Country:
City:
The route starts from the car park opposite the reception at the Rennes-les-Bains thermal baths. There are other car parks along the D14.
Access: from Bugarach via the D14 or from Couiza via the D613, then the D14.
(S/E) Set off along the pavement of the D14 towards the village centre, passing under the arches of the houses with the thermal baths on your left for about a hundred metres.
Yellow markings
Cross the bridge over La Sals and head up to the left onto Route de Montferrand. After 60 metres, at the fork, leave the road and head down to the left onto a street that turns into a footpath. Cross a concrete ford over the Ruisseau de la Dous. Then cross the Ruisseau du Coudal and another small stream next to a large cave, which was inhabited when I passed by! You’ll come to a fork in the path.
(1) Head steeply uphill to the right. Join a track and follow it to the right for 100 metres until you reach a right-hand bend. Take care. There is an old wooden signpost on the left, somewhat hidden.
(2) Leave the track and turn left, towards Montferrand, onto a path alongside the torrent. Take care. You’ll need to leave the banks of the torrent.
(3) Leave this path and turn right, climbing steeply through the forest. Much higher up, you’ll emerge into the charming hamlet of Montferrand. Some friendly dogs were waiting for me when I passed through! There’s a sandstone cross on the right.
(4) Cross this hamlet via the access road and reach a right-hand bend. There’ s a lovely view to the right after the last house. Take care. You’ll need to turn left.
(5) Leave the road, pass the wash house and turn left until you reach a nearby fork. Ignore the signs for Fajole. Turn left again onto a small track that runs high above the Ruisseau du Coudal. You’ll come to another fork (500m).
(6) Ignore the signposts. Leave the sign for Lac de Barrenc on your right. Head left and cross the Ruisseau du Coudal. Continue uphill along the rutted track heading north. Keep going straight on at the next two junctions and you’ll reach a crossroads in a large clearing with picnic tables. A lovely spot for a break. Take care. Look out for signposts.
(7) Ignore the two tracks on the right. Walk past the two picnic tables on the left and, after 50 m, you’ll find a signpost: Pech Cardou on the left-hand side of the path. Take care. The various paths shown on the IGN base map do not exist in this area! The OSM base map is accurate!
Unmarked
(8) Immediately after the signpost, head left across the grass for a few metres until you find a path marked on the ground which heads right along the ridge into the forest (the path is shown on the IGN map). Caution: steep ascent of 26% up to the junction with the signposted path at the top. Follow this path uphill to the fork.
Alternative route => follow the existing signposting for a round trip to the summit.
Yellow markings
(9) Turn left onto the correct signposted path and head for a large open area at the summit of Pech Cardou.
A very beautiful spot: 360° views. You might want to take a restorative break here.
(10) Turn back to the fork you passed earlier.
(9) Continue straight on along the signposted path. 50 metres further on, the path to the right shown on the IGN map does not exist. Continue down the signposted path. Further on, turn completely to the right. The two paths to the left shown on the IGN map do not exist. Carry on along the path, which widens and leads to the crossroads with the two picnic tables you passed on the way out. Look out for a signpost on the left – ‘Serres’ – hanging from a tree.
(7) Turn left at a 90° angle in this direction and follow a small grassy track that leads downhill. You’ll reach a junction where three tracks meet.
(11) Note: the path shown on the left-hand side of the IGN map does not exist. From this point onwards, the IGN map is accurate.
Continue down the stony track, which narrows to become a path. Take care: do not go as far as the junction of the three tracks. Look out for a signpost: ‘Serres’ to the left.
(12) Head all the way to the left in this direction along a narrow path with a 14% gradient downwards until you reach the edge of the forest. You’ll come to a crossroads in a large, well-maintained and tidy area with a view of the hamlet of Serres. There’s a sandstone cross on the left, along with signposts.
(13) Turn right onto a wide grassy path and head towards the listed bridge over the Rialsesse.
(14) Cross the bridge and, on the other side, note a stone picnic table on the right and the concrete marker for La Méridienne Verte (Dunkirk–Barcelona). Before crossing the quiet D613, there is a drinking water tap on the left. Continue straight ahead into the hamlet.
Unmarked section
(15) From the church square, you can wander around the hamlet. Serres Castle is private property. Return to the D613 and follow it to the right as far as the cultural café ‘Le Cerf-Volant’.
(16) Turn left. Note the playground and the car park, which can also serve as the starting point for this walk. Cross the ford (if the river is in flood, walk along the riverbank and cross the bridge). At the picnic area, head up to the left to reach the crossroads and the sandstone cross.
Yellow markings
(13) Turn right and follow the small grassy track which, further on, bends to the left and heads due south. You’ll reach a bend in a track suitable for vehicles. From this point onwards, this is the least interesting part of the walk.
(17) Head up to the left along this track and stay on it throughout. Pass an entrance to the climbing site. There’s an interesting information board here. The track curves slightly to the left, heading south-east. Take care. There’s a signpost here, but it’s not relevant to the circular route.
Unmarked
(18) Leave the track and head down to the right along a lovely forest path. Much further down, you’ll rejoin the original fork.
Yellow markings
(1) Turn right and follow the route back in the opposite direction to reach the car park (S/E).
Visorando Member
Difficult 
Easy 
