In Saint-Pierre-la-Mer, park in the car park on the edge of the D168 (Avenue des Cigales) at the bridge over the small inlet that connects the port to the Étang des Exals. This car park is on the left coming from Gruissan and on the right coming from Fleury. Other parking is available before or after the bridge depending on your direction of arrival.
Almost the entire route is unmarked. The few exceptions are mentioned in the Practical Information section.
(S/E) Turn your back to the road and the sea and head towards the ponds and the footbridge with the inlet on your right. Turn left onto a stony path closed by a barrier, which you must go around. Follow a ditch on your right, then cross it by turning right. Continue for a few dozen metres on the left and turn sharply right.
Stay on the wide main path, keeping the pond at a distance and ignoring several paths on both sides. When you reach a crossroads, keep to the right.
(1) About 60 metres further on, ignore the path on the right, which will be the return route, and continue straight ahead on a slight incline. Stay on the main path and continue in the same direction until you reach a T-junction. On the left are vineyards and rocky outcrops that mark the edge of the Saint-Pierre heath; on the right is a small cemented area.
(2) Turn right onto the path that narrows as it enters the heath. At the nearby fork, marked by a solitary pine tree, keep left towards the clearly visible steep path. Cross it and continue on flat ground until you reach another fork (cemented water intake on the right).
Turn left, then left again onto the track, passing a few beehives on your right before reaching another junction located directly below four majestic pine trees. Turn right.
(3) Cross the track and continue diagonally opposite. Keep right at the next junction and continue straight ahead to quickly begin a short descent from where you will begin to see the red-tiled roofs of the hamlet of Saint-Pierre, nestled in its valley.
(4) In the hamlet, ignore the paved access road on the right and continue straight ahead, passing the inn and its car park. At the fork at the corner of a vineyard, go straight ahead uphill, cross a small pass and descend through a beautiful pine forest to a crossroads.
(5) Ignore the path on the right, continue for about 20 metres, then turn right onto another narrower path. Turn right again at the next intersection (not very marked), pass a few properties and fenced-off plots on your left before reaching the Fleury road (D1118).
Cross with great caution (reduced visibility when exiting the bend) and follow the road on the right, using the shoulder where possible. Continue to the Gouffre de l'Œil Doux car park.
(6) Do not enter the car park, but take the wide path on the left just before it. Walk along the picnic area under the pine trees and continue straight ahead until you reach the first information sign about the chasm, located at a fork in the road.
Turn right, following the wooden sign. After a short climb, the path levels out before arriving at the Gouffre de l'Œil Doux site.
(7) Several accessible points on the left allow you to get close to the edge and enjoy a bird's eye view of the chasm. Caution! None of these small lookout points are secured, and extra caution is required as the cliff is 40 metres high. Not recommended if accompanied by children.
Continue walking past the second sign and follow a narrow path, which is very rough for the first few metres, around the chasm. Ignore the small paths on the right that lead away from it and continue to the third sign, which is identical to the first two.
Continue straight ahead with the Ecomuseum building in sight and, when you reach the crossroads just opposite, turn right to enter between two vineyards. Continue straight ahead at the next crossroads, follow the last vineyard on your left and then turn right (sign for the protected site of Oustalet with a sign in the opposite direction). Follow the wide, flat path that leads to a paved road opposite the Pissevaches campsite.
Turn right and continue for about 100 metres.
(8) Head right towards an open space, passing between large boulders that prevent vehicle access (no dumping sign a few metres away). Pass two large boulders and you will come to a fork where you have two options. On the right, the path climbs up Combe Barboussière and on the left, the path heads towards the housing estates. Take the second option.
After a short steep climb, the path levels out and runs close to the houses. At the corner of the last housing estate, turn right to take a wider track that moves away from the buildings while continuing in the same direction.
Go straight ahead at the first crossroads, do the same at the second (not shown on the map) and continue to the Fleury road (D1118).
(9) Stop here to admire the view of the sea, the Albères mountains and Canigou blocking the horizon. Then cross the road carefully and head diagonally to the right towards a cement water intake, which you follow along a very stony path.
Pass a second water intake (number 602 painted on it) and you will come to a wide track (elevation 47) where you should turn left, heading south. When you reach a vineyard, turn right and follow it to the end of Avenue des Goélands.
(10) Ignore this road and follow a path on the right that descends steeply towards the waste disposal site below and leads to its tarmac access road. Continue for about 50 metres, turn right towards the ponds and follow them.
(1) Turn left and follow the same route back to the car park (S/E).