The Pont des Chèvres as seen from Sumène

Park in the car park at the old Sumène railway station.

(S/E) With your back to the old station, walk down to the ‘Stop’ sign, take the D11 on the left and cross the bridge over the Rieutord.

(1) After the bridge, turn right, go round the church on the left and follow the road.

(2) At the junction, continue to the right along the dead-end road, then turn left onto a path that climbs, crosses a road and continues uphill to the hamlet of Le Pouget, through which you pass.

(3) After the hamlet, keep left onto a path that climbs parallel to the road on your left. Climb through the holm oak woodland, then pass the water tower and join the GR®60 (Red and White + Yellow) on the right.

(4) At the sign for “Le Serre”, take a dirt track on the left and follow the GR® due south until you reach a Fork in the road.

(5) Leave the GR® and take the path on the left towards the old Sumène railway line, which descends for some time to the D4. Keep following the yellow markings; the route is no longer shown on the IGN map. Take the path on the right before the old quarry and you’ll come out onto the D4.

(6) Turn right, cross the road carefully and follow it on the left-hand side; take great care, as this isn’t the most pleasant part of the route, despite the Rieutord stream below!

(7) Cross the pretty Pont des Chèvres and, once you’ve crossed it, head up to the left under the arch of the old railway line.

(8) The path climbs towards the Ranc de Banes, but don’t miss the junction that takes you onto the Voie Verte. Continue along the cycle path and go through three tunnels before reaching the car park at the old station (S/E).

Drinking fountain and public toilets at the old station.

The village of Sumène, the Voie Verte and its information boards.