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If you are coming from the D81 or D171, after the Lacaze road sign, take a small narrow road on the right that leads downhill to the campsite and the small car park next to it, where you can park your vehicle
(S/E). Head towards the bridge, then turn right towards the castle square (yellow markings). At the crossroads, turn left and walk down to the bridge over the Gijou, where you will have a beautiful view of the 13th-century castle and the river that flows around it.
Turn back towards the church and walk along the left side of the building, following the Viane-Lacaune footpath signs (signpost).
(1) Take the wide path on the left, which passes the cemetery on the right and approaches the Gijou. Leave the road that descends to the bridge and continue straight on to Le Pujol, where the path makes a 90° turn to the right. Ignore the next road on the left and continue straight on to the hamlet of La Sautié.
(2) Turn left, following the excellent signage. Follow the signs, ignoring a first and then a second road on the right, and then a path, also on the right, which climbs up to La Malquière. You will come to a crossroads with a new bridge over the Gijou on the left.
(3) Continue straight ahead, leaving the buildings of Campguilhem on your right, and you will come to another crossroads.
(4) Pass another bridge over the Gijou on your left and turn right at a 90° angle. 200 metres further on, at the fork, take the left path and follow the clearly marked trail to another bridge over the Gijou, which you will cross to enter Viane. Continue straight ahead to the Temple.
(5) Turn right to get closer to the river. You will immediately arrive at the Pont Vieux, which spans the river and offers a beautiful view. After the bridge, follow the small road uphill, turn left at the top of the hill and continue to the junction with the D54.
(6) Turn left, continue for about 50 metres, then turn right at a 180° angle onto the D81. Follow this road, taking the protected path that runs alongside it on the left for a few hundred metres, and you will reach a small bridge over the Gijou. Continue straight ahead until you reach a fork in the road, about 200 metres further on.
(7) Turn right (signposted La Bessière-Chambres d'Hôtes). Follow this small road to the buildings of La Bessière, ignoring a track on the left.
(8) 100 metres further on, turn right onto a wide path leading to Carayon. At the fork, turn right to rejoin the D54.
(9) Continue a few metres to the left, then turn right onto a wide uphill track. This track leaves the woods and continues, becoming narrower and more difficult to navigate with deep ruts.
(10) Leave this path and take a wide track on the left, which climbs up through a meadow and is much easier to walk on. You will come out onto a plateau with a clearer view and continue to a clearly marked crossroads.
(11) Turn left onto a wide path that climbs uphill. Continue along this pleasant path until you reach a crossroads marked by two monuments: one on the right and one on the left.
(12) Take a break here to learn about these two monuments, which commemorate the parachuting of 15 American commandos on 7 August 1944 as part of an OSS operation. Continue straight ahead for about 300 metres.
(13) At Le Sucail, leave the wide path and turn left. Ignore the paths on either side and pass the access road to two telecommunications and telephone towers located slightly higher up on the right-hand side.
(14) After about 150 metres, turn right onto a narrow path that is not very obvious at first. This path runs between box trees, arrives at a first intersection where you must go straight ahead, then joins a small road.
(15) Turn left downhill to the D55. Continue down the road, passing two roads on your left, and continue to a crossroads with a calvary on your right.
(16) Turn right onto the road going uphill and follow it until you reach a slight bend on the right, where there is a sign marked Chapelle Saint Jean Del Frech.
(17) Leave the road and take a wide track that descends to the left. After about 900 metres, you will come to a crossroads with several paths (there is the wreck of an old blue bus in the small wood on the right).
(18) Ignore the wide tracks that branch off to the left or straight ahead and take a path that starts on the right and descends rapidly. Pass a path on the left.
(19) At the fork, take a sharp right turn and continue until you reach a wide farm track.
(20) Turn right. The path zigzags a little and then leads to a small road after a 180° bend.
(21) Turn left and follow this small road which, after several hairpin bends, crosses the Lacaze fitness trail.
(22) Leave the road and turn left onto the fitness trail. Continue straight ahead to quickly reach the church in Lacaze. Simply walk straight down to the campsite car park to complete this beautiful circular route (S/E).
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