Orchid trail in Villasavary

de fr

The wild orchid discovery trail winds its way from the slopes of Mont Carrière to those of Les Canonges, offering a succession of hills and valleys where undergrowth, forests, cultivated areas, short, dry grasslands on limestone soil and wetlands alternate.
Wild orchids have made their home in this setting. However, few walkers pay attention to these sometimes tiny flowers, which rarely grow taller than 20 centimetres, in the early days of spring. Some are very concentrated, others much rarer, growing alone or scattered.

Picto Yellow Flower Markings

Details

n°45882613
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.50 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 260 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 258 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 319 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 181 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Villasavary (11150)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.218409° / E 2.035342°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2245E
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Photos

on the orchid trail
Orchids
Orchids
Orchids

Description of the walk

Parking at the Maison du Randonneur.
Picking is prohibited, all species of orchids are protected!

(S/E) With your back to the Maison du Randonneur, head towards the motorhome area, following the red markings. Continue straight ahead at the crossroads, then at the second crossroads, turn right towards the small pond, go around it and take the grassy path towards the countryside. You will reach the crossroads at the Peyrous houses.

(1) Keep left to reach a Y-junction at a vineyard.

(2) Turn right, then immediately left, and walk along the vineyard to reach the summit of Pech de Vent Farine, known in Occitan as Vento Farino. Enjoy the beautiful view here.

(3) Descend to the right along the path through the undergrowth until you reach the tarmac road. Follow it to the right for about a hundred metres, then leave it and take the dirt track on the left. Reach the edge of a wood and enter it on the left to reach the junction with a wider track.

(4) Turn completely left and follow the path until you reach a clearing. Then continue to the right until you reach the bend.

(5) Descend to the left onto a path that crosses a grove of holm oaks in the heart of the Bois Communaux. At the crossroads, turn right and cross the Ruisseau des Canonges stream.

(6) Keep going straight ahead and cross a track. Continue along the Pech de Cante-Couillon. At the crossroads, turn right twice. Then, at the third crossroads, turn left and continue to the track. Climb towards Mont Carrière, where you can take a break and enjoy the panoramic views. Turn left, go around the orientation tables and then descend via a wide path. Turn left immediately, then right and finally straight ahead towards Monplaisir. There, first turn right then left to reach some undergrowth.

(7) Continue and keep left until you reach the edge of the undergrowth. Keep left twice to take theGR®7. Continue towards the Boucle des Paysages. At the crossroads, turn right and you will immediately come to another crossroads.

(8) Turn left onto the main path and walk along the enclosure to reach Pech Cante-Couillon. Keep left at the next crossroads, then right, and continue to the road.

(9) Reach the Maison du Randonneur (S/E) by passing to the right of the lake and then heading towards the motorhome area.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 182 m - Parking at the hiker's lodge
  2. 1 : km 0.75 - alt. 193 m - Les Peyrous
  3. 2 : km 1.26 - alt. 209 m - Carrefour vigne
  4. 3 : km 1.81 - alt. 262 m - Pech du Vent Farine
  5. 4 : km 2.92 - alt. 272 m - Crossroads Track
  6. 5 : km 3.66 - alt. 263 m - Bend in the road, panoramic view
  7. 6 : km 4.47 - alt. 200 m - Canonges (ruisseau) - Affluent du Ruisseau de Mézeran
  8. 7 : km 7.24 - alt. 266 m - Undergrowth
  9. 8 : km 8.34 - alt. 221 m - Crossroads towards Pech Cante-Couillon
  10. 9 : km 9.1 - alt. 186 m - Return to the road facing Lake Villasavary
  11. S/E : km 9.5 - alt. 182 m - Parking at the hiker's lodge

Notes

(S/E) signs with maps, picnic tables, water point, defibrillator, car park
- benches by the lake
- motorhome area near the start
- in the village: bakery, grocery store, butcher, pharmacy, cash machine

Worth a visit

During the hike or nearby
(S/E) Villasavary: typical village clustered around its church: virtual tour available on your mobile phone
4 km away: Saint-Martin de la Salle Chapel in the hamlet of Besplas.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 12 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
rando1109
rando1109

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Sunny winter day: Very pleasant hike, varied landscapes, beautiful views.
The Pech de Vent Farine may surprise hikers who are not very fit.

Machine-translated

OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
OT Cœur des Collines Cathares

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback. We are delighted that you enjoyed this circular hiking trail.

We hope to see you again on another circular hiking loop in our region.
See you soon!

Machine-translated

chevreuils
chevreuils

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

hello beautiful hike with a great variety of flowers, very beautiful landscape;
many crossroads follow the Visorando description which is perfectly clear
To be avoided in wet weather or when the ground is damp, steep descent.
I recommend it without moderation, a great hike for everyone.

Machine-translated

OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
OT Cœur des Collines Cathares

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback. We are delighted that you enjoyed this circular hiking trail.

We hope to see you again on another circular hiking loop in our region.
See you soon!

Machine-translated

Monfumat
Monfumat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 1 May 2025, several types of orchids in bloom. A lovely, varied route with a beautiful view at Mont Carierre. Some of the descents are quite steep and can be quite slippery in wet weather.
I recommend this hike.

Machine-translated

OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
OT Cœur des Collines Cathares

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

We hope to see you again soon on another circular hiking trail in our region.

See you soon!

Machine-translated

gbnos
gbnos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy and very pleasant outing in early May, we saw some orchids and many other flowers. You can extend your trip with a visit to the village, where there is a bakery open on Sunday mornings to fuel up before your hike. The trail is very well maintained and marked, many thanks to the organisers!

Machine-translated

OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
OT Cœur des Collines Cathares

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

We hope to see you again soon on another circular hiking trail in our region.

See you soon!

Machine-translated

Monfumat
Monfumat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A route to do in May to see the orchids in bloom. Some descents are quite steep and slippery after rain. Nice view from the top of Mont Carrière.
A pleasant hike.

Machine-translated

OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
OT Cœur des Collines Cathares

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

We hope to see you again soon on another circular hiking trail in our region.

See you soon!

Machine-translated

Fred O
Fred O

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy and very pleasant route, which is at its best in spring when the flowers are in bloom.

Machine-translated

OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
• Edited:

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback. You can find the hiking information sheet for this circular on our website: www.collinescathares.fr for details of the circular and points to note.

We hope to see you again soon on another circular hiking loop in our region.

See you soon!

Machine-translated

Petitpas31
Petitpas31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 3 July, so no orchids, but great views of the Lauragais plain, Villasavary and Fanjeaux, and the Pyrenees mountain range.
A few steep climbs and descents that must not be easy in rainy weather. Given the length, I would rate this route as Moderate rather than Easy.
Be careful before point 7 not to miss the right-left turn for Monplaisir at the bottom of the descent in the undergrowth, otherwise you will end up on the mountain bike route.

Machine-translated

OT Cœur des Collines Cathares
OT Cœur des Collines Cathares

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

We hope to see you again soon on another circular hiking trail in our region.

See you soon!

Machine-translated

Grams
Grams

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very good, best visited in May or June for the flowers.

Machine-translated

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