from the Rocs Llisos stream), sometimes called "Rec Nou". Here you can easily spot the old path from Villefranche-de-Conflent to Les Horts, which runs along a low wall (photo No. 25006). Climb over this low wall and follow the route of the old Jando canal, of which nothing remains except its trace on the map.
(3) Immediately after this low wall, leave the path and turn right onto the path that climbs towards the village, passing along the south-eastern flank of Pouméjane. You will soon find yourself overlooking a climbing site. The path crosses Rocanso and Les Coves, between the Horts and Rocs Llisos ravines. You will quickly reach the ridge (730 m) near the northern summit of Pouméjane (735 m).
Continue along the ridge towards the north, keeping the southern end of a rocky outcrop, La Cova, and a spur on your left in your sights. You will need to pass between the two.
(4) At the fork on the Pouméjane ridge, the path is fully marked with cairns until it splits into three: take the middle path towards the old ruined village (do not go right towards the bottom of the Horts ravine or left towards the bottom of the Rocs Llisos ravine). The path is still marked with cairns in many places. There are also some recent markings (2020).
Continue for about 200 m along the hillside, still climbing, to reach the foot of the Coves rocks. Follow the cliff (which is now on your right) as closely as possible, then follow the contour line overlooking the Rocs Llisos, trying to find paths on the collapsed terraced walls.
NB: remember that most of the walls were built to support paths or crops. Do not descend to the bottom of the ravine, but stay as high as possible at the foot of the cliffs or not too far away. A GPS device may help you find your way.
Reach the ruins of the first houses in the village. Go behind the largest ruin, between the ruin and a fairly clean rock shelter. Reach the dry stream and cross it to get to the right bank.
You will easily reach the Horts fountain (marked "Fne" on the IGN map), its large trough and several open cisterns, all of which are still fairly well preserved.
(5) This is the end of the hike. You can continue (not described in this route) to the other ruins that can be seen, hidden in the vegetation. Going down into the ravine, you will find a basin, a well and another large trough, all still well preserved.
Finally, descend by the same path to return to the car park (S/E).
Possible alternative: between WP (2) and WP (3), turn right at a crossroads onto a path that descends the side of Pouméjane, leaving the peak at 573 m on your left, and arrives at terraced fields planted with small trees. You will then rejoin the path about 60 metres before the bridge over the Ravin des Horts river. See route description in another hike: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-camp...
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