La Cassaigne walks

The stronghold of the powerful lords who gave their name to the Lauragais, the ancient fortified village of Laurac has retained its dominant position, its medieval silhouette and its authentic stone buildings. The route reveals breathtaking panoramas and allows you to observe the village and nature from the surrounding hills. The information panels along the route tell its eventful history, from the Cathars to the religious wars of the Renaissance. Yellow markings

Away from the village of Villasavary, starting from the car park below the Besplas leisure centre (in front of the "Bois de Villasavary" sign), this hike crosses the first hills of La Piège, offering a landscape of meadows, woods and fields. Follow the yellow markings and the wooden signs for "Besplas" or "route de Besplas".

A challenging forest circuit on hilly paths with sweeping views over the first hills of the Piège. It is an ideal training ground for keeping fit or preparing your legs for the mountains. Mont Carrière, the highlight of the walk, has four orientation tables, but it is not the only panoramic viewpoint on this circuit, which offers many beautiful sights.

Learn to draw while walking and observing the landscapes of the Piège hills, in unusual places such as the Serre des Enchantées or among the sheep on a wild hilltop. This is an original hike between the unspoilt villages of Cazalrenoux and Génerville. Yellow markings + 7 wooden easels

This circular loop, which starts along the tramway path, opens onto the hills of La Piège. It encircles a narrow valley that has always been farmland shared by the farmers living in the village. Each of the fields lined up in this way had access or a "step" from the path. A stone hut, flanked by the traditional cypress tree, allowed the farmer and his team to take a well-deserved rest once the "junte" was finished. Blue markings

The wild orchid discovery trail winds its way from the slopes of Mont Carrière to those of Les Canonges, offering a succession of hills and valleys where undergrowth, forests, cultivated areas, short, dry grasslands on limestone soil and wetlands alternate. Wild orchids have made their home in this setting. However, few walkers pay attention to these sometimes tiny flowers, which rarely grow taller than 20 centimetres, in the early days of spring. Some are very concentrated, others much rarer, growing alone or scattered. Picto Yellow Flower Markings

In the Aude Cathar Country, the unspoilt village of Fanjeaux, perched on a hill (pech in Occitan), offers spectacular views of the countryside. The undulating route winds its way over the hills, dotted with numerous viewpoints, including Mont Carrière with its four orientation tables. Red markings and "Circular de la Hille" sign.

Set off on the path once taken by Saint Dominic to reach the first monastery he founded in Prouille. Crossing the hills, the route reveals the wine-growing village of Lasserre-de-Prouille, a small "circulade" with a remarkable heritage. This is a shortened version of the long route linking Fanjeaux to Montréal (30 km) via the GR® 78, the Piedmont route of the legendary pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Yellow markings

Starting from Laserre-de-Prouille, set off along the paths through the vineyards of the Malepère appellation to discover four villages perched on their hills: Brézilhac, Ferran, Mazerolles-du-Razès and Lasserre-de-Prouille. Several panoramic views provide an insight into the landscape, which is marked by a wide variety of agricultural activities. Yellow markings

On the ridge line that marks the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, there is a fascinating interpretive trail on the geology and formation of these rolling landscapes of Razès, Lauragais and the foothills of the Pyrenees. Yellow + yellow and red markings for the section on theGR®®78

This walk allows you to discover the village of Montréal with its collegiate church, narrow old streets and green, rolling countryside.

Circular tour around Saint Martin Lalande and Saint-Papoul, visit Notre-Dame de Bassens, the Abbey-Cathedral of Saint-Papoul and the Lauragais plain in the Aude department.

A pleasant short hike in the hills with several viewpoints overlooking Villeneuve-la-Comptal and Castelnaudary.

Between vineyards and hills, hike in the footsteps of Saint Dominic: a shortened version of this legendary hike using theGR®® 78, the Piedmont Way of Saint James, starting from the pretty village of Montréal, renowned for its majestic collegiate church. Yellow markings

Route proposed during Rando Razès 2025 (short loop). Easy, family-friendly circuit completed with Joëlette wheelchairs during the event. The only "difficulty" is the section along the road at points (8) and (9).

This walk allows you to see reproductions of some of the works of Achille Laugé, a pointillist painter who died in 1944 after returning to the Aude region and who painted many landscapes around Cailhau, his village. There are six display stands showing Achille Lauger's paintings from the place where he created them. Enjoy a short 7 km hike.

Discover the beauty of the Razès and Malepère plains. Breathtaking, poetic views. A walk through vineyards, olive groves, broom, forests and heaths around the magnificent little village of Cailhau. Set off to discover an exceptional natural and historical heritage.

part2 of the "Les Collines du Vent" route:The exceptional views amply reward the effort of climbing the pechs (hills in Occitan). The Collines du Vent route then takes on its full spectacular dimension: the pechs are swept by winds blowing alternately from the Mediterranean (the autan or marin) and the Atlantic (cers). There are few trees on the hills, which also means that there is little shade in summer, so the sun beats down hard on the hills. A spectacular and iconic 48.2 km online route in the Lauragais region, the "Collines du Vent" connects Avignonet-Lauragais and Fanjeaux. Numerous windmills are dotted across these first hills of La Piège, taking advantage of the generous winds that blow alternately from the Mediterranean (the Autan or marine wind) and the Atlantic (the Cers). The view stretches far beyond the hills to the Pyrenees and the Montagne Noire. Eleven information panels provide details about the area's heritage. Yellow and blue markings

A short family walk without too much elevation gain. However, the route goes up and down constantly. The trail is mostly unmarked, so a map and description are necessary.It is possible to shorten the walk by starting from Cazals des Bayles (church).moderator's note: See reviews, many trails are difficult to navigate, route changes made in 2024.

An exceptional panoramic view from the ridge, picturesque villages (Cazal des Faures, Tréziers, Roumengoux) and historic villages (Lagarde), a gigantic feudal castle, a short greenway and the sparkling clear waters of the River Hers. This loop is magnificent from Moulin-Neuf: enjoy!Remember to follow your GPS: this is a new route and the first part is not signposted!

This family hike will allow you to discover the different landscapes of Mirepoix from two viewpoints: the Croix de Terride with a partial view of Mirepoix but with an orientation table, and before Montbruguet, with a full view. The trail is varied, sometimes open, sometimes in the woods, but always pleasant.

Breathe in the fresh air of the Lauragais: this route follows part of the Collines du Vent route, offering superb panoramic views of the Pyrenees, the Lauragais and the Montagne Noire. It winds its way along numerous paths and ridge trails. You will also discover some remarkable mills.

At the foot of the Montagne Noire, this route passes by the Cenne-Monestiés dam, runs along the Lampy river as it climbs towards the village of Villemagne, before gently descending along a path offering a wide view of the Lauragais.

On the lower slopes of the Montagne Noire, the Lampy River powered numerous textile factories in Cenne-Monestiés from the 17th to the 20th century. Downstream from the well-restored dam, beautiful remains are still visible in this rolling, green landscape. This route will show them to you with a series of information panels, taking you to some surprising places: along an old irrigation channel, at the end of the lake or in a panoramic spot in the middle of the pastures. Blue markings

A magnificent, very easy walk on the hillsides above Lac de la Ganguise with beautiful views of the lake and the Lauragais. In the distance, you can see the Montagne Noire and, on a clear day, the Pyrenees. The paths are wide and well maintained, either grassy or rocky. There are a few roads to cross, but no walking on them. If the lake level is low, it should be possible to take an alternative route along the shore.