The Cossade and Charbonnière moors

(S/E) Take the road south-east with care. At the first junction, turn left onto the gently sloping road leading towards Chez Brilhouet. Pass through the hamlet and go under a power line. At the T-junction, turn left and pass the hamlet of La Maison Seule.

(1) At the end of the road, turn left (north). When you reach the cemetery, make a U-turn to the right to view the cemetery gate. Continue north along the road.

(2) Turn right towards Chez Got. A first pond is visible on the left beyond the houses. The road becomes a track; continue straight on, slightly uphill, through a wooded area. At a Fork in the road, take the track on the right which leads out of the woods and crosses a vineyard.

(3) At the crossroads, turn right and follow the track between the vineyard on the right and a wood on the left. Turn right with the track and continue along the vineyard. At a sign marking a protected area, go through the electric fence (designed to protect the vineyard from wild animals) and join a track leading down to the left to the edge of a pond (a former quarry).

Head back up to just past the electric fence and take the path on the right that runs alongside the fence, returning almost to the corner of the vineyard plot. As you leave the woodland, turn right and, at the corner of the nearby woodland, take the path that enters the woodland on the right.

The path goes round the pond, then approaches a second pond on the left. Continue along the path, which winds and seems to head back towards the first pond before making a hairpin bend and reaching a third. The path runs to the east of this one. Pass a path on the left and reach a road below. Follow the road to the right for about thirty metres.

(4) Turn left onto a gently sloping path through the woods towards a small intermittent stream. Cross it (small wooden footbridge) and head back up towards the D131 road. Follow this road to the right for about thirty metres.

(5) Turn left onto an uphill path through the woods. Further on, you’ll look out over another pond. Follow the path to a T-junction.

(6) Turn right and follow a path not shown on the IGN map. At the end, take a well-marked path on the left. Shortly afterwards, there is a viewing point with information boards explaining the transformation of the former quarries into a protected area. Continue along the path to the D2 road at a place called Braguilan. Throughout this area, a good landmark is a telecoms mast on the left.

(7) Follow the D2 to the left for about 400 metres (take care). Turn right onto a path heading south-south-west. At the end, take a path to the right (west). Enter the White Cross Woods. Further on, in a clearing, walk alongside a vineyard on your right before entering the woods again. A little further on, there is a pond in the woods below on the left.

At the next junction, veer right. Shortly afterwards, walk briefly alongside a pond on your right, then another as you reach the hamlet of Chez Auban.

(8) At the crossroads, take the first turn left then right to continue north. Take the first path on the left at the last houses. The path passes under a high-voltage power line just after the woods. You’ll come out onto a road; follow it to the right. Once on the D2, follow this road with care. After about ten metres, take a path on the right and walk alongside a small pond on your right.

(9) At the first junction, turn left. Walk alongside the vineyards on your right. On the left, in the clearing, there is a small pond surrounded by trees. Continue straight on until the path becomes a small road near the tennis courts. At the crossroads, turn left towards the town hall and the school. Return to the car park on the left (S/E).

The car park is located opposite the town hall. Alternatively, you can park behind the town hall (dead-end).

This hike over varied terrain requires suitable footwear.

This hike is only partially signposted (signs are missing or damaged on certain sections). Consequently, it is advisable to follow the directions in the description and on the map, whilst paying close attention to the landscape. The waypoints (with their GPS coordinates and distance from the starting point) serve as aids for hikers exploring the route for the first time.

Hike completed by the author on 10 December 2019.

Touverac
The history of the Touvérac site
In the last century, the site was mined for its clay of high mineralogical purity. It was here that quarries were dug to extract kaolin, a white, crumbly clay used mainly in the porcelain and ceramics industries. This material is also used in paint as a pigment, as well as in medicine, cosmetics and even in paper manufacturing.
After they were abandoned, the four deep cavities, ranging from 30 to 50 metres in depth, filled with rainwater, giving rise to ponds. Each pond has its own colour, ranging from water green to turquoise blue, via emerald green… Enough to offer a beautiful spectrum for a painter’s palette. These striking colours are due to the presence of silica and the fact that the soil is nutrient-poor. Life has therefore not developed there and the waters have remained clear.
Since 1996, the Touvérac site has been protected and managed by the Regional Conservatory of Natural Areas (CREN). It is home to a wide variety of remarkable flora and fauna. I don’t know if the site is also home to Pokémon, but for geocaching enthusiasts, it contains a ‘geocache’.
These well-signposted nature trails are suitable for children. A pair of trainers is all you need, and it’s recommended to bring binoculars to observe the wildlife. On the agenda: migratory birds (nightjars), warblers, ducks, pond turtles, frogs, colourful butterflies and dragonflies…
As you walk along the trails, you pass through woodland (with log steps and a small bridge), a fragrant pine forest bordered by gorse and heather, avenues of reeds and white ravines.
.../...
Finally, and this is certainly the most frustrating aspect of this walk, you’re not allowed to swim in the ponds. And when you’re doing this hike in temperatures of over 30 degrees, as I did, you just want to take a dip to cool off in those crystal-clear waters. Police checks are frequent, and the fine is steep, though this doesn’t stop a few rebellious tourists from flouting the ban.
In conclusion, the Touvérac quarries are well worth a visit for their unique character and the beauty of the surroundings. It might be best to go in spring or autumn, when the colours of the vegetation are even more beautiful and you’re not tempted to go for a swim.

Places and monuments
Saint-Martin Church
The parish church of Saint-Martin dates from the 11th century. It was re-vaulted in the 15th century and restored in the 19th century. The current bell tower dates from this period. Some maintenance work was carried out in 1969.

Saint-Bernard Castle
Saint-Bernard Castle, to the south of the village. This impressive castle dates from the 19th century. It is situated on a 50-hectare estate. Private property.
Source: the town’s official website