The Pic de Nore

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A fantastic hike starting from Lake Pradelles-Cabardès leading to Pic de Nore, the highest peak of the Montagne Noire, with its breathtaking 360° view stretching from Hérault to Tarn via Aude, Pyrénées Orientales, Ariège and Haute Garonne.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.44 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 436 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 436 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,209 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 770 m
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Photos

Lake Pradelles
Pic de Nore antenna
View from the Pic de Nore

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Lac de Paradelles campsite.

(S/E) Head to the lake and walk along its southern shore until you reach theGR®36.

(1) Take theGR®36on the left and join the D112 road.

(2) Climb up to the village of Pradelles, pass the church (listed as a historic monument) and take theGR®36on the right.
Further up, stay on the red and white markings, turning right at the intersection.

(3) Cross the Rec de Cuin and climb gradually until you reach the Roquo d'Astié.

(4) Enjoy the magnificent panorama before you and continue climbing until you reach the D87 road.

(5) Cross the road to take the path opposite and further on, cross the D87 again, taking the path that climbs up to Pic de Nore.

(6) Enjoy the magnificent 360° panorama with orientation tables indicating the visible peaks.
Take the small (unmarked) path that descends to thefirst orientation table.
You will rejoin the D87 road.

(7) Cross the road and take the track that branches off to the far right (still unmarked, but the route is obvious).
Further on, join a track.

(8) Take this track to the right until it ends (yellow markings appear).

(9) Descend a few metres before taking the path on the right. Follow the Cabane d'Hélène route, which will take you to an intersection further on.

(10) Leave the Menhir route opposite and take the Cabane d'Hélène route on the left.
After about 100 metres of descent heading south, you will reach Cabane d'Hélène.

(11) Continue downhill and rejoin the D87 road, which you will take on the right.
Continue for about 250 metres until you reach a crossroads.

(12) Turn left onto Côte de Pech. Return to the church and rejoin the D112 road.

(2) This time, take the road on the left for a few metres before taking the road on the right, which becomes a track a few metres further on. You are now back on theGR®36.
Pass the Ancienne Glacière before taking the track on the right at the intersection.
Cross the Arnette and continue on theGR®36until you reach the very first intersection.

(1) All you have to do now is walk along the lake again to finish your hike (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 781 m - Lac de Pradelles
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 780 m - Intersection and GR36
  3. 2 : km 0.94 - alt. 814 m - Route D112
  4. 3 : km 1.5 - alt. 836 m - Intersection - Arnette (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 2.76 - alt. 1,055 m - Roquo d'Astié
  6. 5 : km 3.35 - alt. 1,108 m - Route D87
  7. 6 : km 4.06 - alt. 1,209 m - Pic de Nore
  8. 7 : km 4.4 - alt. 1,141 m - Route D87
  9. 8 : km 4.9 - alt. 1,088 m - Track
  10. 9 : km 6.14 - alt. 1,044 m - End of the trail. Yellow markings
  11. 10 : km 6.8 - alt. 1,029 m - Intersection of routes
  12. 11 : km 7.18 - alt. 966 m - Cabane d'Hélène
  13. 12 : km 8.71 - alt. 851 m - Intersection of Route D87 and Cote de Pech
  14. S/E : km 11.44 - alt. 781 m - Lake Pradelles

Notes

Worth a visit

You can also take the Sentier des Glacières trail.

At Pic de Nore, you can continue along theGR® 36 and then theGR®7to reach the tripoint (Hérault/Aude/Tarn) at the Fontaine des Trois Évêques near Roc de Peyremaux

Gouffre de Cabrespine, about ten kilometres from Pradelles-Cabardès.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 17 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
carboubou
carboubou

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant hike. Good route.
The walk ends at the lakeside bar and restaurant, where the welcome is excellent

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ChristL31
ChristL31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy route to reach Pic de Nore, with the climb at the beginning and a pleasant descent.
The highlight of the hike: a bar/restaurant at the finish line.

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User 4406028

On the day of our hike, after a smooth climb to the peak, the weather suddenly changed and it became overcast. Then it started to rain. We had to quickly make our way back down.
What a shame. We'll be back

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carboubou
carboubou

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very good despite the clouds... It must be very beautiful when the sky is clear...

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User 4406028

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The climb to the peak is easy. The return trip requires a GPS and involves a slight detour through the forest. At the summit, the weather turned cloudy and then rainy. Too bad there was no view. But the climb was fun.

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User 25821047

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike starting at Lake Pradelles (very pretty and pleasant), with the village and church (magnificent) and Pic de Nore as the highest point, but also some lovely woodland! The climb is very well signposted. The way back from the peak is more difficult to find, but luckily the GPS guided us well on the app. I didn't like the last part before arriving at the lake, in the fields, with hunters nearby.

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Mhsc
Mhsc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful, well-marked and pleasant route

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User 8339380

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike that is not very physically demanding.
Magnificent woodland

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Alpha_malinois31
Alpha_malinois31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

No difficulty on this hike, you cross a small stream before starting the "real" hike, which is ideal for cooling off the dogs. Beautiful view once you reach the peak, but very windy! A nice break on the way back to the lake before heading home.

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Ddr 11
Ddr 11

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike that is fairly easy despite the initial climb to Pic de Nore.
We reached the summit to strong winds and drizzle. It was a magical moment, alone in the middle of almost nowhere.
However, the menhirs are not at point 8 but at point 9. When you reach this crossroads, do not follow the sign pointing to the right, but continue left for about 300 metres.
Apart from that, the views are magnificent.

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Salomé11
Salomé11

The most beautiful spot is indeed the Pic du Nore, but I really enjoyed being in nature, smelling the pine trees, meditating, praying far from the noise of the world, and so on.
I found a quiet little spot where I had lunch, which was a pure moment of pleasure.
I would definitely do it again.

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francri0230
francri0230

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The main attraction of the route is the view from the top of the peak and the starting village

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Salomé11
Salomé11

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route that is not too busy at the
Time I did it.

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JulieB24
JulieB24

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, with stunning views and a diversity of ecosystems that we really enjoyed.
The trail was not very busy when we did it in April.
We went for a swim in the lake when we arrived; it was superb!
Thank you!

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alain1968
alain1968

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It was overcast that day, and even cold at the summit.
We did it again the following week and had a beautiful view.

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