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Parking at the Francis Fiste De Hoste sports complex (Les Batignès).
(S/E) From the car park, cross the platform in front of the village hall and go down a slope to reach Chemin du Stade. Take it to the right.
(1) At the crossroads, turn left in front of a mini weather station. Head east along a meadow and you will come to a tarmac road, Chemin de la Plaine. Turn right and head south. At the end of the road, continue along a dirt track between an embankment and the Vialesque ravine. You will come to a fork.
(2) Turn right (signposted Faloque) onto the path that descends into the Dure valley in a semicircle. Climb slightly to cross the hamlet of Faloque. The wreck of a caravan is an eyesore in this unspoilt natural setting. Return to the tarmac road to cross the Dure and then climb up a small road.
(3) Cross the D 62 and take the path opposite (small error on the IGN map) that climbs the valley slope, overlooking the road.
(4) At the fork, go up to the right. Ignore a junction (alt. 746) and pass by a remarkable beech tree (photo) just before a culverted stream. Pass the ruins of Al Thérondel hidden in the vegetation and, opposite, at a crossroads, join thePR® "Entre Sources et Lauzes" which joins the Herm Grand forest track.
(5) Leave the marked trail by turning right and arrive at the Cuxac-Cabardès wind farm located on the Montagnole property. At the crossroads, near the C5 pylon, go straight ahead and arrive at the Nespouillet crossroads.
(6) Turn right onto a path that heads north into the alluvial plain woods. Ignore a path on the left and continue along a trail that winds its way through the hills. Turn left at the bottom and climb up a wider path that runs alongside the Ruisseau des 9 Fontaines ravine. Join the D 562.
(7) Turn right onto the road until you reach the intersection with the access road to the Lacombe wind turbines.
(8) Turn right to cross the woods (old yellow markings) towards the north-east, then turn north and descend to a pond. At the pond, cross a stream and turn right.
(9) At the Cayrol crossroads, take the left-hand path and descend north-west to reach the end of the Laprade Basse Lake dam.
(10) Start on the left, following the clockwise direction and the markings (yellow line with blue circle) around Lac de Laprade on a comfortable path that follows the contour of the lake. Information panels made of vitrified lava mark the route. At Champ du Plo, picnic tables invite you to take a break, but the deforestation on the left-hand side of the area detracts from the desire to linger! At the crossroads, turn left (north) and return to the undergrowth. At the cemetery, rejoin the tarmac road and head for the church of Laprade Basse.
(11) Turn right onto Rue du Lac and head for the car park on the edge of the D 101. Take the road on the right and cross the "tail of the lake", the lake's overflow on the left, around which a route has been created with footbridges on stilts to explore a wetland area.(See the "Things to see" tab) Stay on the road and pass in front of an "eco-friendly" wastewater treatment plant. On your right, you will see an excavation site of an ancient Gallo-Roman site dedicated to metallurgy and iron ore processing.
(12) Turn left a few metres further on, as indicated by a sign, to follow the "Complete tour of the lake, right bank and left bank", which has been moved from the road to the undergrowth where a path has been created.
(13) Cross the road (with caution as it is on a bend) to continue following the markings (yellow and blue dots) on another open section, still in the forest surrounding the lake. Footbridges make it easier to cross the streams that flow into it, and new picnic tables invite you to stop for a moment. You will eventually arrive at the large car park near the dam embankment, which is reserved for pedestrians only. Turn right towards the embankment. After passing a barrier and the stele commemorating the inauguration of the dam by F. Mitterrand in 1985, take the farm track that descends to the left, leaving the markings behind.
(14) After passing the railings protecting a gutter, look for a faint path (depending on the state of the vegetation) on the left. Join a clearer track on the left that enters the woods.
(15) At an intersection, cross the first of a series of electric fences. Turn left into a clearing to reach the ruins of the Montrouch sheepfold. More electric fences. Pass between the old buildings and follow a path to the D 62 after passing another fence. Turn right in front of the "lily pond" and walk 100 m along the road.
(16) Cross another fence to take the path on the left. Walk along the stadium before the crossroads.
(1) Turn left to return to the Martys village hall via the path you took at the start (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
