Country:
District:
Parking: Allée de l'École.
(S/E) Head north, pass in front of the town hall and turn left down Rue des Pyrénées until you reach the junction with Cami Del Castel on the right, which you must follow uphill.
Quickly leaving the tarmac, the route becomes a wide dirt track and reaches a flat area with a viewpoint (361 m), where you should turn around to admire the panoramic view of the village of Dun and, beyond, the Douctouyre valley, its hills and hamlets, dominated by the majestic Monts d'Olmes at the far end of the landscape with its steep slopes still covered in snow. Simply magnificent.
(1) Continue to the right on the track, which continues to climb slightly: the path passes at the foot of the Cathar castle of Dun (private property).
At the next junction, take the track on the left, which is still clearly visible, descending briefly to cross a dry stream before climbing more steeply opposite. A first cattle grid could lead into the undergrowth, but the track prefers to remain in the open. Reach the pass and the second cattle grid (elevation 432).
(2) Leave the track on the left that leads back to the hamlet of Saint-Pastou and take the grassy track on the right, which crosses a flat meadow. At the end of the meadow, first turn left then right to enter the forest and descend a gentle slope (markings present).
(3) Before elevation 424, be careful not to miss this change in track and therefore direction. It is about ten minutes after crossing the meadow and the first fork to the right. About a hundred metres after turning, this small track joins a larger one, which you should follow to the right as it climbs. Higher up, it opens onto a vast open meadow.
(4) Leave the track that descends to the right and head for the track climbing up into the woods opposite. If the grass is tall, walk along the edge of the meadow so as not to damage the future fodder.
When it bends and begins a short descent, it reaches a gate to a sheep park. Do not go through it, but stay on the grassy track, which begins to climb again and forms a right-hand bend where it turns into a clear path leading to the Pic de Galinié (538 metres).
(5) The summit looks like the bow of a ship... in the air: the panorama suddenly opens up and the 360° view is magnificent!
It is a bird's eye view of the hills fringed with green forests, villages nestled in the heart of their landscapes, the Pog de Montségur and its castle, and the Monts d'Olmes still dusted with snow. But also, from the top of the spire of Mirepoix Cathedral (slightly to the right of the photovoltaic park), the wind turbines of the Montagne Noire and the Aude, the Pech de Bugarach, the countless peaks of the Ariège Pyrenees, the Château de Rogles, the valley towards Arvigna and Dun!
But you have to come back down, and that's where you have to be very careful! The path that opens up from the summit is very steep at the start. Two small flat sections then allow you to catch your breath before quickly reaching the Dun - le Pape track (altitude 444).
(6) Take the path opposite (signposted) to the orientation table and back.
(7) Orientation table where, once again, the view is splendid. Turn back.
(6) Back at the track, descend it on the left to pass in front of the sheepfold with two tunnels and return to Allée de l'École (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
