Le belvédère du Couserans

de fr

De ruelles en sentiers, cet itinéraire conduira le promeneur de Saint-Lizier au Montcaliver, belvédère sur l'ensemble des vallées couserannaises et les splendides sommets dominés par le seigneur du Couseran: le mont Vallier.

Details

n°5230
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.64 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 356 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 356 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 674 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 414 m
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Photos

View from the Tuc de Montcalivert
Nice porch in the village of Montjoie
Montjoie Church
View of the countryside

Description of the walk

Se garer sur le parking dans le haut du village, beaucoup de place et gratuit ; toilettes à disposition à proximité (point d'eau potable).

(S/E) Monter en direction de la Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de la Sède et du palais des Évêques.

(1) À la mairie, continuer en face, rue Maubec, jusqu'au parking. Suivre tout droit le chemin de terre qui contourne les remparts par l'extérieur. 50 m après le rempart, bifurquer à droite sur un chemin qui monte vers la croix de Pouterolles. Prendre à gauche, passer le banc public et descendre la pente herbeuse en escalier. Prendre la route à droite, vers le cimetière.

(2) Au carrefour, continuer tout droit sur le chemin de terre. Franchir une barrière aménagée pour traverser le pré, retrouver le chemin devant une ancienne bergerie et quitter la propriété (bien refermer la clôture).
Tourner de suite à droite sur un chemin herbeux qui descend et se termine perpendiculairement à un autre chemin. L'emprunter à gauche jusqu'au croisement de la route, une ferme se trouvant sur la droite. Suivre cette route et atteindre une autre route à croisement.

(3) Prendre à droite vers Maubresc, visible en contrebas, jusqu'au calvaire présent sur la droite de la route et tourner à gauche. Après une cinquantaine de mètres, prendre à droite et suivre la route proche du ruisseau et rejoindre un carrefour.

(4) Ne pas franchir le pont. Ancien lavoir sur le contrebas du carrefour côté Sud. Poursuivre Sud-Est et après 200 mètres environ, prendre à gauche un chemin montant gravillonnée (récent en 2012). Continuer sur le chemin qui s'élève jusqu'en haut du Tuc de Montcalibert.
Profiter du lieu...

(5) Redescendre vers le Sud-Est (dos à la croix en regardant vers les Pyrénées, le chemin est à 10h) par un chemin en sous-bois et rejoindre Bergerat. Prendre la route, puis tourner à droite et couper la D18.
Continuer sur le chemin en face (ancienne voie romaine) et arriver à une intersection avec le GR®®78 (Chemin de Compostelle indiqué).

(6) Prendre à droite et suivre le GR®®78 jusqu'au retour à St-Lizier.

(7) Ce GR®® traverse Montjoie-en-Couserans.
Malheureusement, la fin de rando se fait sur la route donc prudence. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 427 m - Car park at the top of the village. Place de la - Cathédrale Saint-Lizier (Saint-Lizier)
  2. 1 : km 0.2 - alt. 438 m - Town hall. Close to the - Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède (Saint-Lizier)
  3. 2 : km 0.76 - alt. 433 m - Cemetery
  4. 3 : km 2.45 - alt. 470 m - Right fork
  5. 4 : km 2.95 - alt. 443 m - Carrefour, opposite
  6. 5 : km 4.34 - alt. 674 m - Tuc de Montcalivert
  7. 6 : km 6.52 - alt. 445 m - Crossroads, right. GR78
  8. 7 : km 7.7 - alt. 449 m - Église romane fortifiée Notre-Dame-de-l 'Assomption de Montjoie
  9. S/E : km 9.64 - alt. 427 m - Car park at the top of the village. Place de l'Église

Notes

Balisage Jaune peu visible.
GR®®78 bien balisé par contre.
Pour la traversée de Bergerat, traverser le village sur l'axe Nord-Sud, c'est petit, mais le tracé n'est pas indiqué sur place.
Possibilité de traverser la ferme de Caujole sur le GR®®78 (plus confortable que de passer par la route tel que l'indique le tracé sur la carte.)

Worth a visit

Vallé du Biros et Étang de Bethmale.
Haute Vallée du Couserans : villages typiques et Mont Valier plus loin.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 61 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
CahierNomade
CahierNomade

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The path is generally well marked. Follow the map carefully to stay on course. After the Tuc de Montcalivert, the yellow markings are partially faded. In the woods, there is a discrepancy between the yellow-marked route and the Visorando GPS tracks (as mentioned previously). You’ll come to a ‘private property’ gate. But the path does indeed go through there.
The walk offers magnificent views; the route is very pleasant apart from the last kilometre, which is on a road in full sun.

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Vouvounet
Vouvounet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, especially the view from the highest point (the cross), if you are lucky enough to have clear skies. Passing through St Lizier and Monjoie allows you to enjoy the charms of these beautiful villages. However, the last 1,500 metres are very disappointing, as you have to walk along a road that can be quite busy.

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eric2706
eric2706

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant little hike...

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AACR
AACR
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There is a slight discrepancy between the description and the track.
The route is very reliable.
There were families picnicking at the summit, but few people on the hike as a whole.

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Rocky1
Rocky1

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed only partially on Friday, 18 April 2025 in sunny weather with a 4-year-old child. Departure from the village hall in Montjoie-en-Couserans and retrieval of the route for the ascent, continuation of the hike and return to the hall. Beautiful scenery of snow-capped mountains. Everything went well. We chatted with people who are familiar with the Tuc hike and discussed nearby hikes with children (thank you to the gentleman who had lunch with a Saint Pierre at the top of the Tuc). No problems with the trail. Photo break in front of the owl sculpture. Very nice afternoon. Great with children.

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Kiwinz31
Kiwinz31

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

At number 4, the GPS route is incorrect for about fifteen minutes.
At the end of the hike, the road section is a bit long.
Otherwise, beautiful views throughout the hike and at the summit with the snow-capped peaks.

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massat
massat

Very beautiful hike, well done to the person who created it.
We did it in superb weather with stunning views.

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patrickdml
patrickdml

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice little hike. Just one small downside: avoid in rainy weather. The descent from Tuc de Moncalivert is tricky. The ground is very, very slippery.

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KWC096
KWC096

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

A short but interesting route, but don't do it after rain as the descent is very slippery and there is a big difference between the actual route, which is well marked in yellow, and the GPS tracks on Visorando on the descent after the cross and at the end of the route. The last part along the road isn't great either.

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Quentin486532
Quentin486532

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful viewpoint in Couserans.
However, be careful if, like me, you are hiking with your dog(s).
After Montcalivert, immediately after the descent, you will enter private property where you are likely to encounter free-roaming goats.
On the way back, you can extend the hike (but shorten the tarmac section) by turning right after Montjoie towards Bordes d'en bas, then rejoining the route you took on the way there.

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Cebene
Cebene

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful panoramic views, pleasant route
One minor drawback: the last 2 kilometres are on tarmac

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martres31
martres31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful views along the entire route. Nice orientation table.

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hilde1958
hilde1958

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk with splendid views of the Ariège Pyrenees. Unfortunately, we lost too much time at point 1. Here is a clarification:
...find the path in front of an old sheepfold and leave the property (make sure you close the gate behind you). Immediately turn right onto a grassy path that descends and ends at a perpendicular path. Turn left and follow this path until you reach the road junction, with a farm on your right.

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Kauffmann Thierry
Kauffmann Thierry
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The actual route does not correspond exactly to the one recorded on Visorando
You need to deviate from it towards the end.
Please correct this

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Vendinielle
Vendinielle

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Simply climbing up to Tuc to enjoy the view seems much better to me than this disappointing long loop.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.