The Verdaches Hamlets Route

The start is in the main square of the village of Verdaches, near the church and the town hall (a few parking spaces nearby).

Yellow markings

(S/E) From the town hall, head towards the fountain, keeping the church on your right; turn left immediately afterwards, which will take you onto a side road. Turn right and follow the road for about a hundred metres until you reach a Fork in the road.

(1) Ignore the turn-off to the left for the Saint-Domnin Chapel; continue to the right, following the yellow markings. Shortly afterwards, at a right-hand bend, leave the road and pass to the left of a farm shed, continuing along a path still marked in yellow. It becomes a footpath and begins to climb, before descending into a ravine, then climbing again to emerge at a junction of farm tracks.

(2) At the junction, take the path on the left marked towards La Sambue to the north-west. This path continues until you reach the foot of a fortified country house. Then continue along the fence at the bottom of the meadow, keeping to the right of the fence. Do not descend into the ravine until you reach the far end of the meadow. Walk along the bank, keeping the stream on your left, until you reach a path marked in yellow which climbs to the right towards the north-east. The ascent begins facing the slope, then continues across to the left, then along the bottom of a ravine, and finally through a wood to reach a junction near the highest point of the route.

(3) Turn right until you reach the bottom of a meadow. Turn left and follow the path until it joins a second path. Take this path to the left until you reach the hamlet of La Sambue. Pass to the right of the first houses until you reach the fountain and the access road to the hamlet.

(4) Do not take the road; cross it and continue straight on along the path, which is still marked in yellow, passing between two buildings. Shortly afterwards, cross the Ravin du Tourondet, then continue downwards to the right as the path splits. Carry on to the drinking troughs, then head down into the valley floor by taking the path on the right. This path then crosses off to the left to join another path.

(5) Carry on straight ahead, descending in hairpin bends to the bottom of the Ravin du Tourondet. Turn left and follow the stream bed until you reach the access road to the hamlet of La Sambue. Take this road to the left as far as the crossroads, then turn left again to climb up to the hamlet of La Route and reach the fountain.

(6) At the fountain, head down to the right along the path running between the houses, until you come out at a second fountain by the D 507 road. Continue straight on along the road through the houses of the hamlet of Les Sauves, then follow the Mardaric (a tributary of the Bès). This will take you back to the village of Verdaches and its town hall (S/E).

This is a hike with no particular difficulties, but good walking boots are recommended.

Please note: the section through the Tourondet riverbed is impassable after heavy rain.

Verdaches lies at a crossroads of climatic influences. Here we are on the edge of the Mediterranean climate zone, and the forest reflects the diversity of these environmental conditions.
The village of Verdaches has long benefited from the quality of the timber from its forests (notably Scots pine, silver fir, Norway spruce and larch).

Viewpoint at the summit of Blayeul (2,189 m).