Le Caroux from its north-eastern side

Park in the walkers’ car park at the entrance to the hamlet of Douch on the D180ES.

(D/E ) Leave the car park by turning right and walking down the tarmac road for about a hundred metres, before reaching a very tight 180° bend.

(1) Leave the road and turn right onto the drovers' road (a stony path used by shepherds and their flocks). Walk along flat ground through the middle of the forest, passing some pretty low stone walls. You’ll arrive above the hamlet’s pumping station.

(2) Turn left onto the winding path that descends to the road and the Zen temple car park.

(3) Head down the road to the right again, cross a pretty stone bridge, and continue until you reach the hamlet of Perpignan de la Grave. Once you’ve passed through the hamlet, keep an eye out for the paths branching off to the right, towards the higher ground of the Caroux plateau. You’ll reach the hamlet of Carrousel.

(4) Take the path that enters the forest on the right. It is very stony, climbs in the shade of the trees, then becomes a narrow, single-track path winding through the moorland and broom. Join the GR®7.

(5) This is a wider path linking the hamlet of La Fage to the Caroux plateau. Follow this GR® to the right for about 1 km to complete the climb up to the plateau.

(6) Turn right onto the path marked with yellow PR® signposts, which climbs to La Tour, the highest point on the plateau at over 1,000 m above sea level; it is marked by a cairn.

(7) Walk past the tower, take in the view, and head down to a wider DFCI track.

(8) Do not head straight back down to Douch towards the walkers’ car park. Leave the PR®, turn left onto the track, then quickly take a track on the right, passing the ruined sheepfold until you reach a Fork in the road.

(9) Take the track on the right to follow the edge of the plateau. You’ll come to a large junction where four paths meet.

(10) Turn right, heading due north, onto the straight GR®7 path which descends through the forest towards Douch. Shortly after leaving the forest, keep to the right and arrive at the entrance to the hamlet.

(11) Turn right onto the D180ES to reach the walkers’ car park (S/E).

Route stony (scree). Remember to wear good, high-ankle shoes to protect against loose stones.

(5) Here, you do not have to head straight up to the plateau; instead, you can take a return walk to the left towards the charming hamlet of La Fage – for a swim, for example.

Reminder: please comply with the regulatory requirement to park your vehicles only in the car park at the entrance to the hamlet. Parking on the small square near the bread oven and in the narrow streets is strictly reserved for permanent residents.

Water point in the hamlet of Douch, on the village square.

Mobile network coverage is limited in the higher areas.

The hamlet of Douch.

Caroux Plateau, Rosis Mountain.

Sainte-Marie Church in Douch, Bir-Hakeim memorial.