Circular Pic de Bau starting from Eus

From Perpignan, take the D66 dual carriageway to Ille-sur-Têt, then the dual carriageway to Marquixanes. In this village, turn right onto the D35 towards Eus, a village with a remarkable location on the southern slope of the massif where the hike will take place. Drive up to the entrance of the village where there are plenty of parking spaces available outside the summer season (parking is now paid but probably only during busy periods).

Yellow markings

(S/E) From the car park, head towards the entrance to the village (public toilets on the way) via Carrera de l'Ajuntament. After the stairs leading up to the town hall, take the first street on the left: Carrera de la Coma. Walk along a car park reserved for residents at the foot of a large rock and continue straight on towards Comes and Arboussols.

(1) Take the path on the right towards Arboussol. Shortly afterwards, leave the path on the left before crossing the Comes stream and the next one on the left after crossing the stream. The path continues eastwards straight ahead to the next crossroads.

(2) Continue straight ahead (elevation 465). Shortly afterwards, the path turns 90° to the left (north) to cross the Còrrec de Ricard. It then branches off to the north-east to reach the intersection with a track. Continue straight ahead, ignoring the track, and cross the Còrrec dels Baixos.

(3) Trail intersection (elevation 589). Ignore the trail that descends opposite and take a pretty trail along the hillside that ends at a gravel track.

(4) Turn left, pass a bend in the track and, about 200 m further on, turn left onto a short path that cuts across the next bend (elevation 583). Continue along the track to cross another bend 200 m further on, taking a short path that leads back to the same track, which is roughly tarmacked. You will begin to see the houses of the village of Arboussols, which is indicated on several signs during the hike.

No markings

(5) Take the tarmac road (Cami de la Coumbe) on the left, cross the bridge over the Rec de Jolloc and then turn left onto the Camí des Pardals, which runs alongside residential houses. After the hamlet of Las Feyches (elevation 579), continue on the main track (DFCI C06) which climbs in hairpin bends, ignoring the track on the left further up. After a few sharp bends, the track heads north, makes a hairpin bend to the left and continues south.

(6) At the next bend, the track heads north again, passing a spring after two more bends. Continue for another hundred metres or so and at the next bend, you will reach the intersection with another track.

(7) Follow the track on the left, which continues to climb gently. In a left-hand bend, note a path on the right marked with blue paint along a fence. It leads to a hunting post. It is a very steep climb, starting with a 40% gradient over 110 metres. It leads to a grassy track after crossing a field covered with rockroses.

(8) Take this track on the left, which leads to a group of antennas positioned on the Pic de Bau (elevation 1025). Pass the antennas and continue along the path that descends to the right-northwest, passes the Col de Roque Jalère (elevation 948) and then climbs back up to a tarmac road (elevation 991).

(9) Turn left and descend the road (D619) for about 2 kilometres until you reach a road maintenance worker's house on the left-hand side. There is no danger on this section of road, where only five cars passed while we were there.

(10) Leave the road and take the track on the left (heading south). Ignore the next two tracks on the left and pass to the right of an old ruined sheepfold. Continue along this stony track lined with rockroses, which winds downhill, leaving the paths and tracks on the left. Cross the Còrrec de la Font de l'Orri to reach the hamlet of Coma. (This ruined hamlet belongs to a shepherd who lives there all year round in precarious conditions). All the houses are in ruins, but the church, which is closed, has been restored.

Yellow markings

(11) Before reaching the hamlet (which you can visit), note the path that descends slightly to the left. At an altitude of 548 metres, it runs parallel to a track, but continue on the path that leads to this track a little further down. A few metres further on, leave the track and take a section of path that leads back to the track.

(12) At the next bend, leave the track and take a path heading south-southeast to reach the initial fork.

(1) Take the trail in the opposite direction to return to the car park and your car (D)A).

Between points (11) and (12), from elevation 548 and point (12), follow the GPS track carefully so as not to miss the right path.

This hike offers a beautiful view of the Roussillon plain and, above all, the summit and slopes of the Canigou massif.