Pic des Rives

de fr

A beautiful circular starting from Lake Belcaire, towards Pic des Rives (1,436 m), which offers a magnificent panorama of the Pyrenees peaks and Bugarach in the Aude. A shorter alternative route is possible by descending after the bench (3); it offers a view of the lake and Belcaire: the route can then be taken in the opposite direction.

Details

n°3103747
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.82 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 414 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 414 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,451 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,035 m
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Photos

Pic de St Barthelémy
Snow-capped peaks of the Ariège
Carline
Orientation table.

Description of the walk

Park at Lake Belcaire, in the car park after the Chalets du Lac campsite.

(S/E) Head south towards the houses to find the path that climbs to the ridge. The ascent takes you through oak and beech trees on a small path that is sometimes very steep. Once out of the forest, take the steep track on the right and head for the orientation table.

(1) Enjoy the view before heading east for about a hundred metres across the meadow to reach a small path; follow the yellow painted signs. Turn right, then right again after about a hundred metres.

(2) At the crossroads, turn left to enter a beech forest. You will come to a fork in the path (bench).

(3) There are two possible routes for the return journey:
- either via Coume de Ferrières (quicker and shaded).
- or via the botanical trail further north and the chalets of the Coste housing estate. The second option is shown on the map.

Keep to the left and join the street of the La Coste housing estate. Continue straight ahead.

(4) About 50 metres before a fork in the road, take the path on the right between two chalets. After the green post box, the path is lined with wooden barriers and leads to the lake's embankment.

Cross the dyke and you will arrive at the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,037 m - Car park after the Chalets du Lac campsite.
  2. 1 : km 2.54 - alt. 1,451 m - Orientation table
  3. 2 : km 2.88 - alt. 1,399 m - Crossroads, on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.51 - alt. 1,308 m - Crossroads in the forest, bench
  5. 4 : km 5.44 - alt. 1,055 m - Lotissement de la Coste, on the right
  6. S/E : km 5.82 - alt. 1,037 m - Car park after the Chalets du Lac campsite.

Worth a visit

Orientation table.
Botanical trail.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 10 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 9713527

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike. Ideal for beginners despite a few steep slopes. The 360-degree view is fantastic.

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Pedrocarel
Pedrocarel

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Indicate one or two intermediate durations if the sections between two numbers are significant.

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audouy
audouy

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with lovely views. Option to do an additional circular starting from the orientation table.
The route is easy but a little slippery in wet weather.

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Gazoulette
Gazoulette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, varied, panoramic and easy route, as the terrain is very pleasant, although a little slippery in places. The climb is steady and gradual, becoming a little steeper as you approach the peak. However, the weather and the time encouraged us to extend our hike a little: we didn't climb directly to the peak but followed the trail to elevation 1368 ("les cols"), then skirted the peak via a track which we left to take a path leading directly to the peak. This allowed us to enjoy the extraordinary view of the snow-capped Pic de St Barthelemy and the chain of other peaks. Magnificent! The little extra effort is well worth it! (7.9km and 460m of elevation gain) The view of the Sault plateau from the orientation table is interesting. Few people on the route except on the return trip in the opposite direction. No orientation problems.

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Laly Berté
Laly Berté

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is easy to follow. There is also a sign at the lake, but it points in the opposite direction.
It took me a good hour to reach the orientation table, and I'm not very used to climbing. Pay close attention to the directions for the last stage to reach the lake, as it's not an obvious route to take. I didn't pay attention and continued walking along the path. But the description is very good.
The view from the top is magnificent, and it's well worth stopping to eat and admire it.

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Lulu36ro
Lulu36ro

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route was very pretty and shaded, perfect for summer. A truly magnificent view at the top!
This is a hike worth doing.
The only slight downside is that the continuation of the route is not indicated at the orientation table. You have to follow the path a little further down on the left and turn towards Belcaire 50 metres further on to complete the circular route. The return is very steep and slippery in places.

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Toukamalou
Toukamalou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We completed the hike in the direction indicated by the author and followed the trail without difficulty. To find the start of the trail, you need to walk along the small road that leads to the lake.
We reached the peak in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The route is very pleasant, mostly shaded. The return via the botanical discovery trail is interesting, with a beautiful view of the Sault plateau to the east.
Total walking time without stops: 2 hours 35 minutes.
We passed several groups climbing up as we descended in the afternoon, in the intense heat...

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jess rando
jess rando
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike! We did it backwards because we went via the little stone bridge, then the chalets and finally the botanical trail. We came back via the Coumes de Ferrieres trail.

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tsamat
tsamat

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

On the way back, we couldn't find the planned access point and ended up returning via the steep valley. That said, it didn't matter as the area is peaceful and beautiful, even for families.

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jean didier
jean didier
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with a beautiful view from the orientation table, and much of the route is shaded.

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