The Tarn and the Causse Noir at La Cresse

In the village, park in the small car park next to the church (be careful when manoeuvring, as we broke a headlight on the metal staircase of the building on the right).

(S/E) Walk past the church porch to reach the crossroads, with a cross opposite. Follow the road to the right (marked as a narrow, winding road), towards "Four Communal", "site de Caylus", etc. Further on, note the yellow markings that you will follow for almost the entire route, as well as the Monsieur Clapassou and Trail No. 6 markings. Pass in front of the communal oven and continue along the road, passing to the right of the playground. Cross a bridge with a red railing.

(1) Immediately afterwards, you will come to a crossroads with a large mission cross. Leave the road on the right, which will be the return route. Continue straight ahead following the yellow markings. At the next crossroads, continue following the yellow markings towards Le Pinet. The road turns into a path.

At a fork, continue to the right, following the yellow markings and Trail No. 23. Go straight ahead, ignoring a path on the right, until you reach the intersection with a footpath.

(2) A Monsieur Clapassou sign (and also Trail No. 6 and 23) invites you to turn right towards Château de Caylus, but that will be for later (unless you want to shorten this hike and skip the small circular route). So continue straight ahead.
Views of Peyrelade Castle, Monsieur Clapassou information panel.

Further on, ignore a descent to the left, then pass a Monsieur Clapassou sign for "Le diable de La Cresse" (The Devil of La Cresse). At a fork in the road, turn left, following the yellow markings.

(3) Continue along the road despite a yellow cross, to cross the village of Le Pinet. At the exit of the village, continue along this small road, which gradually deteriorates. At a fork, leave it for the grassy path marked Trail No. 6. Further on, ignore two paths on the left and keep to the right, still following the Trail No. 6 markings to reach the crossroads you took on the way there, with the Monsieur Clapassou sign.

(2) This time, follow these signs (as well as the Trail No. 6 and 23 signs) towards Château de Caylus. Further on, continue along a narrower path in the same direction.

Higher up, the path passes through some ruins, then arrives at the bottom of some rough steps. A few steps to the left will take you to a viewpoint over the Vallée des Respirs.
Then take the steps to continue the climb, still following the yellow markings, and the path becomes flatter. You will then arrive at a beautiful stone house with a slate roof on your right. A few metres further on, you will come to a sign for Monsieur Clapassou's "Le Château de Caylus". There is a bench available for a break.

(4) Continue to the left for a slightly steep return trip to the large viewpoint (picnic table, possibility of bivouacking, please take your rubbish with you). Then return to the Monsieur Clapassou sign for "Le Château de Caylus".

(4) Continue along the path, following the yellow markings (as well as Trail Nos. 6 and 23). Further on, leave this path and take a trail on the left, following the same markings. You will come to a road.

(5) Follow it to the left, still following the yellow markings, Trail No. 6 and 23. At a cross on the right, continue along the road.

(6) Further on, leave the road and take a path on the left, still following the same markings. You will come to a crossroads with other paths and a road.

(7) Follow the road to the right, towards Sonnac, following the yellow markings and Trail No. 6 and 7. At the equestrian centre, take the road on the left, following the same markings until the next fork.

(8) Ignore the road on the right that leads to Sonnac and follow the markings on the track on the left. At a fork in the tracks, follow the markings on the right.

(9) At another fork in the tracks, follow the markings to the right.

(10) At a logging area, continue straight ahead for about 100 metres, then take a path on the right, marked with yellow markings and Trail nos. 6, 7 and 23. "Be sure to look out for this path on the right (clearly marked with yellow markings)". Shortly afterwards, continue along the path, following the same markings.

(11) Be careful, further on, leave the path for a trail on the left, clearly marked in yellow. You will then come to a path, turn left and, immediately at the fork, follow the markings to the right.
Continue along this path for the long descent along the Ravin de Font Auzal.

(12) Much further on and lower down, cross the dry stream without necessarily realising it. Walk a few metres to the right of the stream bed, then at a fork, follow the yellow markings, Trails, and Monsieur Clapassou, which you will find here, to the left. Continue along this path, which is, in fact, the bed of the dry stream, or almost.

At the end of this path, you will come to a street in the village of La Cresse. Continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroads you already passed on the way there, with a large cross on the right and a bridge on the left.

(1) Turn left to return to the church, following the same route you took on the way there (S/E).

Moderate difficulty hike. Standard hiking equipment required.
Caution: limestone is slippery in wet weather.

Discover more hikes in this area with descriptions or the Visorando app here

Photo album here

Viewpoint at Caylus Castle.

Other hikes along the Tarn here