Sor (rivière) walks

This hike is very easy to follow, but bring sunscreen and water if you're doing it in the middle of summer!

Circuit to Gallic ruins offering a 360° view of the Sorèze plain.

There are no signs indicating this remnant of a powerful Cathar fortress where three hundred Cathar perfects took refuge in 1209. All that remains is a tower and an intact Romanesque gate marking the entrance to the castrum. This walk along the Rigole de la Montagne and Sor rivers will reveal the entrance to the hidden path.

This hike alternates between beech, oak and chestnut forests and cattle pastures on the hillsides. The elevation gain is gentle, but the beautiful descent through the woods after Le Montagnet can be difficult in wet weather. Spring and late autumn are the best times to enjoy this route.

On the watershed between the Aude and Tarn rivers, we follow in the footsteps of P.P. Riquet once again, discovering other water resources that enabled this self-taught engineer to demonstrate to the experts sent by Colbert the merits of his project to supply his Canal des Deux Mers. However, the forest remains present on this easy route, and Arfons, with its slate roofs, is a picturesque little village in the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park.

From the dam, head towards the Montagne Noire Natural Park for a hike in the forest and along the river. After a short wet crossing and a final easy climb, the arrival point reveals a magnificent view of the dam.

This is a pleasant walk in all seasons, with pretty panoramic views and fairly good signposting. First follow the signs for "Petite boucle" (small circular) then "Plôts des Drulhes". Some parts of the route cross private property, so please respect it.