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Departure from the grass car park at Costes Auriès. This car park is located just at the entrance to the farm, above the tractor shed.
New private signposts made of painted wooden panels will guide you along the wild sections of the Dadou. The yellow markers found in some places follow a different route, or the waterfall when you go around it.
GR®36signposting near the waterfall.
It is ESSENTIAL to leave your GPS behind and FOLLOW the newly installed directional signs.
Yellow signposts and signs for the Vallée Sauvage du Dadou
(S/E) Head towards the hamlet, turn left after 50 metres, following the yellow markings and private markings made with coloured signs in the style of graffiti. Continue along the path and turn left at the next two crossroads. Just after the second junction, stay on the marked track (not visible on the IGN map). This section is shared with the Vallées trail until you reach the blue-netted monkey bridge.
Unofficial signposting Vallée Sauvage du Dadou
(1) Cross the bridge with the net and turn right. You are now on private property (yellow markings and new painted signs). At the metal sculpture, go around it and head up towards the woods to follow a pretty dirt track. Don't worry about crossing this private property. The owner of Verdussat has even created this fountain area with sculptures for hikers to enjoy.
(2) At the fork and in front of the Dadou Sauvage/Arifat sign, take the hairpin bend to the left towards Arifat. Note that the next section towards Arifat is a return trip.
(3) At the end of the large clearing, turn left and, after 100 m, follow the markings and signs. Climb the dirt track that leads to a road. Turn right and you will soon find the Cascades d'Arifat loop.
Yellow markings for the Sentier des Cascades.
(4) This loop can be done in either direction. Direct access to the waterfall viewpoint is via the trail.
(5) The road first passes by the castle. This short detour is very well marked and often very busy. The tour of the site crosses the Ruisseau des Bardes via a footbridge.
(4) After your visit, return to this point and retrace your steps to return to the clearing.
No signposts, then Dadou Sauvage Personalised Signposts
(3) Turn onto the path on the left. Follow the Dadou Sauvage trail. Continue past Cavaillé - La Croix Blanche. Cross the Ruisseau des Bardes, pass a small dam and end up on the road.
(6) Turn right and cross the Dadou. Follow the road for about 800 m. Keep an eye out for the trail that starts off to the right.
(7) Here begins a 1.3 km stretch that runs almost parallel to the road. Take the narrow path marked by a multicoloured sign saying "Vallée Sauvage du Dadou". The path is overgrown with brambles and twigs, but after crossing a small stream, it widens a little further on, climbing to the left.
(8) At this bend to the left, leave the track to the right (there is a multicoloured sign) and enter the woods. The very winding and narrow passage opens almost immediately onto a wide, cleared path. The IGN map is incorrect because the bend no longer exists and the right-hand side is closed off by vegetation. Despite the clearing, caution is required when proceeding. The ground is littered with bramble roots and broom. Here, the wild nature of the Dadou flourishes amid the fir trees, birdsong and the murmur of the stream.
(9) At the hairpin bend, follow the gravel track climbing to the left. Ignore an arrow on a tree trunk to the right, which has no connection with this route. The new section ends at the next crossroads. Continue straight ahead until you reach a fork.
(10) Turn right towards Gourg de la Nauq.
(11) Opposite the private property, take the grassy path on the right to follow the Dadou, which you will leave further on.
(12) Cross the ford and climb the path on the left to join a track.
Yellow markings
(13) Continue left, heading northwest. You will reach a junction with several paths.
(14) Take the right-hand path, marked with a yellow signpost and "Vallée Sauvage du Dadou", ignoring the other directions. Reach the hamlet, pass the houses, the bread oven and the small museum to return to the starting point (S/E).
, as there is quite a lot of forest at the start
Visorando Member
Easy 
Tourist office
