Between salt and glass in Sougraigne, La Sals and its history.

In Sougraigne, in the heart of the Hautes Corbières, springs forth the Sals, a saltwater spring that has always attracted the attention of neighbouring populations.

Today, the Salicorne association brings together the surrounding villages around a common project. It invites you to discover this unique site, once frequented by many different people: glassmakers, jet miners, charcoal burners, woodcutters, shepherds, peddlers and, of course, smugglers and customs officers from the Ferme Générale hot on their heels.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.94 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 200 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 200 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 842 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 684 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the site car park (if your vehicle has low ground clearance, it is best to park just after the bridge on the left, near elevation 539, and walk up the track).

(S/E) Head towards the old guardhouse, then turn right to reach the Fours Verriers site, which has been beautifully restored but is fenced off to prevent damage.

(1) Retrace your steps and turn right. At the next junction, keep left then quickly turn right to climb up towards the cliff and its superb views of the Pyrenees (Roc Blanc and Tarbézou) and a bird's eye view of the site you have just visited. Reach the first viewpoint.

(2) Continue to the other secure viewpoint.

(3) Resume the hike. Turn left at the fork to join a track. Turn left again, then right about 50 metres further on, towards the Trou de la Relhe site (descent developed by the association).

(4) Return to the track and turn right for about 200 metres. Then turn left to reach the Ecomuseum and the salt fountain. You can taste the water at the source and even collect some to take home, where you can evaporate it and become a smuggler. But watch out for the customs officers!

(5) Continue straight ahead, then turn right at the fork to return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 684 m - Site car park
  2. 1 : km 0.69 - alt. 704 m - Glass furnaces. Towards the - Pas del Capelan (782m)
  3. 2 : km 1.32 - alt. 812 m - First viewpoint
  4. 3 : km 2.05 - alt. 829 m - Second viewpoint on the - Fontaine salée
  5. 4 : km 3.11 - alt. 775 m - Trou de la Rhele (769m)
  6. 5 : km 4.51 - alt. 699 m - Salt spring and Ecomuseum - Sals (rivière) - Affluent de l'Aude
  7. S/E : km 4.94 - alt. 684 m - Site car park

Notes

No drinking water (non-saline).

You can contact the Salicorne Association for guided tours.

The walk is suitable for children.

Car parks:
- on the side of the D74 road (for vehicles with low ground clearance). Take the track on foot.
- On site (vehicles with high ground clearance).

Numerous information panels are located throughout the site to explain the area and make the walk more enjoyable.

This walk is best done in good weather to enjoy the beautiful views of the mountains.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Clarck
Clarck

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk, two viewpoints at points 2 and 3, but we only used the GPS tracker, otherwise it would have been difficult without GPS.

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Gilportier1961
Gilportier1961

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very enjoyable hike!
Quite easy.
Well signposted, except for the path to the Trou de la Relhe site, which we couldn't find.
The whole hike is pleasant and some of the panoramic views are breathtaking!

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Théry Feugére
Théry Feugére

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy hike accessible to all and very interesting. Very informative signs. Pleasant in every way. Well marked and the site is remarkable. Given the weather that day, we were alone, which was also very pleasant. We only came across two other hikers...

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gbils
gbils

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Unable to locate viewpoints 2 and 3 of the cliffs. Paths abandoned or blocked... Another walker with GPS apparently succeeded in the opposite direction.

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sanquetous11
sanquetous11

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A superb walk with a visit to the salt spring, as well as a glassworks and archaeological site. A very interesting and surprising documentary on the history of the salt spring.

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JJ57
JJ57

We didn't have time to go on that walk.

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gilleps
gilleps

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We chose to start from the village of Le Linas in the south of this circular route and join the trail marked out at Pas del Capelan. Then Trou de la Relhe and the quarry at altitude 822 before descending the trail to Linas.

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le canigou
le canigou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello fellow hikers.

We did this hike in splendid weather, but took a different route.
I would like to send it to you via my GPS, but I don't know how to do it; I'll try.

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bichette11
bichette11

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We did this hike last week and we weren't disappointed. It is very well marked and the site is remarkable and informative (glassworks, furnaces, archaeological site and even a picnic area). We chose to leave our car at the bottom just after the bridge, but we could have driven to the car park 1.2 km further up. Otherwise, it's a great hike to do in good weather. The water in the Sals is indeed very salty. Thank you to Visorando for all their information.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, Lumen
If you are hiking with the help of Visorando, forget about the markings. The hikes we offer often take you off the beaten track. You must therefore follow the description carefully, using the map to help you.

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Lumen
Lumen
• Edited:

We found a marked trail practically opposite the car park, but it didn't indicate the same walking time as the one on the information sheet, nor did it have the same name. So we didn't use the information sheet, and we don't know if we were on the right trail... We looked for the old guardhouse but couldn't find it...
Otherwise, I think the prince is very well done... thank you for your work.

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Gien-rando
Gien-rando

Hello, I have been doing some research in preparation for a trip that will take place next June. I am taking around fifty people who will be split into three different routes (short 7/8 km - medium 12/13 km - long 15/18 km).
We need to look at different routes, which is why I'm starting early.
This also applies to other requests for information. Kind regards.

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elisabeth maury
elisabeth maury

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

thank you

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lys77
lys77

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Thank you for this very well-marked trail. It is very pleasant and can be done with children (duration <2 hours, explanatory signs, easy, glass furnaces and saltwater spring). It can be done in hot weather as it mainly passes through the forest.

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lys77
lys77

Thank you for this hike. It is very pleasant and can be done with children (duration <2 hours, explanatory signs, easy, glass furnaces and saltwater spring). It can be done in hot weather as it mainly takes place in the forest.

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