The Megaliths of Minerve

Description

Park in the cemetery car park and the Rue de l'Ormeau.

(D/A) Go northwest and take the tarmac Chemin des Crozes in the direction of the Causses de Coupiat.

::1: At the cairn, leave the tarmac road and take the small path on the left in the direction of the Coupiat stream. Descend down to the concrete bridge that passes over the stream and climbs back up the path (admiring a "troglodyte" house on your left-hand side) until you reach a forest track.

::2: Turn right and continue to climb. At the fork, take the track on the left and get to a vineyard. Go around it on the left.

::3: At the ruined building, turn left, bypass the ruin to the left and reach the Dolmen de Coupiat (collapsed) through the scrubland. No Path. Make a U-turn and resume the path that you previously left on your left in a northwest direction. Circumnavigate Mont Redon located on your right. You need to follow the vine on its left in a straight line.

::4: At the last trunk in the row closest to you, turn left straight through the scrub, in the direction of the Pierres de Coupiat 1, 2 and 3. Some are on the ground! Trail non-existent in places.

::5: At the Pierre de Coupiat 3, branch off left in a northerly direction climbing up the forest track.

::6: Just before a hunter's hide, walk 50m to the right to enjoy the viewing point over the cliffs. Then take the track to continue on the route. At the next intersection, turn left in a westerly direction, then northwest and join the firefighter's track. Turn left and continue on the track, ignoring all paths to the left and right.

::7: Leave the track on the right-hand side to enjoy the viewing point over the gorges (climbing spot). Return to the track and continue to the right.

::8: Take the trail on the right for a hundred meters and reach the tarmac road. Turn right.
Pass the Courounelle farm and at the end of the paved road go straight over. At this point you'll find new GR markers GR (white and red).
At the fork, follow the path straight ahead to go down to Minerve. Join the Gorges de Brian and go around Minerve via the northeast.

::9: At the junction, take the trail opposite. Climb up and go under the trees (viewing point over Minerve).
When leaving the trail, take the vintner's path on the left (northeasterly direction). Follow this path ignoring those to the left and right.

(10: At the end of the path, take the road on the left (northeast) in the direction of the Domaine du Mayranne. Cross it and upon leaving the hamlet, turn right going around a green barn. Follow the trail in the direction of the Goury stream then after 150m, on a left-hand bend, reach the intersection)2::.

(2: Take the outward-leg path on your right, cross the bridge over the Goupiat stream and join the tarmac road (Chemain des Crozes) at point)1(. Continue right on the asphalt road up to the car park)D/A::.