La ronda del Peraire in Saint-Salvy-de-la-Balme

This hike is a little longer than the one suggested by the Tarn Tourist Office, which starts from Saint-Salvy. This alternative starting point allows you to see the Chaos de la Balme and the Chapeau de Napoléon, famous landmarks in the Sidobre. On a clear day, this hike offers beautiful views of the Montagne Noire, the Pyrenees in the background and beautiful fields dotted with rocks.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.13 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 370 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 374 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 687 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 461 m

Photos

Description of the walk

For this hike, the starting point is the car park for Chapeau de Napoléon and Chaos de la Balme, 1 km before Saint-Salvy-de-la-Balme on the right-hand side of the D66.

(S/E) Take the signposted path to reach the Chapeau de Napoléon. At this rock, descend to the right towards the Chaos de la Balme. After the chaos, continue to the left and then turn left again towards Saint-Salvy.

(1) Go straight ahead, past the church and town hall, and follow Avenue du Sidobre. Walk alongside the stadium and turn left after the multi-purpose hall. At this point and throughout the hike, the route is marked by a sign for "la ronda del Peraire". Turn right quickly to the north towards the water treatment plant, which you will go around to the east to reach the Veyrières cross: a superb panorama that can serve as a picnic spot.

(2) Retrace your steps and follow the path north through the chestnut and oak woods. Cross a track and continue towards the granite chaos. The path heads north-north-west then west and eventually leads to Route de Cabrol.

(3) Follow this road to the right for a good hundred metres, then turn left to go around the hamlet of Gaillard.

(4) In the circular loop after Gaillard, discover the Vache and Requin rocks. Descending towards the D622, turn left before the house towards the ruins of Garric. Continue straight ahead, ignoring the various paths on the left.

(5) As you approach Lézertou (without entering it), take a path on the left that leads to a farm, where you must turn 90 degrees to the left. Descend to a T-junction.

(6) Turn right into a beech forest to discover the Rocher Tremblant de Lascombes, indicated by a sign on your right and located about 100 metres from the road.

(7) Return to the route and continue to a multiple junction.

(8) Take the second path on the left. Before reaching the large building, turn left and continue straight on to Ruscayrolles.

(9) At this point, turn right and walk 100 metres to see the superb viewpoint overlooking the Montagne Noire and the Pyrenees on a clear day. Retrace your steps and head east.

(10) Follow the road to the left, keep right at the fork and then turn right south towards Le Fau.

(11) At Le Fau, continue east and keep going in this direction until you reach Fombals.

(12) Keep left on Chemin de la Croix de la Pierre.

(13) Turn right. The path passes south of the Roquelongue quarry and joins the Castres road (D66). Cross carefully and continue opposite towards Les Castellasses. Before reaching the hamlet, take a small path on your right that descends steeply to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 553 m - Chaos de la Balme car park
  2. 1 : km 1 - alt. 598 m - Saint-Salvy-de-la-Balme
  3. 2 : km 2.39 - alt. 651 m - Croix de Veyrières
  4. 3 : km 4.79 - alt. 659 m - Cabrol road
  5. 4 : km 5.58 - alt. 665 m - Rochers de la Vache and Rochers du Requin
  6. 5 : km 7.05 - alt. 565 m - Lézertou
  7. 6 : km 7.81 - alt. 589 m - T-junction
  8. 7 : km 9.01 - alt. 578 m - Rocher Tremblant de Lascombes
  9. 8 : km 9.98 - alt. 508 m - Multiple crossroads
  10. 9 : km 11.57 - alt. 469 m - Ruscayrolles
  11. 10 : km 13.35 - alt. 530 m - Road junction
  12. 11 : km 13.84 - alt. 557 m - Le Fau
  13. 12 : km 14.59 - alt. 571 m - Chemin de la Croix de la Pierre
  14. 13 : km 15.36 - alt. 600 m - Fork
  15. S/E : km 16.13 - alt. 553 m - Chaos de la Balme car park

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Thierry I.
Thierry I.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Done in cold and windy weather. No issues with signposting. Interesting to see all the different aspects of Sidobre.

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Daniel Davizou
Daniel Davizou
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy hike that allows you to discover sites in Sidobre that are less well known than those in the Lacrouzette area but just as beautiful on the first part of the route. The second part is still pleasant but more monotonous.

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LULUETULYSSE
LULUETULYSSE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Do the opposite to try to avoid some sunny areas, where it can be difficult to spot the markings.
A magnificent region of trails dotted with granite rocks.

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Canelle
Canelle

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route through the beautiful Sidobre forest dotted with striking rock formations. The trail is easy and clear (beware of mosquitoes, some sections are damp). We set off from the village of Saint Salvy de la Balme and did not take the short detour, but still covered 15km under stormy skies!

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p.belaidene
p.belaidene

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A route for hikers seeking peace and authenticity.
The route alternates between forests and meadows dotted with rocks, with a few viewpoints.
There are a few sections on roads, but they are not very busy (some sections are near quarries, which are best avoided on weekdays).
Ideal in sunny weather and for people seeking tranquillity, I took this walk on a sunny spring Sunday and only encountered one couple during the entire tour (except for the chaos at La Balme, of course).

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mdajl
mdajl

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A very pleasant hike to discover this beautiful region. The description poses no problems (in Saint Salvy, the private property sign placed between the two paths made us hesitate a little, and it is indeed the path on the right that is private).
Luckily, there are many passages through the woods, which provided some protection from the heavy rain during the second half of the hike! As a result, the view at point 9 was completely obscured...
We will be happy to do it again when the weather is a little kinder!

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petitbob
petitbob
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike between hills and sunshine, meadows and woodlands emblematic of our cool, mineral Sidobre region. Perfectly marked, pure joy. Thank you, Visorando. Petit Bob.

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giggielpapa
giggielpapa

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike for the first 7 or 8 kilometres; then... meh. In any case, it's almost entirely shaded, which is very pleasant when it's 28 or 30 degrees!

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