Fouillet Valley from the Col d'Escots

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Explore the Fouillet Valley, starting with a descent offering a beautiful panorama of Mont Béas, the Pic des Trois Seigneurs and Mont Ceint, with the Dent d’Aubé also coming into view. The lush green Fouillet Valley contrasts with the rocky terrain at the last bridge at Casièrens. Please note that the start is poorly signposted; the return route follows theGR®®.
The GPX track may prove very useful in places.

Details

n°22764678
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.38 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,939 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,926 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,344 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,698 ft
Downloads
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Photos

Fouillet Valley
View of Casières
Arrival at Casières
Fouillet waterfall

Description of the walk

Park at the side of the track near the Col d’Escots chairlift, close to the restaurant.

(S/E) Set off due north, then turn right into the small valley, passing under the chairlift. Descend into a mountain pasture.

(1) Take care: about 100 m after a hairpin bend, turn right at a cairn (barely visible path, marked with yellow and blue trail markers). Descend slightly in a zigzag, passing beneath the spring (depression with vegetation). Descend slightly, then after a few bends, continue descending gently well above the Ruisseau de Papallau. Keep your eyes on the ruins at the end of the mountain pasture.

(2) Pass by the ruin, continue straight on for about 50 m and turn left into the small valley. The path becomes clearly visible again as soon as you enter the forest. Follow it, descending steadily. As you emerge from the woods, you’ll reach a field of ferns; turn right and head straight down (the path is no longer visible). At the end of the outcrop, turn right onto the path, which becomes visible again at the foot of a tree. You’ll come to a Y-junction. Following the yellow markings, continue straight on to reach the bridge (Passerelle de Bazets).

(3) Cross the bridge and head off to your left. At the next junction, turn right towards the Cabane de Bazets.

(4) You’ll reach theGR®®10and theGRP®® Tour du Garbet. Keep right, following the GR®®. Follow the valley due south and continue straight on along theGR®® at the first junction. Please note: at around 1,330 m, after a short climb, don’t miss the junction on the right.

(5) Turn right to reach the foot of the Fouillet waterfall.

(6) Turn back.

(5) Carry on to the right, following theGR®® uphill. You’ll reach a bridge (elevation 1519) at Casiéren.

(7) Cross the bridge, continue climbing to your right and pass through mountain pastures and woods to rejoin the track at the mountain restaurant. Then follow the track to the right to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 5,331 ft - Car park by the chairlift - Col d'Escots (1623m)
  2. 1 : mi 0.42 - alt. 4,967 ft - Cairn, on the right
  3. 2 : mi 0.84 - alt. 4,377 ft - Path on the left leading downhill
  4. 3 : mi 1.29 - alt. 3,707 ft - Bazets footbridge over the - Ruisseau du Fouillet (rivière) - Affluent du Garbet
  5. 4 : mi 1.41 - alt. 3,734 ft - Bazets Hut
  6. 5 : mi 2.13 - alt. 4,301 ft - Junction. Return trip to the waterfall
  7. 6 : mi 2.17 - alt. 4,232 ft - Fouillet Waterfall
  8. 7 : mi 2.78 - alt. 4,984 ft - Bridge
  9. S/E : mi 4.38 - alt. 5,331 ft - Car park by the chairlift - Col d'Escots (1623m)

Notes

Access via a track that’s normally in good condition, heading towards the mountain restaurant Le Chalet de Beauregard.

From (1) to (3), take care: the path is barely visible; there are a few yellowPR®® markings (though these are more visible when heading uphill) and blue trail markings, which are very useful but quite widely spaced.
If you reach the woods, it means you have missed the junction at (1) and failed to turn sharply right.
The final section of the route follows theGR®®, which is much better signposted and marked on the ground.

(4) Bazets Hut: stove but no door.
Several waterfalls as you head up the valley.

Summer pasture area: dogs must be kept on a lead.

