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Departure from the Douch stopover lodge. Cars must be parked at the entrance to the village.
YellowPR®markings
(S/E) Leaving the stopover lodge, leave the hamlet by turning left onto the D180E5 road for 200 metres.
(1) At the car park, turn right onto the wide track, heading east and uphill. Information boards. The track makes two hairpin bends. Continue for 250m after the second hairpin bend until you reach a fork.
(2) Turn left towards the high point. Directional signpost. Head towards what looks like a large cairn. You will reach the Tour du Caroux: small stone walls with a bench. It is a very beautiful spot with a 360° view.
(3) Continue downhill towards the south-southeast until you reach a fork.
Red and whiteGR®7andGRP®markings
(4) Join theGR®7-GRP® of the Montagne du Haut-Languedoc. Turn left and head east along this wide path for 500 metres. You will reach a fork before starting the descent. Leave theGR®7and GRP® here.
Old and scattered yellow markings.PR®
(5) Turn right (Sentier de l'Esquino d'Aze). Descend towards Ravin de Cadiol, heading due south. The path is very well marked and cairned.
Caution: as you approach Bel Plo (a relatively flat area that was used for grazing animals), look for a fork near a wetland where the path turns south-west.
Do not take the right bank of the Roucayrol stream.
(6) Head due west, to the right, along a good path (Lou Tres Recs trail: the three thalwegs) that is well marked on the ground and cairned, along rock piles on your left. This path quickly turns north-west; north. It then turns west, crossing the Combe Gairau stream (at around 1000m), climbs a little, then crosses the Albine stream (at around 1000m).
Find a good path on the left, then cairns on rocky slabs on the right bank of the stream. The area is on the edge of the forest, with the stream below on the left.
(7). This is a clear, fairly flat area with a large cairn marked with white-green-white markings, indicating the boundary of the state-owned land that you must follow.
Head right, due west (Peyre-Grosso track: large stones). The yellow markings and the state property boundary markings guide you due west through the forest. Pass the large stones where a shelter was built.
Red and whiteGR®7and GRP®markings.
(8) Turn right onto theGR®7, taking a wide grassy track heading due north/north-west for 250m.
(9) Turn right, still following theGR®7and GRP®. Pass a magnificent developed peat bog where the Albine stream originates.
Yellow PR®markings.
(4) Turn left onto the path you took on the way out. Pass the Tour du Carroux again (an ideal spot for a midday break). You will come to a fork in the path that you already passed on the way out.
No markings.
(2) Turn left onto a track suitable for vehicles, then right after a few metres and continue for about 500 metres until you reach a fork in the tracks.
(10) Continue straight ahead, heading south-southwest towards Plo de l'Aygue (altitude 1064).
Red and whiteGR®7and GRP®markings.
(9) Continue slightly to the left on theGR®7and GRP®.
(8) Continue straight ahead on theGR®7and GRP®. Leave Peyre Grosse on your left.
(11) Caroux orientation table slightly below on the left, with a magnificent view.
Retrace your steps a little and turn left. Pass by (on your left) a large rock shelter and continue towards the refuge, heading north-west.
You will reach the Font de Salesse refuge, which is in poor condition (17 July 2019). This is a very popular area where visitors have gotten into the habit of leaving their rubbish behind. The town hall has installed several bins next to the refuge! The area is quite large and is nevertheless ideal for a well-deserved break.
Off the marked trail.
(12) With the refuge on your right, opposite the bins, head west into the forest along a well-marked path. Continue straight ahead from the arrival path. The path then turns north-west and descends.
(13) Ford the Rieu Tort stream.
Caution: confusing area with several rocky paths.
Then climb steeply opposite, turning right onto a cairned path to reach an old grassy track (Supérieure du Rieutort track), which you should follow north. The track then becomes passable again. Pass the ruins of the Jasse de l'Ermite.
(14) Lucadou. Continue left due north, leaving the track and descending steeply. The area is poorly maintained or not maintained at all. Leave a path on the right. Continue towards the flat, open area.
Red and whiteGR®7and GRP®markings.
(15) Col de l'Airole or Col de Douch. Turn right for 100 metres. Leave thePR® on your left. Then leave the track, turning left onto a wide stony path that descends parallel to the track, following theGR®7and GRP®. This will take you to the hamlet of Douch (S/E).
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