La Cham du Cros via the Chemin Tortueux from Blaunac

This hike is reserved for hikers with some climbing and balance skills, who are in good physical condition and have basic orienteering skills to navigate the old path.
Vertigo may be an issue.
Take great care on the section known as the "Chemin Tortueux" where you will need to use your hands to get through.

Otherwise, there are some beautiful views, passing through chestnut groves, cherry orchards, pastures and even beehives.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.59 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 6 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 843 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 834 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,206 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 476 m

Description of the walk

Car park on Route de Blaunac.

(S/E) From the houses, continue along the road, heading due west. At the stone bridge on the left, take the path climbing up to the right, then cross the small wooden bridge on the left. Follow the signs for Le Vernet. You’ll come to an information panel about the Rocles crosses and the sandstone Croix du Coulet.

(1) Take the path climbing up to the right and arrive at the hamlet of Le Vernet.

(2) Turn onto the path leading uphill through the hamlet, then turn right, passing between the properties; you may spot some cows. You’ll reach a crossroads, next to a track.

(3) Cross it to take the path climbing towards Le Pissas, soon joining an old track running alongside a low wall.

(4) Reach Le Pissas, veer right towards the high point, and pass several cairns before beginning a gentle descent. Reach another junction.

(5) Take the signposted path on the left, heading due south: a winding path with dangerous sections.
Follow the markings and stay alert as some sections are dangerous: climb and descend using your hands; don’t hesitate to put one or both poles away. The section runs along somewhat steep cliffs, but adventurers will love it.

(6) After the small stream (dry when I passed), at the fork, take the small path that climbs to the left, until you reach a junction.

(7) When you reach the signpost, which features the trail’s permanent markings, turn right.

(8) Continue down through the forest to the next signpost, then keep slightly to the left. Join the track.

(9) Follow it to the left, passing cistern number 28.
Continue along the track to the junction of the circular track, which you passed on the way out.

(3) Turn right and follow the route back in the opposite direction to reach the car park (S/E)..

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 477 m - Car park on Route de Blaunac
  2. 1 : km 0.53 - alt. 548 m - Sandstone cross
  3. 2 : km 0.93 - alt. 595 m - Le Vernet
  4. 3 : km 1.22 - alt. 649 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  5. 4 : km 3.72 - alt. 1,096 m - Le Pissas
  6. 5 : km 5.24 - alt. 1,095 m - Winding path
  7. 6 : km 6.96 - alt. 762 m - Stream
  8. 7 : km 7.4 - alt. 820 m - Trail sign on the right
  9. 8 : km 7.71 - alt. 806 m - Trail sign
  10. 9 : km 8.53 - alt. 615 m - Track on the left
  11. S/E : km 11.59 - alt. 477 m - Car park on Route de Blaunac

Worth a visit

Beautiful views.

You can buy chestnut honey on the way back and chestnut flour in the hamlet of Le Vernet.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
ARDECHOU
ARDECHOU

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike is rated as very difficult, and I can confirm that.
The ascent is fine, but the descent is not suitable for novice walkers. We, too, took a wrong turn twice because the signposting is patchy and ended up descending a chaotic scree slope by mistake, whilst the app—which alerts you to a deviation when you’re more than 150 metres off course—doesn’t warn you because you’re following the trail without realising the error. Some signposting would be most welcome.
In short, this is not a hike for everyone.

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bader
bader

Yes, it’s true that you lose sight of the markings and have to turn back then

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Sam b 07
Sam b 07

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

So, a really, really beautiful extreme route – the downhill sections aren’t for everyone. I got lost twice; the signposting was confusing and there were some extremely exposed sections. The descents were too steep, with jumps of over a metre. I didn’t hurt myself, but I do wonder how I managed it. Anyway, I loved it. It took me 6 hours and 55 minutes for the whole hike, and I finished by running the last bit.

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bader
bader

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did this on a lovely day and can confirm that the downclimbing sections are very challenging; there are some stunning views, and it took me 6 hours 30 minutes without rushing.

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jo26200
jo26200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, undertaken after last week’s heavy rain. We crossed two waterfalls without any major difficulty, though it might have been trickier if there’d been more water…

It was a bit trickier on the descent down the ‘winding path’ (slippery rocks), but the signposting is clear.

To sum up, the hike took 5 hours and 25 minutes (including photo breaks and at a normal pace)
The ‘dizzying sections’ are manageable without difficulty.
Nevertheless, for safety’s sake, I would not recommend this for children or ‘occasional hikers’.

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Ma Mie
Ma Mie
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A lovely, challenging hike. We loved it, despite the rain during the trickiest section, which made the descent more difficult as the rocks were slippery. For me, it was just one tricky bit. During the descent along the winding path – which was well signposted almost all the way – we struggled to spot one marker, but otherwise everything was fine.
A shame there wasn’t much sun, but the colours were already stunning – a chestnut forest stretching as far as the eye can see. In good weather, the views are panoramic. We’ll do it again when the weather’s better.
A hunter told us that it’s possible to avoid the winding path by heading to Valousset from the Col du Merle (3.4 km), then on to Bouteillac (3.5 km) (point 9), for those who suffer from vertigo.

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