The Masnau trail

(S/E) From the village hall car park (D82, towards Montfranc), head for the path opposite the road access. At the three-way junction, turn right to reach a crossroads. 

(1) Turn left. At the three-way junction by the wayside cross, go straight on. You’ll reach another three-way junction.

(2) Head left. At the bottom of the descent, keep left and pass the reservoir. After crossing the stream, leave the track and take a path on the left. At the road (caution: junction of routes), also turn left towards Font Leval.

(3) Carry on straight ahead, then turn left onto the road. At the Gaillardac three-way junction, keep left to reach the bridge over the Dadou.

(4) Carry on straight ahead. At the three-way junction below Muratel, turn right towards Montfranc (caution: junction of routes). At the sign saying ‘bend in 3,000 m’, take the steep path up to the left. rejoin the road on the left. Pass through Massuguiès until you reach the start of a left-hand bend.

(5) Take the hairpin bend to the left. At the junction, take the road opposite. Pass through Lartigue. On leaving the village, head down the path on the left. Further on, turn left onto the track. Continue straight down to the junction of two tracks.

(6) Head down the hairpin bend to the left. Pass through Le Soulié. At the road, turn right and follow the tarmac road to the three-way junction below Saint-Michel-de-Léon.

(7) Leave the road and take the path on the left towards ‘Saut de la Truite’ (waterfall). Climb the steep slope. At the tarmac road, turn left. At the three-way junction, take the grassy path on the left. Cross the stream. At the first three-way junction on the track, take the hairpin bend to the left. At the second junction, head up to the right. At the third three-way junction, in a bend, turn right. On the ridge, carry on straight ahead until you reach a sports ground.

(8) Walk along the right-hand side of the stadium. At the bend facing the edge of the woods, turn right along the edge of the woods and continue to the D82.

(9) Turn right, cross the ditch to take the grassy path in front of the transformer. At the track, continue straight ahead. At the junction, head down to the right onto the path running alongside the holly bushes. Continue straight ahead. Cross the road and follow it back up towards Masnau (S/E).

Start: Villagehall

Finish: same place as the start

Towns: Le Masnau-Massuguiès, Saint-Salvi-de-Carcavès, Lacaze

Road access and parking: Le Masnau-Massuguiès, 23 km north-west of Lacaune via the D 622, D 607 and D 89.

Parking: Villagehall (at the exit from Le Masnau, towards Montfranc)

A doctor practising in the mountains during the 19th century, Dr Rascol describes the agricultural practices of his early days, when the land was ploughed with a wooden-shod plough:‘This plough(...) turns over a thin layer of soil and cannot lift the turf, which is dealt with by burning. This labourious and costly work has the advantage of ridding the soil of weed seeds and providing ash that is favourable to plant growth. On land that has been ploughed several times or simply burnt, manure or ash is spread, followed by rye. The following year, it is the turn of oats, after which the fields are left fallow for seven to eight years. Soon, the potato takes precedence over oats in the crop rotation, which becomes a three-year cycle ’. Different times, different difficulties...

Accommodation (Le Soulié)