Gijounet - Roquenière - Puech de Montgros loop around Gijou

This hike starts in the small village of Gijounet and leads first to the Roquenière viewpoint and orientation table, then to Puech de Montgros, where you can enjoy a 360° view of the landscape. There is no monotony on this very "natural" circuit, where forest passages alternate with ridge paths that allow you to enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding puechs and the Gijou valley.

Details

223718
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.01 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 552 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 551 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 954 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 560 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: From Viane, follow the D81 to Gijounet. After passing the cemetery, turn right and cross the old narrow bridge that leads to the village. Continue straight ahead (be careful, there are several narrow passages) to reach the small car park on the banks of the Gijou.

(S/E) Return to the old bridge to cross the Gijou, cross the D81 (caution) and take the small tarmac road opposite which passes in front of the town hall and joins a junction at the Voie Verte car park.

Yellow and redGRP® + yellowPR® markings

(1) Take the second road on the right (Voie Verte sign + 20km/h speed limit), which immediately gives way to a wide, stabilised path that is none other than the old railway line from Lacaune to Viane. Continue until you reach a wooden signpost indicating Lacaune - Gijounet - Viane.

YellowPR® markings are scarce in the first section + cairns

(2). Leave the Voie Verte and take the path that starts on the left between the box trees. This path first goes through a birch forest and then reaches a moor where broom, heather and hazel trees share the space. Come out on the ridge and quickly reach the Roquenière viewpoint and the orientation table, which has unfortunately suffered the ravages of time and is no longer very legible.

(3) Enjoy the view of the Gijou valley below and the surrounding "Puechs", not to mention the numerous birds of prey in this area. Continue along the well-marked path that winds between the pine and hazel trees to reach a crossroads (chains to cross and small yellow wooden sign "La tournée du facteur").

(4) Turn right. At the first fork (not shown on the IGN map), leave the path that climbs to the left and continue straight ahead. A little further on, do the same with a path branching off to the right. Reach the buildings of Landissou and continue to the left to descend to the Voie Verte, which you left earlier.

Markings:GRP® Yellow and Red +PR® Yellow

(5) Follow the Voie Verte on the left, enjoying the view of the Gijou on your right, and cross the bridge over it to reach the D81.

No markings

(6) Cross (with caution) to take a wide path opposite that climbs into the woods (signposted "chasse gardée") and joins a horizontal track at an elevation of 792 metres (the first fork shown on the IGN map no longer exists on the ground).

(7) Turn right, ignore the wide path on the right at the fork that follows and, at the crossroads 100 metres further on, turn right. Stay on this wide track, continue straight ahead at the fork just before Montgros and pass the house.

(8) A few metres before a barrier, leave this track and take a wide path on the left, which is steep at the start. Leave a path on the left (signposted "Private Property") then a track on the right and join a crossroads of tracks.

(9) Turn left and, about 20 metres further on, leave a wide path on the right (sign saying "Attention au Feu" [Beware of Fire]) and continue to the edge of the woods. At this point, leave the track and climb up the meadow on the right, following the fence that runs along the edge of the woods. When the slope levels out, turn left at a 90° angle to reach the summit of Puech de Montgros (954m).

(10) Enjoy the 360° view and perhaps stop for lunch. If you remain quiet, you may be lucky enough to spot deer and other cervids, which are very common in this area.

Turn back, descend the meadow and turn left onto the track.

(9) Continue to the left and, at an old logging site that has now been replanted with young conifers, turn right downhill to reach a wide track. Follow this track to the left for about 20 metres.

(11) At the intersection (large fluorescent orange number 5 on a tree), turn right onto a very steep, stony path (not shown on the IGN map). When the slope levels out, leave a wide path on the right (sign saying "Attention au Feu" [Beware of Fire]) and then another grassy, less distinct path on the left a few metres further on. At the next fork, take the left branch to go around Puech de Fontbonne, walking on flat ground through a beautiful coniferous forest.

