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Park in Lodève in front of the funeral parlour (Route de Puech – D148).
(S/E) Take the road towards Le Puech (D148). You will pass the Les Vals campsite.
(1) At the three-way junction, turn right onto the road that climbs slightly (Chemin des Claux). Follow the road, which crosses a few fords.
(2) You can turn right up the D157-E5 to the village of Puech to see its 12th-century parish church. Then turn back to rejoin the Route de Lodève (D148), which you follow to the right.
(3) At the junction, take the D148 to the right and continue straight on.
(4) At the junction, the D148-E4 joins from the left. Turn right (a sort of hairpin bend) onto the road which is the continuation of the D148 (towards Lac de Salagou).
(5) The road overlooks Lac de Salagou and you can see the ruins of the village of Celles. Continue for over two kilometres.
(6) At the junction, turn left onto a road that descends towards the shores of Octon (sign for the water sports centre). Follow the lake. You will cross a few fords. Note that this road may be closed when there is a risk of flooding as it is prone to flooding (D148-E13).
(7) Turn left onto the D148 (slight climb), which you rejoin.
(8) Turn right onto the D156 and head up to the village of Liausson.
(9) Cross the village and head back down the other side.
(10) At the junction with the D156-E4 heading towards Clermont-l'Hérault, cross over and head straight on towards Les Bories.
Take the road on the right (D140-E7b) just before the hamlet of "Les Bories". Take the small tarmac roads, which are very suitable for road bikes (even though you’ll mainly come across mountain bikes).
(11) There is only one place where you need to get off your bike: just before a small bridge, there is a steep 10-metre descent which you must walk down; then continue along the same road.
(12) At the crossroads, take the road that climbs to the left towards Lacoste. Before the village, turn right onto the D140-E6 (or Route du Mas Audran).
(13) You can take a detour to the left into the village square and enjoy the view. Head back and take the D140 downhill to the left. You’ll then pass along the western slope of the mountain, where you can admire the view. Continue along the D140, roughly following the hillside, eventually climbing back up and passing over the motorway to reach Salelles and then Loiras.
(14) In the village of Loiras, turn left (D144-E2) towards Lodève.
(15) You pass below Le Bosc and simply follow the road down into the Lergue valley (towards Lodève).
(16) At a roundabout, turn left, cross over the motorway and turn right back towards Lodève onto the D609, which runs alongside the motorway (mostly flat). After a few kilometres, turn left at the roundabout, then right to enter Lodève.
(17) Once on Avenue du Général de Gaulle, take the bridge on the left towards Le Puech. After the bridge, turn left again onto Avenue Paul Teisserenc.
You are now on the D148, which takes you back to the starting point (S/E).
