The Pech de Thou and the château de Carasses

A tranquil hike graded moderate for the distance and altitude gain. Most of the hike is on tarmac roads. Some nice views along all of the route, especially at the water tower where you can see Capestang, the lake and further away, Narbonne and the Pyrenean mountain range. Also Béziers, Puisserguier and further away, the Haut-Languedoc hills.

Technical sheet

n°2715151

Creation:
1 Nov 2019

Last update:
21 Feb 2021

Last review:
9 Jun 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 10.23 km
Average duration: 3h 20
Difficulty: Moderate
Return to departure point: Yes
Vertical gain: + 136 m
Vertical drop: - 128 m
Highest point: 114 m
Lowest point: 32 m

Country: France
District: Capestang (34310)
Start/End: N 43.331537° / E 3.042962°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2545ET, 2545OT
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The Pech de Thou and the château de Carasses

Description of the walk

Start: The hike starts from the port of Capestang, at the tourist office. You can park freely nearby.

(S/E) From the port of Capestang, follow the Canal du Midi with the canal on your right and head towards the 'voie verte' cycle path. Continue along Avenue Emile Loscos. At the junction, take the Avenue de la Gare on your left.

At the first junction, turn left along Rue de la Cartoucherie. At the next, turn right and then at the crossroads, straight ahead, Chemin de Fontélarie. At the end of the tarmac continue on the track in the same direction. Further on, on tarmac again, at the crossraods, take the track on the left for about 75 metres.

(1) Take the road on the right. Pass at the foot of a crucifix and continue straight ahead on the road which climbs.

(2) At the junction (views of Puisserguier, the Haut-Languedoc hills and Béziers), turn left.

(3) At the crossroads, after a quite long descent, turn left again towards the water tower. Pass on your left the entrance to the Cabane de Levet and futher on a small lane.

(4) At the next junction, take the small lane on your left. It climbs in hairpin bends. Follow the lane which turns right and right again at point '108' on the map to reach the water tower( the best view of Capestang and also further away, Narbonne catherdral and, on a clear day, the Pyrenees and its imposing peak 'le Canigou'.

:5: Go around the water tower to the left and take the path that descends on the opposite side. Continuing to descend, after a left-hand bend, turn right to rejoin the lane.

(6) Follow the lane to the left. At the next junction,turn right. At the fork (crucifix), turn sharp left. At the end of the lane, turn left again.

(7) Cross the D16 road, follow it to the right for 20-30 metres, then take the track on the left. Follow the track (not marked of the map) which passes a vineyard. At the corner of the vineyard, turn left towards the cycle track which you can see below you.

(8) Cross the cycle track and continue ahead on a road. You will see, in the distance on your left, the chateau des Carasses.

(9) At the crossroads, take the first on the left (direction south, south-west) towards the chateau.

(10) Take the dirt track on the left (direction south). Cross the stream and continue south.

(11) At the crossroads, follow the road to the left and the GR787. Stay on this road passing all of the tracks on the left. On reaching the cemetery and the Canal du Midi, turn left following the canal, cross the road and continue ahead to reach the starting point (S/E)

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 33 m - Port de Capestang - Tourist Office - Canal du Midi
1 : km 1.11 - alt. 52 m - Intersection
2 : km 2.43 - alt. 100 m - Branch
3 : km 3.08 - alt. 73 m - Cross
4 : km 3.9 - alt. 88 m - Branch
5 : km 4.65 - alt. 109 m - Pech du Thou - Water tower
6 : km 5.03 - alt. 83 m - Route
7 : km 6.2 - alt. 76 m - Route D16
8 : km 6.53 - alt. 70 m - Green route
9 : km 7.31 - alt. 91 m - Carrefour
10 : km 7.77 - alt. 90 m - Château des Carasses
11 : km 8.41 - alt. 72 m - Cross
S/E : km 10.23 - alt. 33 m - Port de Capestang - Tourist Office

Practical information

Start & Parking: The hike starts from the port of Capestang, at the tourist office. You can park freely nearby.

Gears : Water, a hat and hiking boots.

In the nearby area

Take a break at the chateau des Carasses hotel.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5

Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5

Clarity of route map
3.9 / 5

Route interest
4.4 / 5

MeT@lliK

Jun 09, 2025 at 11:16 EDT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lovely, enjoyable short hike for everyone. Castle and church to visit.
Please be aware of the points mentioned above by other hikers.

