The Chemin des Diligences in Monléon-Magnoac

During this easy hike, you will discover the small village of Monléon-Magnoac, panoramic views of the Magnoac hillsides and the Pyrenees, the Marian shrine of Notre-Dame de Garaison, a famous school, and beautiful pine forests, all on a hilly and well-marked trail.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.81 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 269 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 270 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 496 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 353 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: from Castelnau-Magnoac, take the D929 towards Lannemezan for 2.5km. At a place called "La Pipe," turn left towards Monléon-Magnoac (cinema and "boutique du Magnoac" on the right). When you reach the centre of Monléon-Magnoac, turn right towards Notre-Dame de Garaison. At the village exit on the D9, the car park is on the left in front of the cemetery.

Yellow markings
(S/E) At the cemetery car park, an information board will show you the route (yellow markings). Follow the D9 south for 450 metres.

(1) Take the small tarmac road on the right for 100 metres until you reach a gate, where you turn left onto a dirt track. Follow this straight ahead for 6 kilometres until you reach Notre-Dame de Garaison.

(2) At Notre-Dame de Garaison, stop and enter the inner courtyard to take a look around. Continue left on the D34 for 300 metres until you reach a small cemetery on the left.
In front of the small cemetery, take the dirt track that descends to the left. Cross the Cier. Continue straight ahead at the next fork.
Shortly afterwards, turn left, pass a farm on your right and arrive at the small tarmac road.

(3) Turn left and continue for 600m.
At the entrance to the woods, take a dirt track on the right that descends, crosses a stream and climbs back up.

(4) Walk alongside a pine forest on the left and the D24 on the right.

(5) At a crossroads, take the path on the left that descends alongside the pine forest. Stay on the path as it enters the woods and crosses the Cier d'Arpajan. You will come to a wide path.

(6) Turn left towards Monléon-Magnoac (3.5 km, yellow sign) onto a small road.

(7) Turn right onto the small road and continue to the first path on the left.

(8) Leave the road and take the grassy path on the left until you reach the road again. Turn left and continue along this road to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 367 m - Cemetery car park. Near the - Gers (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.43 - alt. 370 m - Turn left
  3. 2 : km 5.22 - alt. 476 m - Notre-Dame de Garaison. Towards - Cier (ruisseau) - Affluent du Gers
  4. 3 : km 6.43 - alt. 496 m - On the left, asphalt road
  5. 4 : km 7.46 - alt. 490 m - Fir forest - Canal de la Gimone
  6. 5 : km 8.52 - alt. 485 m - On the left, path along the forest
  7. 6 : km 9.85 - alt. 392 m - On the left
  8. 7 : km 10.77 - alt. 468 m - On the right, a small road
  9. 8 : km 11.72 - alt. 422 m - On the left, grassy path
  10. S/E : km 12.81 - alt. 367 m - Cemetery car park

Notes

Standard equipment: good shoes, walking sticks, water, etc. In winter, bring gaiters as the paths are muddy in places.

(2) Notre-Dame de Garaison: Numerous sheltered picnic tables.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 19 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
les sisters
les sisters

Not done...hike impassable until 30 December 2025...

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les sisters
les sisters

hiking trail closed until 30 December 2025

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ritournelle
ritournelle

hello, tour taken on 14 April 2024, I agree with the comment from December 2017, idm for me.
ritournelle

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Cadiet
Cadiet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy and well-marked hike. There is a sheltered picnic area at Notre-Dame de Garaison with drinking water. The sanctuary, with its rich history, is well worth a visit.

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ritournelle
ritournelle

hello, tour done on 14 April with assos (acta32) departure from cemetery car park;
markers in both directions, no particular problems, parking available, invited by a local to visit the miracle fountain; opportunity to attend Sunday morning church service, but this invitation did not fit into our schedule.
end of the trip at 12:15 p.m., with departure at 8:30 a.m
ritournelle

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lecbalcaz
lecbalcaz

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

beautiful hike. The signposting needs to be reviewed before arriving in Garaison. You have to go straight ahead to avoid crossing the farm by following the GPS, but the signposting indicates the opposite. Crossing the farm with dogs is not easy!!!!!

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fnicoud
fnicoud

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very easy hike. The directions are reliable. Although I still prefer my GPS!
Between Monleon and Garaison, it's quite monotonous.
More varied between Garaison and Monleon
takes about 3 hours to complete the loop.

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bartoche
bartoche

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hiking in a quiet area where you don't meet many people; points of interest include the village of Monléon, the view of the Pyrenees on a clear day, and the site of Garaison, where you should stop to visit and learn about its turbulent history.
As for the hike itself, there are quite a few small paved roads, especially in the first part, which is rather monotonous and
exposed to the sun, but where the view of the Pyrenees is magnificent. The second part offers more passages through the woods (but inevitably less view of the surrounding landscape).
We had already visited the Garaison site last year.
On the ground, for the pure 13.6 km route, completed in 03:05.

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UK
UK

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful view of the Pyrenees. Don't miss a visit to Garaison with Father Pascal. Something to plan!
Beautiful and peaceful countryside
UK

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Le Chatelet
Le Chatelet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

guided tour of Notre Dame De Garaison by Father Pascal. Not to be missed.

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alpini.friuli
alpini.friuli

At some point after crossing the stream, there is indeed a meadow with tall grass and then an area sloping to the right (north-facing) where sheep graze! I haven't made this up.

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ritournelle
ritournelle

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

hello;
difficulty: the section through the forest, along the canal and D29, was very muddy due to timber hauling, with forestry vehicles in use. This was the only drawback on that day.
P.S
to avoid this inconvenience, take the D 29 bypass, which has quite a lot of traffic, and be extra vigilant.
best regards
ritournelle

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mariepaule47200
mariepaule47200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful loop enhanced by a visit to the site of Notre-Dame de Garaison. Quite a bit of tarmac in the first part, but on small roads with very little traffic.
A clarification between 3 and 4, compared to the GPX route and the description "At the entrance to the woods, take a dirt track on the right...", the path is about 50 m further on (yellow markings).
However, there were no problems between 5 and 6: we crossed the Cier d'Arpajan (yurt on the right) and followed a wide stony track. We didn't see the meadow with sheep mentioned by alpini!

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alpini.friuli
alpini.friuli
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting loop with a pleasant break at ND de Garaison. However, there are many muddy sections and at least a third of the route is on tarmac... The first part is interesting, with agricultural landscapes of valleys, hillsides and passages close to livestock farms; the second part is on the edge of a quiet undergrowth but without any panoramic views, except in the final part before returning to the village. Be careful, however, after crossing the stream (Cier d'Arpajan), you will find yourself in the middle of a meadow with sheep, and it is not immediately obvious that you need to head north and climb a steep, open hillside to find a track and from there begin the end of the route. There are no more yellow markings after crossing the stream, either in the meadow or even at the edge of the track that follows shortly afterwards. GPS is essential!

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randonneurs du girou
randonneurs du girou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant and interesting route with beautiful views and lovely forest trails. Don't miss a
visit to the Notre Dame de Garaison sanctuary (book an appointment) where the very welcoming priest will show you around
this site.

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