In the Écrivains Combattants National Forest

Red and white markings

(S) In Lamalou-les-Bains, take Avenue Charcot southwards (D22). Turn right up Rue Paul Cère. Go round a park and, after two hairpin bends, reach a Fork in the road.

(1) Turn right onto the path that climbs through the Usclade Forest. You’ll come out onto a Forest Fire Defence track (D.F.C.I.).

(2) Turn right onto it. At the Fork in the road (water tank), continue straight ahead. You will come out onto the D180E6; follow it straight ahead for 50 m. Head up to the right along a path and you will come out onto the D180E6 again. Follow it to the right for 50 m and reach the Croix des Baussels (signpost for the GR® 7 “Combes 2 km”).

(3) Take the path straight ahead along the edge of the woods and, after a stretch through the forest, you’ll come out onto a road at Torteillan. At the Fork in the road, turn left, come out onto a road and follow it to the left for 30 m.

(4) Turn right through the chestnut trees, heading north. Cross the Ruisseau de la Capoulade valley and head south-west. At the Fork in the road, ignore the path leading down to the left towards the sewage treatment plant; continue up the slope opposite and come out onto a road. Follow it to the left for just under 100 m, then head up to the right and come out onto the D180 at Combes town hall.

(5) Turn right onto it and, on leaving the village, head left up the road towards the cemetery. Before the bend leading to the cemetery, turn right up a path heading north. You’ll come out onto a road; follow it left for 180 m and reach a picnic area at a T-junction.

(6) Head up the track to the right. At the Fork in the road, continue up to the right. After two hairpin bends, ignore two paths branching off to the right and, after a T-junction, reach another Fork in the road. Take the path to the right and reach the Monument dedicated to the Combatant Writers.

(7) Take the road to the left. Before a left-hand bend, head up to the right along a path (signposted La Fage, 1 hr 10 mins). You will reach the Montagne de Conil viewpoint.

(8) Head down to the left along the path at the edge of the woods (south-west). You’ll come out onto a track; take it to the right and, at the Fork in the road (water tank), turn left onto a path. Follow a winding descent to reach the Madale Stream and cross it via a footbridge. Head up the opposite slope and you’ll come out onto a road.

(9) Cross the D180E2 (signpost for the GR® 7 “Douch 9.5 km, Hameau de la Fage 2.5 km”). Head up the stony, gully-ridden path opposite. Cross a gully and continue the climb westwards. After a flat section, you’ll come out onto a track.

(10) Continue straight ahead along the Piste de la Cabrière and reach the entrance to the Croix de Douch car park. Turn left twice without entering the car park and reach a Fork in the road.

Unmarked

(11) Leave the road on your right which descends towards the hamlet of La Fage and the Gorges de Colombières, and turn left onto the hillside road. Reach Les Avels (E).

Hike completed by the author on 03/09/2020.

This route follows the GR® 7. It is described in the TopoGuides published by the French Hiking Federation:
- ‘La Traversée du Massif central par les Parcs: de La Bastide-Puylaurent à Castelnaudary’, reference 7002,
- “Traversée du Haut-Languedoc”, reference 716.

Discrepancy between map and terrain: between Montagne de Conil (8) and Col de Jaquet (9), descend towards Ruisseau de Madale via switchbacks from the 700m mark. The IGN map route follows the line of greatest gradient and the path is very eroded. Follow the red and white markings; do not cut across the switchbacks.

Please note: from Lamalou-les-Bains, the start of this ninth stage, there are no refreshment stops until Labastide-Rouairoux in the Tarn, at the finish of the thirteenth stage.

Lamalou-les-Bains (S): spa resort, hotels, cafés, restaurants, guesthouses, all shops.

Combes (5): water, gourmet inn.

Picnic area (6).

Auberge des Avels (E).

Forêt Domaniale des Écrivains Combattants (7): the forest paths are lined with memorial stones bearing the names of writers who fought in the two World Wars.

Montagne de Conil (8): viewpoint.

Panoramic views of Montagne de Rosis and its watchtower from (8) to (11).