(12) At the junction, turn left at the hairpin bend and join another track. Follow this track to the left, then continue straight ahead to reach another junction at a bend. Turn left and continue for about 100 metres.

YellowPR® markings

(13) At the crossroads, turn right at the hairpin bend and continue along the wide, almost horizontal path. Pass several turnings on the left and reach the few houses in the hamlet of Jean Mari.

(14) Ignore the small tarmac road that climbs to the right and take the grassy path on the left that runs alongside the first house and quickly becomes narrower. Cross the footbridge over the stream and continue towards the village.

(15) At the fork (two signposts: Malefayère - Retour du petit train de Lacaune), head right and you will reach the first houses of Gijounet. At the church gate, turn right onto the small tarmac road, then quickly leave it and take a path on the right that continues with a staircase.

Continue downhill, turn right into the alley and then right again to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 564 m - Gijounet, car park on the edge of the - Gijou (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.36 - alt. 591 m - At the junction, take the Greenway on the right
  3. 2 : km 1.36 - alt. 620 m - Signpost, take the path on the left
  4. 3 : km 2.42 - alt. 825 m - Roquenière, viewpoint, orientation table
  5. 4 : km 2.93 - alt. 766 m - At the fork, turn right
  6. 5 : km 4.24 - alt. 704 m - Voie Verte, turn left
  7. 6 : km 5.73 - alt. 722 m - D81, cross over and continue straight ahead
  8. 7 : km 6.19 - alt. 791 m - At the crossroads, turn right
  9. 8 : km 7.26 - alt. 824 m - Leave the track and take the path on the left
  10. 9 : km 7.77 - alt. 875 m - At the crossroads, turn left
  11. 10 : km 8.35 - alt. 954 m - Puech de Montgros
  12. 11 : km 9.66 - alt. 843 m - At the fork, turn right
  13. 12 : km 11.13 - alt. 835 m - At the fork, turn left at the hairpin bend
  14. 13 : km 11.7 - alt. 768 m - At the PR junction, turn right
  15. 14 : km 13.26 - alt. 675 m - Jean Mari, follow the grassy path on the left
  16. 15 : km 14.27 - alt. 596 m - At the fork, keep right
  17. S/E : km 15.01 - alt. 564 m - Gijounet, car park on the banks of the Gijou.

Notes

The 5-hour time estimate includes a stop at the Roquenière orientation table and a lunch break at Puech de Montgros. Otherwise, allow approximately 4 hours.

Drinking water is available at the start, on the left as you leave the car park.

Water point at Jean Mari (14), a few metres after the junction: no guarantee of sanitary conditions.

Markings: the yellow markings are almost non-existent between the points (2) and (3). However, they are conveniently replaced by a few cairns and, in any case, the route is obvious and there is no risk of getting lost. This may explain that.

Hiking boots recommended: stony and sometimes muddy sections, especially after crossing the footbridge between points (14) and (15). At this point, take a detour between the box trees to the left of the path.

This hike can be done in any season, even in summer, as the numerous passages through the undergrowth or forest provide pleasant shade.

Be careful when crossing the old Gijounet bridge, which is very narrow (no passing possible).

Worth a visit

There are numerous viewpoints along the route.

Roquenière: view of the Gijou valley.

Puech de Montgros: 360° view. To the south, Mont Roucous and the mineral water bottling plant of the same name. To the south-east, Puech d'Aussaresses. To the north-west, on a clear day, part of the village of Viane and the church tower.

The village of Viane(Tarn)

The village of Gijounet

Other nearby hikes, accessible on Visorando:

Puech Margot
Canroute peat bog
Mont Roucous
Esperausses

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 18 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
isa81360
isa81360

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with stunning views. One downside: it was difficult to find the right path at point 4. Then, it wasn't easy to locate point 9 to get to Puech de Montgros. You have to find the right fork in the road, thanks to the signs: private hunting ground and another regulating picking. At the end, the village of Gijounet is worth exploring: note its bread oven and old houses dating from the 16th century, on the riverbank near the bridge. One of them belonged to the Nayrac family, Protestants and master arquebusiers, and you can see the date 1579 on the west gable.

