The butterfly trail

Along the trail, you will follow rural paths and discover remarkable landscapes, cultivated plains and shady valleys. You will have an unobstructed view of the Girou plain and the hillsides.
You will be accompanied by numerous butterflies, and the diverse wildlife and flora along the trail will brighten up your hike, including a private park populated by deer.

Details

442325
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.55 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 156 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 162 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 201 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 131 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the car park at Villeneuve-lès-Bouloc Town Hall
(S/E) Turn right onto Route de Caminas. After passing Maynerie, you will reach a first crossroads.

(1) Turn right onto the grassy path to Saint-Cristal. Continue to the hamlet of Petit Saint-Jean.

(2) Continue straight ahead until you reach Chemin du Pédaoucou.

(3) Cross the D14 Toulouse road and continue straight ahead on Chemin de Peyrets through the woods and fields. You will reach Ritourel.

(4) Turn left onto the dirt road. Join Chemin du Gavillagou and turn left. Go around La Cartounade to reach the intersection with Route de Toulouse.

(5) Turn left onto Route de la Rouquette. At the end, turn right and follow the D14 for 80 m until you reach Chemin d'Embruguières. Take this road and continue until you reach La Pancoussière. Turn left to return to Petit Saint-Jean.

(2) Turn right onto Chemin de Saint-Cristal to reach the first crossroads.

(1) Turn right onto the Route de Caminas until you reach the Chemin de Grisou crossroads.

(6) Follow it for a few metres, then turn left onto Chemin des Cabiès. Leave it and turn left onto the grassy Chemin d'Arnautet until you reach the dirt track Péchuscla on the right. Pass the clearing with the deer. You will reach the crossroads at Ruisseau d'Engages.

(7) Go up the Chemin de la Groule on the right until you reach Martis.

(8) Take the path down into the woods, cross the bridge and continue straight ahead to join the Chemin de Geordy. Pass the old brick dryer and keep left to reach the village of Bouloc. After 200 m, turn right onto the Passage des Écoles.

(9) Cross the road to go around the town hall, then turn right onto Rue du Vigé. At the intersection, turn left and follow Rue du Fontanas for about ten metres. Then turn right onto Rue de la Rispe and continue on Rue de la République.

(10) Cross Rue Jean Jaurès and follow Rue du Roulier, which turns right (former rampart walk). At the end, turn left onto Rue de la Pégou.

(11) Continue straight ahead and follow the dirt track called Chemin de la Garenne. You will reach the crossroads with Ruisseau d'Engages.

(7) Turn right, cross a small bridge and continue along the stream.

(12) Turn left and follow the Route d'Ensarla for about 600 m. Turn right onto Rue de Lartigate and at the roundabout, go straight ahead to cross the Bois du Huit Mai 1945.

(13) Turn left onto Chemin du 8 mai 1945. Stay on this road and join Route des Caminas. Turn right to reach the town hall and car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 169 m - Town hall car park
  2. 1 : km 0.65 - alt. 180 m - Maynerie crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.04 - alt. 185 m - Petit Saint-Jean.
  4. 3 : km 1.44 - alt. 177 m - Crossing the D14
  5. 4 : km 2.35 - alt. 176 m - Ritourel
  6. 5 : km 3.62 - alt. 201 m - Junction with D14, Route de Toulouse
  7. 6 : km 5.73 - alt. 193 m - On the left, Chemin de Grisou
  8. 7 : km 7.19 - alt. 144 m - Engages stream
  9. 8 : km 7.85 - alt. 177 m - Martis
  10. 9 : km 9.27 - alt. 199 m - Bouloc
  11. 10 : km 9.66 - alt. 197 m - Crossing Rue Jean Jaurès
  12. 11 : km 10.54 - alt. 185 m - Dirt road
  13. 12 : km 11.9 - alt. 131 m - Small bridge
  14. 13 : km 12.89 - alt. 152 m - Chemin du 8 Mai 1945
  15. S/E : km 13.54 - alt. 169 m - Town hall car park

Notes

Picnic tables in the woods of 8 May 1945 (13)
14 km hike with 6 km and 10 km alternatives. Yellow markings.
D14: Dangerous crossing

Worth a visit

Panoramic view of the village of Gargas and the Girou valley.
Private park with deer and does.
Many species of butterflies (depending on the season).
Old brick drying kiln (remarkable heritage site).
16th-century church in Bouloc.
Old village fountains.
Toulouse-style houses.
Old manor houses.

Nearby:
Washing places (Bouloc and Vacquiers).
Vineyards: châteaux and estates of the Fronton AOP.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 31 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
Olivier Bel Air
Olivier Bel Air

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, on tarmac roads, admittedly, but on small, quiet roads, which is sometimes very welcome in this rather wet season! Beautiful paths too, varied terrain and charming villages nestled between the hills. Thank you for introducing us to this area, which is quite close to the city and also home to an abbey that is well worth a visit!

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Xhristophe
Xhristophe

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Many housing estates with lovely views

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emico63
emico63

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route, varied between sunflowers and woods.
We spotted some deer watching us from afar, and there are indeed butterflies along the paths. The 'urban' section through Bouloc and Villeneuve is not particularly interesting.

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Baikonour
Baikonour

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great route... very well marked
varied landscapes
various points of interest: vegetation, deer clearing, brick drying kiln, villages
Thanks to the "markers"
To be done and redone in different seasons

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Charles Enderby
Charles Enderby

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A bit of paved road, but several very wild sections near Bouloc. You walk alongside a private park with deer and fallow deer. A pleasant hike.

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Alain MONTAGNIER
Alain MONTAGNIER

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, but it's a shame that it takes place too much in an urban environment for my taste

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VincentLafon
VincentLafon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

First things first, we saw butterflies, frequently. It's a pleasant hike, although the paths are a little too often paved, even if there isn't much traffic. The villages of Bouloc and Villeneuve les Bouloc are worth a visit. Be careful when crossing the two departmental roads.

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christine3111
christine3111

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

pleasant hike, frequented by a few joggers and mountain bikers.
picnic areas in Villeneuve les Bouloc and Bouloc.
Well signposted route.

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RandoNaturo
RandoNaturo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, peaceful route on a beautiful day.
A few butterflies and the deer park rounded off this lovely outing.

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jeanlouisN
jeanlouisN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

For me, it was a nice hike, even the part in Bouloc, which I discovered for the first time.
The weather was overcast and cool, so we knew we wouldn't see any butterflies.
But that didn't take anything away from this enjoyable hike.

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caoussis
caoussis

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

In summer, hikers may regret the paved sections, but they are welcome in winter, especially after heavy rain! We would like to congratulate the designer of this route, which is not only harmonious but also adaptable to the fitness level of hikers and... the weather. The signposting is perfect – which is rare – except perhaps on arrival in the village of Bouloc, a section that would be better avoided. We will definitely be back, hoping to discover the butterflies!

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CCFrando
CCFrando

Hello,

Thank you for your comment.
Regarding your comment, please note that there is also a walk in Bouloc that is more urban and passes behind the town hall. We didn't want to overload the landscape with signs that might confuse first-time visitors. That explains the detour, which is certainly less interesting but shorter!

We hope to see you soon on our tours.

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BRIGER
BRIGER

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful route, but there's no point in going through Bouloc behind the town hall to continue the walk

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annemarie31
annemarie31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

a little too urban despite some very pretty stretches along grassy and wooded paths.

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annemarie31
annemarie31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

a little too urban despite some very pretty stretches along grassy and wooded paths.

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