Saint-Michel de Mourcairol Pic de La Coquillade

Magnificent views that must be earned.
Route through the Saint-Michel National Forest: forest of oak and mixed species, along small paths that are quite steep in places.

Details

90148
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.44 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 569 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 564 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 701 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 174 m

Photos

Description of the walk

From the old car park, Route de la Plaine

(S/E) Turn right onto the D160, then turn right onto Rue de la Rullade, which is paved and then becomes a staircase, until you reach the street that crosses the village. Take this street on the right, go around the church on the right (Rue de l'Horloge), and you will reach Place Mourcairol. Turn left onto Rue des Arbres, which descends into a staircase. You will now be accompanied by yellow markings, which you will follow almost the entire time.

(1) Leave the village and cross a bridge over a small stream. On the other side, go up and walk alongside a vineyard. At the end, turn left and join a wide path. Take it to the left. It quickly becomes a beautiful, wide trail.

(2) Leave the hamlet of Les Abbes behind and make a sharp left turn. A few metres further on, at a crossroads, head straight ahead towards Saint-Michel, La Coquillade (there is a signpost) via Chemin de la Carrière Neuve. Leave the yellow markings on your right.
A little further on, on the left, towards Les Bartes, begin a fairly steep and somewhat overgrown climb.

(3) At the top, join the access road to the chapel, which you take on the left. Here you will rejoin the yellow markings you left earlier. Follow this road, which becomes a track, to its end, where there is a car park.

(4) Continue along the path that follows. Pass under a porch, continue for about a hundred metres and, when you reach the foot of a ruined wall, you will come to a crossroads. Turn right and make a return trip to the chapel of Saint-Michel de Mourcairol.
Go back down to the crossroads and take the path marked in yellow. The climb is gradual, through beautiful vegetation with rich undergrowth. The path alternates between very well-marked sections and more difficult sections.

(5) There is a particularly steep section just before the Col del Ramas, as well as a short rocky area where you will need to use your hands to help you climb. Follow the path to the left.

(6) At the top, reach the east-west ridge and turn left towards the east. Immediately afterwards, a path arrives from the right, marked in sky blue, which you ignore. Then follow a path through holm oaks and box trees, with a few open areas offering views, particularly to the north. Finally, join a track.

(7) You can make a round trip to the summit of La Coquillade, where the view is very beautiful.
Then take the track downhill until you reach a wide pass.

(8) Leave another track on the right, take the one that descends to the left, continue for about 50 metres and leave the track when it passes on the southern slope. Take a path on the left that leads to the ridge. From here, leave the blue and red markings and follow only the yellow ones. The route is marked with dotted lines on the map.
Start with a short but steep climb, then the path undulates along the ridge, offering some nice views, before beginning the descent. The difficulty of the descent varies depending on the slope and the condition of the path. Keep a close eye on the yellow markings.

After that, the path widens again. Pass several junctions in succession, following the excellent yellow markings. Finally, you will find yourself on a narrower path that descends first in stages and then more steeply. Here too, the condition of the path varies between very good and very eroded, but it is mostly very good.

(9) At the bottom of this long descent, you will come to a track. Take it to the left and walk for a few minutes.

(10) At a right-hand bend, don't miss the start of a path on the left that plunges down the slope. The descent is very pleasant, although quite steep, through a forest that is once again very varied.

(11) At the bottom, there are many crossroads and you must follow the yellow markings, which are always clear.

Finally, you will come out into a cherry orchard and rejoin a track that crosses a small stream and then runs alongside a vineyard. When you reach the village, turn left onto Chemin de la Coste, then turn right onto Chemin Neuf. At the D160, turn left to reach the car park (S/E).

