Park just after the Col de la Bassine (D622) in a car park located on a bend in the old road.
(S) Return to the road and turn left for about 150 metres. At the houses, take a sharp left turn onto an uphill forest road.
Signposting: Les Pansières signs
Follow this forest road and leave the wide path opposite at the first hairpin bend you come to. You will soon reach the next junction.
No signposts
(1) Ignore the Les Pansières signposting, which invites you to continue straight ahead, and turn right. Stay on this wide track until you reach a crossroads where you can clearly see a deforested area on the right.
(2) Turn right, walk along this deforested area, which further on has a wind farm, and quickly reach a junction.
YellowPR® markings
Turn left and continue to a three-way junction where there is a clear view to the west and south.
(3) Take the path on the left that runs along the edge of the forest and, at the small road, turn left. Cross the hamlet of Cros (two houses!) where the road gives way to a wide forest track that crosses several wooded areas. At the Sigarède farm, continue on the tarmac road until you reach the next T-junction.
No signposts
(4) Leave thePR® which branches off to the right and turn left. The climb is steep until the next fork. Turn left and, after about 50 metres, turn right. The very pleasant path climbs through the forest and joins a wide, well-maintained track.
(5) Turn left. You will soon see the Pansières peat bog on your right. Continue to the information board about the site.
(6) At this point, there are two options: either continue the hike towards nearby Mont Roucous or follow the bog discovery trail and walk around it.
The latter option is the most relevant here, but you will need to pick up the short explanatory guide from the Lacaune Tourist Office beforehand to really enjoy it. In this case, take the barely visible path just to the right of the sign and follow the markings consisting of a brown cow painted on a white background. These markings are quite sparse and the visit sometimes turns into a treasure hunt, but another set of markings (fluorescent green circle + white circle) takes over and makes things easier.
The hike described here takes into account the visit to the site (time and distance).
In either case, continue the hike by keeping left on the wide track and heading towards an intersection.
(7) Turn left (signposted Les Pansières) then, at the next intersection, make a right-left turn and head into the forest on a wide grassy path that is very little used, judging by the sometimes overgrown vegetation.
Old and rare yellowPR® markings
(8) When you reach a faint fork in the path, turn left and continue climbing through the forest amid increasingly dense vegetation, which makes progress a little difficult. Do not rely on the almost non-existent markings, but follow the clearly visible trail on the ground.
Continue to a small pile of rocks that marks the approach to the summit of Mont Roucous.
At the marker on the ground a few dozen metres further on, turn right to enjoy the view of the Lacaune basin and the panorama that unfolds before you. Turn around.
No markings
(8) Turn left, keep right at the fork about 50 metres further on and follow the wide path that makes a sharp right turn before leading to a track.
(9) Turn left onto the track, continue on, noting the pile of rocks on your left, and arrive at an intersection. Turn right at the hairpin bend and continue on the wide path after passing through the metal gate that blocks the entrance.
(10) Be careful at this junction, which is not very visible on the ground!
Leave this path by turning left onto another narrower path. This path crosses the beds of small streams several times, with a few wet and slippery sections, but these are not dangerous. Continue to the D622 at the Roc de l'Esclop rest area (sign). Turn right onto the road (take care) and continue to another car park on the left about a hundred metres further on.
Signposting Signs In the footsteps of the Wild Child
(11) After taking the time to read the information sign, descend to the left onto a well-marked path that begins with steps. Follow this path, which is sometimes difficult and slippery, leading to the Children's Area on the left as you approach the stream. You will come to a picnic area with a few games: giant xylophone, gong, etc. Do not cross the footbridge on the left, but continue following the explanatory signs that lead to the "Treasure Hunt" section and join a fairly rough path (sign saying "continue on the path" with an arrow pointing to the right).
(12) Do not follow this sign, but turn left, cross the bridge over the stream and continue along a wide track that winds through the undergrowth.
(13) Be careful at this junction, which is not very visible on the ground!
About 50 metres before a sharp right-hand bend, leave the track and take a path on the left that is not very obvious for the first few metres. Go through an old, rusty metal gate and join a new track (signposted Chemin de Malefayère).
YellowPR® markings
(14) Turn left uphill and continue to the D622, which you will reach at the Col de la Bassine. Then simply turn left onto the hard shoulder of the busy road (take care) to quickly reach the starting point after crossing with all the usual precautions.

