Country:
District:
Start: In Tourouzelle, take the Avenue de Lézignan (D65 road) and about 50 metres before the sign indicating the village limits, turn right into Rue Joseph Ramel, a small housing estate where several parking places are available on the wide pavements. If you have arrived on the D65 from Lézignan/ Homps the road is on the left.
(S/E) From the car park, return to the D65 and turn left (South-West) toward the centre of the village, using the pavement on the right. Pass the school and the library to reach the town hall.
Yellow PR ® marking and directional signs
(1) A few metres further on, cross the road with care and take the small tarmac road (Chemin du Périé) left which starts with a panel describing the 'Pinède de la Bade' hiking trail. Ignore a path on the left as well as a tarmac track and enter into the pine wood.
(2) At the large crossroads (water tank in front) turn sharp right. The track quickly reaches a fork and becomes two pebbly dirt tracks. Take the one on the left which descends South-West. The view opens up on the left to reveal the vineyards nearby and the Corbières hills in the distance. At the next fork, keep left.
At the corner of a ruined dry-stone building, turn sharp left onto the path enclosed by dry-stone walls, which becomes narrow and continues under Kermès oak trees.
(3) Approx. 200m further on, follow the direction indicated by the sign 'Oliviers - Garenne' for a diversion to the right to visit the dry-stone constructions. Return to the sign and continue to the right.
(4) At the T-junction (hunter's lookout point opposite), turn right, ignore the path on the left (not shown on the map) and continue straight on. Another sign indicates the direction to several other dry-stone constructions, make the return journey and then continue to the right. Follow the pleasantly shaded path. Pass the ruined sheep farm and the pretty rock pile to climb up to a ridge.
(5) Descend a few metres to enjoy the magnificent view over Tourouzelle with the Montaigne Noire and Pic de Nore in the background. Ignore the first path on the right which indicates a return to the village, and a second one, a few metres further on.
(6) At the following junction, turn sharp right on a track which turns sharp left before arriving at a road next to a stone cross below two imposing cypress trees. Turn left (South) along the road (Avenue d'Escales, D65) for 370m or so, taking the usual care.
(7) Leave the road for a tarmac track on the right (West) which eventually loses its covering. Cross a concrete bridge, ignore a track on the left and follow the path which passes several vineyards up on the right. Reach a junction.
No yellow markings
(8) Ignore the marked trail off to the right and continue straight ahead (South-West) on a grassed path, a little more overgrown than the previous ones. On the left, the Puech dal Fiou, with its pine wood that bears the scars of a devastating fire. Continue through this sorry landscape along the track, damaged by fire engines at the time, to reach an electricity pylon up on the right.
(9) The junction in this area is not obvious so refer to the map. In front of a small group of pine trees that miraculously escaped the fire, turn right and continue almost under the power cables. The path is not well marked and in certain places, it's necessary to go around some felled burnt pines before reaching an old dry-stone wall.
Cross the wall to arrive in a fallow field. Turn left alongside the field to reach, about a hundred metres further on, a wide track with a gentle slope to reach a stony track (error on the map, here).
(10) Turn right, continue North-East on the tarmac section to reach a junction with a tarmac road.
Yellow markings
(11) Turn sharp left. Pass alongside a first vineyard on the right and a second smaller one.
(12) After 510m, at the end of the second vineyard, turn right (North) onto a partially grassed track becoming a narrow path which twists and turns and undulates through a pretty pine wood with several brief glimpses of the Montaigne Noire and the Minervois villages.
Continue along the wide tarmac track and turn right to reach the St Cécile chapel (impossible to visit it, unfortunately) on the left in a pretty location.
(13) Then, return to the road and continue right for approx 500m take care staying on the grass verge on the left. Ignore the first track to the right and then take the second, a few metres further on, following the yellow marks. Pass by a fallow field and vineyard, both on the right.
(14) Turn to the left to soon reach a tarmac track and continue straight on with the church bell-tower in front of you. Once in the village, a few metres after a junction, leave the road to climb some concrete stairs on the left. Pass under the arch, climb a second smaller set of stairs on the left to arrive in front of the church (also closed!).
(15) Turn right, pass the war memorial then immediately turn right into Rue de l'Eglise to reach a small roundabout. Turn left and continue to the elegant French Revolution memorial in metal. Cross the road carefully to take on the right the road towards Lézignan - Homps.
(1) Stay on the pavement on the left to pass by the town hall and continue to the start. (S/E)
Nice walk, markings uncertain in places, but no problems with GPS. A few sections on busy roads to be done with care.
Walker