Worth a visit

Seasonal mountain restaurant, the Chalet de Beauregard.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 10 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 2746334

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, though a bit tricky to find at the start because of the cattle fences.
Please note: the start of the walk follows a path that continues towards Guzet. You need to turn off this path to the right, but there are no signs and the cairn marking the turn-off had fallen over. Make sure you follow the route on Visorando carefully.

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Gilportier1961
Gilportier1961

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, a magnificent waterfall, and, to top it all off, a truly breathtaking cirque.
I highly recommend this magnificent walk
You’ll need to download the IGN map before setting off, as there’s no mobile signal along this route and very, very little signal on the observatory plateau. 20 out of 20.
It took us 5 hours, including time to have a swim at the waterfall and to have a bite to eat at the little bridge at the lower point. I strongly recommend using a GPS.

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User 14223558

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A truly beautiful walk! Allow 4 hours for the walk.
The climb back up is long, and the section alongside the waterfall isn’t always straightforward.

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User 9561619
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We did this walk with our 11-month-old baby in a baby carrier. We’re used to walking, but this walk was a bit of a let-down. It was tough, with a never-ending climb and scenery that wasn’t really worth the effort, except for the last hour or so of the walk as we made our way back up through the cirque.
There really is a never-ending descent into the valley with no shade, followed by a very steep climb through the forest after the footbridge. At the footbridge, there’s a spot where you can have a swim and a bite to eat (although there’s a steep descent through the woods to get there).
There are some tricky sections where we slipped on the leaves and earth (whether going up or down, depending on which way you’re heading). The detour to the waterfall isn’t really worth it, but again, it’s a steep walk there and back.
There are quite a few spots with water where you can cool off. It took us 4½ hours, not counting breaks
Make sure you park your car at the restaurant down below by taking the track that leads down – don’t hesitate.
You’ll need a sat-nav or Visorando app as the trail markings aren’t very visible at the start; you need to follow the edge of the cow pasture and the path winds its way downhill. There are blue signs marked with the letter F; then, at the bottom after the footbridge, the GR trail rejoins the path, except for the waterfall, where the path to the right leading downhill isn’t signposted.

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Bouconne VTT
Bouconne VTT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike.

Indeed, on the descent, point 1 is difficult to find without GPS, as the start of the path leading to the Bazets footbridge is not visible. And as mentioned, the paths in the unshaded areas between points 1 and 2 are sometimes difficult to follow due to the tall grass, but the direction is marked by yellow lines that are still clearly visible.

We did the hike in very hot weather, so fortunately 90% of the climb is in the shade.
However, just after the Fouillet waterfall, when rejoining the main route, you can be misled by a fairly steep section. Remember to turn left when crossing the stream in this section.

Magnificent views and beautiful vegetation at the top. No particular difficulty.

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User 25860329

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, best done in the opposite direction in my opinion.

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Patufeta
Patufeta

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed with children aged 5 and 10 who are good walkers. Very pleasant walk, the forest is enjoyable in this heat.

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ChristianQ
ChristianQ

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk... and nicely accompanied by sheep and cows...
Thank you

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LeKrik
LeKrik
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice, well-marked hike, except at the beginning, but if you follow the description, you'll have no trouble!
The climb is shaded for most of the way and the river and waterfalls are fantastic.
A must-do!

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jclaude31
jclaude31

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

From the start of the hike (post with yellow markings) to the Bazets hut (no stove but a small fireplace) where you rejoin the GR 10, there are no yellow and blue markings, but sometimes yellow markings and sometimes blue markings for the trail, which are not always visible because they are in the opposite direction.
At point (1), ignore the first cairn, which is located shortly after the S-bend.
After point (2), the start of the descent into the ferns is wide and very visible; then just follow the edge of the forest.
Despite the lack of signs, you cannot miss the fork that leads to the foot of the waterfall as it is the only one on your right.
From the Bazets hut, simply follow the GR 10 trail, which will take you back to the starting point.
There is a superb view of the cirque at the bottom of the valley when you reach the bridge at point (7).

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