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The village of Canac (Tarn) stretches out in a long, narrow strip on both sides of the D162.
Park in the small square in the centre of the village.
Yellow signposts: “Plo de Canac”
(S/E) From the centre of the village, head northwards until you reach the Ruisseau d’Espeyres and cross it.
Leave the village and pass the entry and exit signs. A few dozen metres after the exit sign, you’ll find a small path leading uphill to the left.
(1) Follow the path. This rocky, steeply sloping track passes through a chestnut grove, then a boxwood grove. Climb up to near the ruins of Canac Castle.
(2) Take a short detour to visit the ruins, which offer a fine view of Canac. Retrace your steps and resume the steep climb. The gradient eases after the 871 mark and leads onto a level track.
(3) Turn right onto this track, follow the hairpin bend, then walk through a fir forest until you reach a Y-junction leading to the Plo de Canac.
(4) Head off to the right for a round trip to the rocky overhang overlooking the valley.
(5) The Plo de Canac (945 m) is marked by a large cairn at the summit. Hikers are treated to a lovely view over the Dourdou valley. Retrace your steps.
(4) Continue to the right along a wide track, ignoring the small side paths. Cross the Ruisseau du Fangas and reach the road at the 878-metre mark. The Merdelou wind turbines stand out on the right.
(6) Turn left, then head towards and pass by Lardénas. Walk 200 metres past the last house. Take the path on the left.
At the Y-junction, head right. A few dozen metres further on, turn right into the edge of the woods. Halfway up the slope, go through a fence. Find a path on the right, at the bottom of the slope.
(7) Turn right, then left onto a grassy flat area. Head due north along the path leading to Catonières. At the tarmac road, keep right. After the bend and the last house, take the path and cross the stream. Climb up to reach the D169.
(8) Turn left to enter the hamlet of Massié. Take the first road on the left. The road becomes a concrete track. The descent is just as challenging as the ascent. Follow the yellow markings to reach Pante.
(9) Cross the hamlet, then the stream. Head downwards, keeping a south-easterly direction. At a three-way junction, keep left. After a bend to the left, you’ll come to a Y-junction.
(10) Turn sharply left, join a path below and follow it to the right. Continue the descent along the wide track that runs alongside the Ruisseau d’Espeyres, high above it. At the final three-way junction, take the left-hand path. The path winds its way down, always on a more or less steep descent, and reaches a T-junction near the Ruisseau de Poux.
(11) Turn left and cross the stream. The path curves to the left, passes beneath some ruins and descends to the D162, near a wrought-iron wayside cross.
Carry on straight ahead along the road to return to the small clearing (S/E).
Visorando Member
Easy 
Moderate 