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Loïc62880

May 07, 2025 at 12:53 EDT

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Nice walk with a slight difference in altitude, a few climbs that are not dangerous. Just between points 7 and 8 it was impossible to go through the vines because of the vegetation and ditches. The environment must have changed with the season (tall grass, wheat in a field). At point 7, continue right for 100 m on the D16 and turn left on a track, then left again on a bridge over the dry canal. You will reach point 8 without any problem, which will take you to the château. Enjoy the walk.

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minanos

Dec 23, 2024 at 10:06 EST

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant route, with one small problem: the route crosses a field at the end of points 6 to 7 to join a small road... in 7.

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Dreligan

May 20, 2024 at 02:59 EDT

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : May 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

It's a very pleasant walk. The viewpoints on the heights give an interesting overview of the vineyards between Puisserguier and Capestang. The Château des Carasses is magnificent. Be warned, however, that the route is unreliable at points 5 and 7. As regards point 5, the water tower now has a fence encircling the plot, so it is no longer possible to follow the route; you have to cut off to the north (to the right of the water tower). As for point 7, the proposed path doesn't exist, so we cut through the vines and went down the side of the bridge a little further north to reach the greenway and head back down south towards the path leading to the château. You need to be in good physical condition to descend the wall of the bridge, as it is almost vertical, but it seems that there is an easier way down to the south.

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HADELINE

Mar 24, 2023 at 04:23 EDT

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Pleasant, varied walks, many on tarmac roads but without traffic. No shade. Beautiful views.

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faroldi

Feb 28, 2022 at 02:57 EST

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Super hike, magnificent scenery and a great castle, but the signposting on the route is almost non-existent.

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PAT34500

Feb 07, 2022 at 07:14 EST

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The signposting is almost non-existent. It's a shame that this route is not properly signposted. I'd say it's a case of "sailing by sight", "hit or miss". "Otherwise, it's a nice route to do, despite everything!

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les deux DD

Jan 11, 2022 at 11:35 EST

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

It's a shame that this walk lacks signposts, as it's a pleasant one.

At point 1 there is no cross and then at point 3 we couldn't find the junction
to get to the water tower. In spite of everything, we did the circuit by asking
with the vine pruners,
After the château, the GR is well signposted.

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rfm.david

Jan 10, 2022 at 05:29 EST

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Some of the sections are random, so rely on the direction of the route.
Interest of the route: average overall, good when you're on higher ground with views of Capestang and its lake, the Corbières and the Pyrenees.

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Pascal DeMontpellier

Feb 21, 2021 at 10:20 EST • Last modified: Feb 21, 2021 at 10:21 EST

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Hello, it's true that the passage between 7 and 8 is not very comfortable: after the vines, the field is cultivated! It's better to go round to the south, following the road on the left towards Capestang, then take the first small road on the right to get back to the original route.

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Lili9

Oct 13, 2020 at 03:06 EDT

We went to the tourist office to ask for more information than I had in my possession. The person we spoke to told us that there was no signposting. As we were novices and didn't want to get lost, we didn't take the risk of finding ourselves miles from our arrival point.

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ranchorando

Jun 15, 2020 at 12:39 EDT • Last modified: Jul 01, 2020 at 08:56 EDT

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

Problem with the route around the water tower.

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LAVALLÉ

Dec 09, 2019 at 04:06 EST • Last modified: Jul 01, 2020 at 08:56 EDT

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk, finishing with the Chateau de Carasses, a very pretty building.

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LAVALLÉ

Nov 18, 2019 at 05:23 EST • Last modified: Jul 01, 2020 at 08:56 EDT

Not yet done

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jeansiet

Nov 18, 2019 at 03:28 EST • Last modified: Jul 01, 2020 at 08:56 EDT

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very nice walk with some lovely views. We had trouble finding the path between points 5 and 6 to get down from the water tower and join the small road, but after several attempts at different paths, we finally found one that joined a wider path. We also had to hesitate between points 7 and 8 to get from the D16 to the greenway. Eventually, we saw the greenway signs (point 8) and cut across the fields to get there. Despite these two tricky sections, the walk is well worth it.

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