Tour of the Cime d’Amont via the Col de la Bène and the Col de Lastris

Start from the car park on Place de Berduc in Génat.

(S/E) Leave the village via Rue de Charoumene, pass in front of Saint-Pierre Church (12th century), walk for about a hundred metres and look out for a path on the left.

(1) Take this path (to warm up), cross the road and continue along the path. Join the road 300 metres further down and follow it to the right until you reach a fork.

(2) Carry on to the right towards La Grangette. For enthusiasts, there’s a magnificent climbing spot…

(3) Just past the farmstead, turn left, go through the gate and follow the Lapège forest track to the end.

(4) At the end of the forest track, there’s a short portage of about 100 metres to the left before joining a path that leads to the Col de la Bène. You can avoid this portage by turning off 800 metres earlier, taking the forest track branch to the right… but the climb is very steep. The portage may then need to be replaced by pushing your bike, except for e-MTBs…

(5) At the Col de la Bène, take a moment to enjoy the scenery before setting off again to the right towards the Chemin de Lastris. A few metres before the end of the climb, turn right onto the path and head into the forest. The route is marked and signposted. Follow the path along the mountainside and ignore a turn-off to the right. There are sections where you’ll need to push your bike, particularly when crossing streams.

(6) Once you reach the Col de Lastris, head down towards Gourbit until you reach the start of a forestry track on the right, 150 metres further down.

(7) Follow this track towards the Cime d’Amont.

(8) Pass beneath the Cime d’Amont and arrive at a small clearing. Things are about to get interesting… The descent lies ahead. Caution! There are some challenging sections…

(9) Cross the Génat Forest Road and take the open path just on the other side. This path is rarely used but very pleasant. Join the forest road 300 m further on and follow it downhill. Reach the^second hairpin bend.

(10) Take the path that branches off to the left. The start isn’t very easy to spot. Once you’re on it, proceed with caution to avoid certain trees.

(11) Cross the forest track and take the path that starts next to a small cairn. Join the forest track 150 m further down and continue to the right until you reach the start of a path (an old forest track) on the right.

(12) Follow this path. After passing under the high-voltage power lines, the path emerges onto the road, Chemin du Riou.

(13) Carry on to the right for a few metres.

(14) At the junction, take Rue du Pichet and you’ll reach the car park at Place de Berduc (S/E).

The climb to the Col de la Bène is tough. You can avoid having to carry your bike by taking the forestry track that branches off to the left 800 metres before the end of the forest track.

The path between the Col de la Bène and the Col de Lastris is signposted ‘Tour du Massif des 3 Seigneurs’. The path is sometimes very narrow and your pedals may scrape against the uphill edge. Some short sections require a bit of pushing.
The descent is enjoyable, with some challenging sections. The paths cutting through the woods are not signposted. They are steep in places. It is possible to avoid them by simply following the forest road.