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7oise
7oise

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

roquenière is well worth the effort for its beautiful views. Given the threatening weather, we shortened the hike by going from point 5 to point 8. Very beautiful woodland scenery. I recommend it. Easy to find your way around. Gijounet is a pretty little village with beautiful, flower-covered façades

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Dominique F
Dominique F

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Overall, a beautiful route. The climb up Roquenière really gets your heart rate up, and there's a great view at Puech de Montgros. The markings are a little hard to find, and we got a bit lost at point 4, straying from the route but finding it again further on. Very little or almost no tarmac.

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ha-thai81
ha-thai81

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike done in December under a magnificent sun. Partially following the greenway at the start, a few beautiful climbs with breathtaking views of seas of mist, and a view of Gujounet. Don't miss exit 9, "Le Puech de Montgros," with its magnificent 360-degree view!

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MOULINJACQUEMIN
MOULINJACQUEMIN

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a beautiful nature hike with varied landscapes and very accessible elevation changes. The detailed description and GPS track make up for the lack of signage on certain sections.
We were able to enjoy the hike in complete peace, as we didn't encounter any other hikers on the trail during the week...
Worth doing again and again

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Delion
Delion

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very well-written description.

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petitbob
petitbob

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello everyone. Here is a magnificent hike, emblematic of this region. This area, Viane, Lacaune, is superb. A varied hike with superb views in the shady woods along the banks of the Gijou, everything is there for our enjoyment. Yes, very little signage. But with GPS, it works. We started at point 1 at the car park, then climbed to point 2 and set off on 15 km of pure pleasure. Thank you, Visorando. Petitbob

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josepug
josepug

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, fairly shaded route, lovely view at Roqueniére. The orientation table has been replaced by a road sign indicating the cardinal points, with a letterbox underneath containing a small notebook and pens so you can record your visit. However, Puech Montgros is no longer accessible due to fencing that has been put up.

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cuvereaux
cuvereaux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

beautiful route, signage often missing but compensated for by the description. Route not very busy (due to lockdown) so path lost under the grass in the first part. Beware of ticks on the route!!!!!!!

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jftarn
jftarn

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

nice loop, follow the route on the website, no worries.
there is also a car park at the Gijounet greenway. From the main road, head towards the town hall.
This loop tends to be shaded, making it suitable on hot days, provided you don't start the climb up Roquenière too late.
This loop can be done by mountain bike, staying on the greenway and skipping the Roquenière viewpoint (go from point 2 to point 5), except for experienced and fit mountain bikers.
if I'm allowed, I'll add the route for a mountain bike loop.

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GEGE31
GEGE31

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A little-used trail, with a path that is not very visible at the start and requires a machete to clear the brambles.
Beautiful view at Roqueniere over the Gijou valley.

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GUIRAUD FRANCOIS
GUIRAUD FRANCOIS

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike with great views and magnificent woodlands. It was a bit windy, so we ate at the Montgros house instead of at the summit of Montgros. No issues with the GPS route or the map.

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CLEMAURIN
CLEMAURIN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Excellent hike, very good route which, with a 1:25,000 map and a compass, means you don't need the description (which is what I always do). My only regret is that the numbers in the description marked on the map often obscure the route. Couldn't the points in the description be marked more discreetly?

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corvettec3
corvettec3

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, a little difficult at the beginning with the climb up Roquenière, where the view is magnificent (it's a shame that the orientation table has been destroyed!). Then a very pleasant walk through the undergrowth and varied landscapes, with other beautiful views of the surrounding area and pretty streams. Arrival in the very pretty village of Gijounet.

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jeanmarieeliane
jeanmarieeliane

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

From the greenway to the orientation table set up steeply in the sun, in the middle of gorse bushes (not broom), we got lots of ticks. All this despite the hiking signpost, which is not bad overall. Another point, at point five, it's a shame not to make a 500-metre detour to see "le Gourp fumant" (the smoking hill)

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