Country:
District:
To get to the start. Take the D185, Fabrègues <> Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, near the Montpellier SPA animal shelter - Métropole-Fourrière Animale Noé. Park in the dirt car park between the animal shelter and the entrance to the path leading to the hamlet (opposite the information sign: Gardiole Mont-Bauzille).
Important notes :
This route takes place in the middle of numerous trails and paths, so using GPS or a mobile app will make it easier to find your way.
(S/E) From the car park, keep left on the road heading west for 40 metres until you reach the junction. At the fork, leave the road on the left and follow the path heading south-west. Walk along the fence on your right. Pass a cluster of shrubs and paths on your left. Approach the hamlet on your right, go through the gate (close it behind you). Continue along the path, maintaining your direction. Avoid all exits. (The path, hamlet and trail are not shown on the map). You will arrive at a three-way junction.
(1) Turn left towards the south-east, then take the first exit on the right and join a wide T-junction with two directions. Turn right towards the south to reach the concrete and earth mound (former shooting range - flagpole flying a tricolour flag - commemorative plaque on the path side). At the three-way junction (altitude 53), at the earth mound, continue straight ahead in a slight curve to the left, heading south-west (avoid the exits). Walk along the groves on your left, maintaining your direction.
Continue uphill, staying on the widest path. Avoid all exits. After a wide right-hand bend, you will reach an open area upstream. Take thefirst path on the left uphill in a south-westerly direction. Avoid all exits. After crossing a mound, you will reach the rear of La Chapelle Saint-Bauzille. Go around it on the right-hand side to arrive at the left of the Croix St-Bauzille.
(2) At the fork in the road, turn left at the cross and descend in a south-westerly direction. At a left-hand bend and a fork in the road, keep right in the same direction. Then approach a two-way junction and turn right downhill in a north-easterly direction. At a left-hand bend and a fork in the road, turn left downhill heading southwest. At the two-way crossroads, turn left heading southeast.
(3) At the cairn, turn right heading southwest, then at the two-way intersection, keep left in the same direction. Then keep right, ignoring a two-way exit on the left. Keep right and approach the next junction.
(4) At the cairn, turn right onto the descending path heading northwest. Reach the bottom of the Canabière valley. At the three-way intersection, continue straight ahead uphill, maintaining the same direction. Reach a wide path.
(5) Cross the hillock on the left, at the cairn. Join the path at a bend. Turn left and continue gradually downhill, heading south-west. (This path is not shown on the map).
(6) At a sharp left-hand bend and a three-way intersection, stay on the right-hand path heading south-east. Follow a series of hairpin bends, climbing gradually and heading south-west. At a 160° right-hand bend heading northwest, keep to the right-hand side (elevation 131). Approach three uphill bends heading southwest and, after two bends, you will reach a fork at elevation 147.
(7) Continue straight ahead and approach a fork with two directions, turn left onto a gradual descent heading south-west. Cross a stream, take a 90° right turn and follow the road on the left heading west. Cross a stream, go over a hill and take a path.
(8) At the T-junction with two directions, turn right diagonally for 20 metres heading west. (Avoid all exits). At a bend marked by a cairn and a tree (the path is not shown on the map), take the path heading west. You will come to a path (cairn on the left at the exit) with two directions.
Turn right and continue downhill, cross a stream, start the gradual climb, and cross the top of the Reserve on the right-hand side. Reach a crossroads upstream near altitude 197. At a fork with two exits, keep left heading north. Go around a mound of earth. Reach the crossroads (avoid all exits).
At the two-way junction, facing the electricity pylon, turn right heading north-east. Pass under the high-voltage line. Walk gently uphill on the plateau, keeping the electricity line on your right, and reach a three-way junction. (Avoid all exits). Continue to a three-way junction. Take thesecond exit on the right, heading north-east (avoid all exits).
At altitude 168, gradually move away from the power line on your right. Cross the summit of Pioch Champ, maintaining a north-easterly direction. At the end of this section, you will reach metal gates (no motor vehicles allowed). Cross the authorised passage. Continue a short distance to the crossroads at altitude 131.
(9) Turn left and then immediately right, pass the cairn on your right, and cross the gently sloping wood. (Avoid all exits).
After a hairpin bend (drinking water reservoir on the left), at a fork in the road, keep right. After a winding path at the junction of two directions, keep left on a slight descent in an easterly direction. You will come to a three-way junction under the power line.
Go straight ahead heading north, pass between the stone blocks, pass under the high-voltage power line, walk along a property and end up in a left-hand bend (path lined with stones). At a fork in the road, turn right heading east (Chemin de l'Aire de l'Hermite). Cross the power line and join a fork in the road.
(10) Take the path on the left to reach a two-way crossroads. Turn right heading east. When you reach the three-way crossroads, go straight ahead onto the path opposite heading east-northeast (not shown on the map). Cross a copse. At the fork in the paths, keep right, cross a three-way junction, keep right, and in a left-hand bend, you will reach the junction you took on the way there.
(1). Turn right and follow the route back in the opposite direction. Return to the road and the starting point (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
Difficult 
