Lagrasse walks

This hike, a little longer than Charlemagne's buttocks, takes you to a chapel and a viewpoint overlooking the surrounding area, all surrounded by wild vegetation.

This is a great walk in the heart of the Alaric massif, where you can explore deep valleys and forests of holm oaks and Austrian black pines. Legend has it that the Visigoth king Alaric, passing through the region, gave the mountain its name, and some say that his treasure is hidden here. A trip to the summit offers views of the entire Aude plain, the Corbières, the Eastern Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea if the weather is clear enough.

At the gates of Carcassonne, the Montagne d'Alaric offers a superb viewpoint over the Pyrenees and the Aude plain. The ruins of the priories of Saint-Pierre d'Alaric and Saint-Michel de Nahuze, as well as those of the Métairie de Vidal, encourage us to reflect on the history of this mountain and the life that must have once animated it. Finally, the return journey through the vineyards of the Corbières region is an invitation to end this day's walk with a well-deserved wine tasting.

Starting from Thézan-des-Corbières, this hike through pine trees and heathland leads to the natural amphitheatre of the Cirque de Viviès, a geological curiosity of the Corbières. After a somewhat challenging descent to the wild valley floor, the landscape opens up and vineyards appear everywhere. At the end of the route, the magnificent Château de Caraguilhes wine estate is a tempting invitation to end the day on a delicious note.

Lake Cavayère is the place to visit in Carcassonne when the sun is out. The path around the lake is laid out clearly and is very easy to follow even with children (over ten years). The ever present lake provides a very pleasant setting.

A hike amongst vines, garrigue and fragrant pines to discover several capitelles (shelters) and ancient sheep-pens built of limestone rocks, vestiges of the work of local peasants on these slopes in previous times. At the end of the trail, the St Cécile chapel, built on a very pleasant site, offers a great area to relax.

In the Laure-Minervois area, drystone shelters known as capitelles bear witness to the history and work of the rural world. This route, marked in yellow, will take you to around thirty capitelles that have been restored by the villagers.

A loop from the magnificent Abbaye de Fontfroide in the massif of the same name. There are 360° views of the Corbières, the Pyrenees and the Aude coastline. With no major difficulties, the route only takes in the DFCI paths of this highly protected massif.

This beautiful hike combines nature, history and modern technology. Enjoy exceptional views of the wine-growing plain.Ideal for nature lovers and those looking to escape for a few hours in a peaceful setting.

You'll be amazed by the well-preserved state of the Visigoths' tombs found along the way. You can explore the cemetery, made up of fifteen or so graves, at the corner of a path in the middle of shrub land.

From Padern, climb up to the castle, cross the Pas de Massac and the Pas de la Serre.Then there is a superb passage along the ridge to reach the Roc de la Capéliane. Next, follow the tracks, with beautiful scenery, to descend to a discreet path that climbs back up along the Ruisseau de Grazels. Back at the crossroads of the two loops, cross the Pas de la Goutine to return to the village.This circuit may be considered quite difficult by some people.The GPX track is necessary at various points to confirm your position, particularly at (12) and (13).It is possible to do only part of this circuit. *

A 16 km loop that passes under the walls of Peyrepertuse Castle, with views of Quéribus Castle and the Quille Massif. Most of the hike is in the woods. Finally, the Verdouble Gorges with their pools and waterfalls offer a refreshing and relaxing break.

From the village, a climb to the foot of the Château de Quéribus on well-marked paths. See: practical information. The descent is quite steep, after waypoint (5). It's quite possible to do this circuit the other way round, and climb from waypoint (6) to (5).

If you enjoy walking among junipers, gorse and rockroses on a very stony but not particularly difficult path, you will love this short hike, which will take you to the quarry where the red marble columns of the Palace of Versailles were quarried.

From Notre-Dame du Cros (Caunes-Minervois), a route takes you to former marble quarries, with a picnic stop at the renovated Ventajou refuge, near the ruins of the castle of the old village that has disappeared. On the way back, you pass by the Moulin de Biot, a former witness to a technique of using wind energy for sawing marble. Warning from the author of the route in the "practical information" tab (2/11/2021)

This is a relatively short, intense loop route at altitude, climbing Pech du Bugarach from the village via La Fenêtre.