Country:
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Park in the small car park at the entrance to the Hauts de Tournissan housing estate.
(S/E) With your back to the housing estate, turn right into Rue du Château, then turn right at the first crossroads, following the wooden sign marked "Sentier Pédestre" (footpath). After the last house, leave the tarmac road and follow a wide, partially grassy path that starts on the right.
Cross a short tarmac section and walk alongside a vineyard. Pay attention at this point to spot the path, which has become a trail, in the tall grass. You will soon reach a crossroads (large cairn).
YellowPR® markings + yellow dot
(1) Leave the path marked "La Stèle" on your left and turn right. Ignore a path on the left (not shown on the IGN map) and continue on the right. At the fork that follows shortly afterwards (also not shown on the map), turn left and you will reach the foot of the first geological feature on the route, the Roche Trouée (wooden signpost).
After about ten log steps, the path slopes sharply to the left and flattens out before leading to the first red earth where an information sign about the birds of prey of the Corbières is worth a short stop. Ignore a path on the right and continue straight ahead.
No markings
(2) At the next junction (not shown on the IGN map), ignore the signposting that invites you to turn left to go to Serrat de la Bade (see Practical Information) and continue straight ahead to begin a short, fairly steep climb that leads to a wide stony track. Turn right to follow this track, which offers beautiful views of the Tournissan plain and the vineyards. You will reach a junction with another track.
(3) Turn left and you will soon reach a clearing with a small solitary pine tree in the centre (red and white metal barrier with a "No Dumping" sign on the right). Ignore the wide path on the left that leads to an isolated vineyard, then turn left at the fork that follows shortly afterwards to enter a pretty wooded valley at the foot of Serrat de Malclavel.
Ignore a flat path on the right and continue climbing steadily and regularly to the Bugades plateau and a crossroads.
(4) Go straight ahead and walk down a slight slope while enjoying the breathtaking view of Montagne d'Alaric rising up on the right. Walk past several vineyards on your right, pass an unattractive concrete hut and begin a short climb to reach a crossroads facing another vineyard.
(5) Turn right. Under the high-voltage power line (large block of stone on the left), turn right at a right angle and continue on the wide track that follows it at first, then veers off to the left just before reaching a T-junction.
(6) Turn left and stay on this main track. Pass the buildings of Clot de Pech, where the pile of rusty wrecks of various vehicles is not the most attractive sight, and reach the Pas de l'Abeille crossroads.
(7) Turn left to begin the descent into a beautiful valley planted with pine trees. At the bottom of the descent, turn left to follow the red dirt track that climbs steadily to a large crossroads (signposted "Route Forestière de Col Rouch").
(8) Ignore the track on the right and the one on the left. Look for the discreet sign for "Trial Club Les Roues Vertes" at the foot of a small isolated pine tree. At the foot of this pine tree and sign, take a path that is not very distinct at first, which runs along a red rock outcrop on the left. Stay alert from this point onwards as there are numerous paths with several more or less marked starting points on the right that you should ignore.
When the outcrop becomes less prominent, veer left to quickly find a much clearer trail that heads southeast and leads to a crossroads (red and white ribbon on a small tree on the right).
(9) Continue straight ahead, ignoring a path on the right, until you reach the end of a small canyon carved into the red rocks. Turn right (southeast) to go around it. At this point, you will see a small metal post with the number 10 painted in blue. A few metres further on, ignore a path that goes up to the left. Continue to the right to join a well-marked path coming from the left (Sentier Francis Lastenouse).
YellowPR® markings
(10) Continue straight ahead, ignoring a path on the right, and after a short, fairly steep climb, you will reach a beautiful viewpoint over Tournissan and the vineyards, just above the Terre Rouge dairy farm.
(11) Climb a few steps, pass the wooden sign "Terres Rouges" and continue following the yellow markings. From this point onwards, the path is dotted with numerous informative signs about the fauna, local life in the past and the geology of the Terres Rouges, adding considerable interest to the end of the hike.
Pass an old ruined sheepfold where a picnic table has been set up. After crossing an old quarry (sign), you will come to a crossroads at an uprooted pine tree (sign for "Sentier Pédestre" in the opposite direction) and continue straight downhill. Reach a wide track, continue straight ahead to a tiny wooden bridge on the left, from where you can see the end of the tarmac road that marks the start of the themed trail.
(12) Cross the bridge, following the sign for "La Roche Trouée - Girouette". Continue for about 20 metres and turn right. Cross a stream, which is usually dry, and begin a short climb, then continue on flat ground, enjoying a beautiful view of the vineyards on your right.
(1) Turn right and retrace your steps to return to the starting point (S/E).
Association / Club / Walk leader
Easy 
Visorando member
