In the footsteps of Pierre Paul Riquet's "Rigole d'Essai"

Car park at Lacombe town hall (11310), via the D 153.

(S/E) Leave the car park and follow signs for Saint-Denis, turning left in front of the church. Continue until you reach Rue de la Rivière.

(1) Turn right towards "La Prise d'Alzeau" (pedestrians only, indicated on a sign). Go down Rue de la Rivière, followed by Rue de la Rivière prolongée, marked with a cross, at a fork. After a property on the left, continue along a path in the same direction, the start of which has been concreted. Go down to an intersection, located behind a restaurant, La Forge.

(2) Turn right onto the path overlooking the left bank of the Alzeau. Follow the path upstream, noting the remains of an old hydraulic bellows on your right, covered with ivy, which was once used to power the forge hammer below. These buildings were later used as a holiday camp by the PTT (French postal service). You will arrive near a water treatment plant before reaching the Route de la Galaube, at the Moulin Vieux.

Pass between the few houses in the hamlet of La Galaube, including a former hotel and restaurant that enjoyed a certain reputation decades ago. Leave the access ramp to the dam upstream and cross the Alzeau via the road bridge. the river forms the boundary between the departments of Aude and Tarn. Before taking a small path on the left, descend to the right towards the stream to discover an old water collection point for the test channel. Now filled in, it is difficult to make out.

(3) Back on the road, take the path that passes behind the mill. "Imagine this 'channel' overlooking the river, with no obstacles, as the road did not exist at the time!" Follow this small ditch, which has become a path, and note a passage between two rocks (photo), which was probably carved out to allow the canal to pass through (information panel nearby). Look down on the stream for a moment before approaching it via a slight descent. You will arrive at the site of the Prise d'Alzeau. Before heading back up to Lacombe, take the time to enjoy the surroundings of a memorial commemorating the main stages of the canal's construction, erected by a descendant of Riquet, the Duke of Caraman, majestic redwoods and the old guard house, which has not been renovated. A paved path starts along the Rigole de la Montagne, created 40 metres below the old test route, which has disappeared under the vegetation.

(4) Cross the Alzeau again via the wooden footbridge and pass in front of the entrance to the restaurant "À la Prise d'Alzeau". In the courtyard, resting on a stone, a hammer reminds us of the former activity of the forge that operated in the adjoining buildings.

(2) Retrace your steps to return to Lacombe.

(1) Take Rue de l'Autan, which leads to the back of the town hall car park (S/E).

Drinking water point at La Galaube

There are no signposts on this route, but there is little risk of getting lost by "turning" around the Alzeau (left bank then right bank)

Site of the Prise d'Alzeau

Additional walk along the path that runs alongside the Rigole de la Montagne, starting from the Prise d'Alzeau. A pleasant route, popular with mountain bikers.