Cailhau, in the footsteps of Achille Laugé

This walk allows you to see reproductions of some of the works of Achille Laugé, a pointillist painter who died in 1944 after returning to the Aude region and who painted many landscapes around Cailhau, his village. There are six display stands showing Achille Lauger's paintings from the place where he created them. Enjoy a short 7 km hike.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.74 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 65 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 70 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 259 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 206 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Cailhau (11240)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.146877° / E 2.136449°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2246E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: coming from Montréal, follow the D8 to Cailhau. In the village, pass the restaurant and, immediately after, on the right, you will find Place Achille Laugé where you can park. The walk starts from this square.

(S/E) Leave the square towards the D8, pass the large gate, which is a remnant of the village fortifications, and immediately turn left onto Rue de la Promenade. At the intersection, turn right and then immediately left, following the small signs for "Route Achille Laugé". Continue along this path, which turns into a dirt track. Follow this track downhill and turn right when it starts to climb again. At the top of the hill, turn left and you will find your first information panel.

(1) Follow this road to the Croix de Pujal and turn right in front of the cross. Continue to the second sign (although it is marked No. 3).

(2) Retrace your steps to the Croix de Pujal and turn right. You will immediately come to the next information panel (although it is marked with the number 2).

(3) Continue along this road until you reach the next information panel.

(4). Then continue to the tarmac road. Take the road on the right and follow it, passing a fork on your left and then a grassy path on your right. About 100 metres further on, you will find a tractor track between two fields on your left. Follow it. Immediately after a right-angle bend to the left, a well-marked path surrounded by high hedges and brambles opens up on your left. You are now on the Voie Verte.

Follow it all the way, crossing a bridge that overlooks the road you left earlier. When the path runs alongside a house, turn left behind it. Continue to the D18 and turn left to reach a new information panel.

(5) Continue along this road, pass a crossroads and arrive at the next information panel.

(6). Return to the previous crossroads and turn left onto an unpaved carriageway.
After the farm, leave a grassy path on either side. Continue along this dirt track, which makes a large circular loop to the left around the vineyards, to reach the village (leave two paths on your right). Pass in front of the water treatment plant (marked on the map). At this point, the road is paved again and climbs up to the village.

In the village, turn right onto Rue de la Malepère, then left to return to Place Achille Laugé (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 254 m - Place Achille Laugé
  2. 1 : km 0.62 - alt. 255 m - Signpost no. 1
  3. 2 : km 1.38 - alt. 230 m - Signpost no. 3
  4. 3 : km 1.61 - alt. 237 m - Signpost no. 2
  5. 4 : km 2.06 - alt. 216 m - Signpost no. 4
  6. 5 : km 4.59 - alt. 213 m - Signpost no. 5
  7. 6 : km 4.95 - alt. 223 m - Signpost no. 6
  8. S/E : km 6.74 - alt. 254 m - Place Achille Laugé

Notes

The very clayey soil can be sticky after heavy rain. Good shoes are necessary in this case.

Worth a visit

The village of Cailhau calls itself a "village of artists". A dozen artisans welcome you into their workshops on certain days and upon request. Glassmakers, lace makers, painters, sculptors, etc.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Danielle11
Danielle11

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy and varied route that follows in the footsteps of Achille Laugé, a local painter, and takes you through the beautiful village of Cailhau. The brand new information panels entitled "In the footsteps of A. Laugé" are very well designed and illustrated with his paintings. Discover the Greenway, which you follow along a pleasant path. The only downside is the strong sea wind and the lack of sunshine to admire the Pyrenees!

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general11
general11

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely and interesting cultural outing, unfortunately marred by winter fog that deprived us of the view and bitterly cold weather.

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Tannier
Tannier
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A lovely, very easy walk that allows you to discover, in fine winter weather, splendid panoramic views of the snow-capped Pyrenees, as well as information panels about the work of A. Laugé, which have apparently been restored as they are now very legible. Similarly, the greenway is now well cleared. Good description, no risk of getting lost.

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popo1953
popo1953

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I appreciate this route for its diversity. It can be enjoyed by everyone (young and old, big and small). Lovely views.

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Ribandre
Ribandre

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A peaceful and pleasant route

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Robert Mas
Robert Mas

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Signage is very good, but the cultural information panels about A. Laugé have become illegible as they have faded over time and been left in a state of semi-abandonment. The greenway section is currently undergoing development work. Superb panoramic views of the Pyrenees and the Razès region.

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condamine
condamine

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike.
It's a shame that the fabrics are so faded.

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SiobanS
SiobanS

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The path must have been very nice when it was first proposed, but since then, the greenway must have been neglected: when we passed by, vegetation had taken over and it was almost impassable. Discovering the paintings allowed us to discover this artist we didn't know, but on the other hand, they had been badly faded by the sun. Here too, if the town hall doesn't restore them, they will quickly lose their appeal. A lovely walk, then, but one that needs to be maintained so that it doesn't deteriorate.

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vivie1954
vivie1954

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very pleasant

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youcan
youcan

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Varied landscapes alternating between vineyards, fields, meadows and plots of land beautifully showcased on the outskirts of the village of Cailhau, offering some stunning views, particularly of the hill with the mill. These paintings, displayed along the route via the lecterns, are a wonderful discovery and provide an excellent insight into the works of a somewhat overlooked artist.

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