The Eagle's Nest in St-Étienne-d'Albagnan

PLEASE NOTE (Information dated 13 February 2026): for your safety, following recent bad weather, the routes are closed until further notice.

The trail will take you to the heights of St-Étienne. It offers beautiful views of Le Somail, L'Espinouse, Les Avant-monts and the Jaur valley. A few passages through the undergrowth allow you to cool off in hot weather.
After heavy rain, the trail is not recommended (stream crossing).

Details

56637457
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.00 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 232 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 226 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 416 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 217 m

Description of the walk

Departure from the Passa País greenway car park.

(S/E) From the car park, take the access road to the greenway. Follow it straight ahead, heading south-west, until you cross a bridge over the small Valausse road.

(1) Take the track on the right and then, immediately afterwards, the path that climbs up to the left. Continue until you reach a track.

(2) Take the path opposite, slightly to the left. The climb continues, offering views on both sides of the path. After passing through the undergrowth, cross the Valausse stream and climb up to the white cross.

(3) Cross the Valausse road and take the track along the ridge, first turning right then left. The track quickly splits at a three-way junction: follow the right-hand track, which then descends to a Y-junction.

(4) Turn left onto a path that runs alongside a low wall, then climb straight up to the highest point of the "Nid d'aigle" (Eagle's Nest), which offers a beautiful panoramic view.

(5) Begin the descent (quite steep) until you reach the greenway. Follow it to the right, heading south-west, then leave it on the left to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 230 m - Car park at the old railway station (near the restaurant) - Jaur (rivière) - Affluent de l'Orb
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 232 m - Intersection after the bridge
  3. 2 : km 1.18 - alt. 309 m - Track
  4. 3 : km 2.58 - alt. 387 m - White cross
  5. 4 : km 3.85 - alt. 323 m - Crossroads towards the Eagle's Nest
  6. 5 : km 4.12 - alt. 345 m - Nid d'Aigle
  7. S/E : km 5 - alt. 230 m - Car park at the old railway station (near the restaurant)

Notes

After heavy rain, the trail is not recommended (stream crossing).

Here is a link for information on fires and eco-friendly practices to follow.

Worth a visit

- (5) Eagle's Nest viewpoint.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
User 26649059

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, accessible walk with a few sections to note

A pretty walk that is relatively easy for the region, except perhaps for the first third, which may be a bit challenging for some people. This first section starts with a steady climb, ideal for "warming up". It is not shaded, but is rewarded with a beautiful view at the top.

This is followed by about 1 km of trail in the shade of the woods until you reach a road — in my opinion, the most beautiful part of the route.

After crossing the road, the descent begins for about 1 km on a "hunter's road" type path used by 4-wheel drive vehicles. This section has a few curiosities: old ploughs, rusty agricultural machinery, a watchtower and typical stone walls.

The last section includes a short climb of about 150 metres, leading to another pretty viewpoint, followed by a beautiful descent (as steep as the climb at the start), in the open, to the village of Saint-Étienne-d'Albagnan.

Practical tips

Avoid during the hunting season.

The river crossing may be impassable if the water level is too high.

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Tourisme Minervois Caroux
Tourisme Minervois Caroux

Thank you for your comment. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the hike.

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MONTADAVALA
MONTADAVALA

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike. Beautiful little climbs, very interesting flora and breathtaking views.
A bit too short!

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Eric Kikour Roux
Eric Kikour Roux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting and enjoyable route thanks to its diverse terrain and vegetation. It is relatively short but quite challenging both uphill and downhill. It is currently easy to follow due to recent "clearing", but I am not sure it will remain so if it is not regularly maintained in the heath areas outside the undergrowth at the start and end of the route. To increase the length of the walk, you can take a circular detour from the summit (the white cross) and return to finish the route.

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