You have arrived (E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 174 m - Old car park
  2. 1 : km 0.3 - alt. 183 m - Leave the village (bridge).
  3. 2 : km 1.49 - alt. 283 m - Pass by the Hameau des Abbes.
  4. 3 : km 1.93 - alt. 298 m - Road junction
  5. 4 : km 3.31 - alt. 423 m - Chapelle Saint-Michel (Les Aires)
  6. 5 : km 4.41 - alt. 539 m - Col del Ramas (540 m)
  7. 6 : km 5.23 - alt. 678 m - Near - Col de la Balque (623 m)
  8. 7 : km 5.9 - alt. 674 m - Pic de la Coquillade (696 m)
  9. 8 : km 7.84 - alt. 546 m - Col - Place known as Le Payrol
  10. 9 : km 9.13 - alt. 409 m - Trail junction
  11. 10 : km 9.64 - alt. 371 m - Departure from a path at a bend in the road.
  12. 11 : km 10.46 - alt. 204 m - Stream - Récas (cours d'eau) - Affluent de l'Orb
  13. S/E : km 11.44 - alt. 175 m - Parking at the starting point.

Notes

Equipment: hiking boots. Walking sticks.
Depending on the season, water or warm clothing.

Worth a visit

Visit the ruins of Saint-Michel, currently undergoing restoration.

From the 9th to the 14th century, the site of Saint-Michel de Mourcairol was the seat of a small fortified town covering an area of 4 hectares, which had more than a hundred inhabitants and was home to commercial, craft and pastoral activities. The village was abandoned in the 15th century and the castle, ruined at the end of the Wars of Religion, suffered the same fate in the 17th century.
Remains from the Visigothic period still exist. The chapel, like its neighbour Notre-Dame de Capimont, depended on the priory of Saint-Pierre de Rhèdes (in Lamalou), which was itself under the authority of Valmagne Abbey. A hermit settled there in the 19th century. Today, the site is undergoing archaeological excavations and cleaning thanks to projects involving young volunteers.

Return trip to Pic de La Coquillade, beautiful view from the summit, unpleasant environment surrounded by antennas.

Nearby on the road, stop off at the Chistes wine cellar and in Faugères.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 27 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Philippe3478
Philippe3478

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike
Good hiking boots recommended
Chapel open during our superb hike 👍

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athmos.oner
athmos.oner

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I didn't see anyone except at the very beginning (villagers walking their dogs).
So it was completely peaceful, at least 85% shaded and almost exclusively beautiful trails. In short, it was a real treat.
Be careful when climbing up to the peak, as the steep dirt track is very slippery (sandy soil and loose gravel), so take the road instead, which also offers a great view.
Good walking shoes are recommended.
The chapel was open for mass, which was a nice little bonus!

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nicolas.pons
nicolas.pons

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike for walkers who love cardio! Open hood all the way to the pass😉!

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Jonat
Jonat

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Ideal if you're looking for shade. A bit stiff, as is often the case.

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Mickie
Mickie

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

__

__Very beautiful hike, magnificent view from the peak of La Coquille despite the wind!!!!

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LAVIATEUR
LAVIATEUR

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a beautiful route with a visit to the castle ruins and its breathtaking view of the Lamalou-les-Bains valley

the route is 16 km long, with a few hunters in the area.

there is a very steep section for about 1 km, so you need to be fit, then a steep descent at the end of the route. We took the shortcut that leads directly to the village, saving 2 km instead of taking a long detour on an uninteresting path.

the route is very shaded, ideal in summer

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alain83400
alain83400

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I was lucky enough to see a beautiful rainbow from the St Michel chapel. The view from the chapel is stunning. The walk through the woods is pleasant. My climb to the peak of La Coquillade was disappointing.
Overall, a very beautiful hike.

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josiane.moucky
josiane.moucky

Not yet done

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franck340
franck340

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a very pleasant hike, 90% shaded, perfect for the end of May, with superb views. The only downside is that it's classified as difficult when it should be medium

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to give your opinion.

By "route on map", we do not mean evaluating the signposting, but rather the accuracy of the route as it appears on the map in relation to the actual terrain.

See you soon,

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loloj
loloj

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

very pretty trail. It is rated as difficult, but I would put it at medium level. Beautiful hike!

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kristofbreizh
kristofbreizh

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 01, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Up to the Coquillade Pass, it's fine, but after that it gets a bit monotonous

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Renaudco
Renaudco

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very pleasant hike with beautiful views.

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randomarius
randomarius

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The sweeping views are well worth the effort, especially at 33°C! It's true that the descent can be a bit monotonous in places, but still...

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Popa
Popa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike. Steep climb between Saint Michel and La Coquillade.
Magnificent view from the Pic de la Coquillade.

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