Villasavary walks

A challenging forest circuit on hilly paths with sweeping views over the first hills of the Piège. It is an ideal training ground for keeping fit or preparing your legs for the mountains. Mont Carrière, the highlight of the walk, has four orientation tables, but it is not the only panoramic viewpoint on this circuit, which offers many beautiful sights.

Set off on the path once taken by Saint Dominic to reach the first monastery he founded in Prouille. Crossing the hills, the route reveals the wine-growing village of Lasserre-de-Prouille, a small "circulade" with a remarkable heritage. This is a shortened version of the long route linking Fanjeaux to Montréal (30 km) via the GR® 78, the Piedmont route of the legendary pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Yellow markings

In the Aude Cathar Country, the unspoilt village of Fanjeaux, perched on a hill (pech in Occitan), offers spectacular views of the countryside. The undulating route winds its way over the hills, dotted with numerous viewpoints, including Mont Carrière with its four orientation tables. Red markings and "Circular de la Hille" sign.

The stronghold of the powerful lords who gave their name to the Lauragais, the ancient fortified village of Laurac has retained its dominant position, its medieval silhouette and its authentic stone buildings. The route reveals breathtaking panoramas and allows you to observe the village and nature from the surrounding hills. The information panels along the route tell its eventful history, from the Cathars to the religious wars of the Renaissance. Yellow markings

Learn to draw while walking and observing the landscapes of the Piège hills, in unusual places such as the Serre des Enchantées or among the sheep on a wild hilltop. This is an original hike between the unspoilt villages of Cazalrenoux and Génerville. Yellow markings + 7 wooden easels

On the ridge line that marks the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, there is a fascinating interpretive trail on the geology and formation of these rolling landscapes of Razès, Lauragais and the foothills of the Pyrenees. Yellow + yellow and red markings for the section on theGR®®78

At the foot of the Montagne Noire, this route passes by the Cenne-Monestiés dam, runs along the Lampy river as it climbs towards the village of Villemagne, before gently descending along a path offering a wide view of the Lauragais.

Route proposed during Rando Razès 2025 (short loop). Easy, family-friendly circuit completed with Joëlette wheelchairs during the event. The only "difficulty" is the section along the road at points (8) and (9).

part2 of the "Les Collines du Vent" route:The exceptional views amply reward the effort of climbing the pechs (hills in Occitan). The Collines du Vent route then takes on its full spectacular dimension: the pechs are swept by winds blowing alternately from the Mediterranean (the autan or marin) and the Atlantic (cers). There are few trees on the hills, which also means that there is little shade in summer, so the sun beats down hard on the hills. A spectacular and iconic 48.2 km online route in the Lauragais region, the "Collines du Vent" connects Avignonet-Lauragais and Fanjeaux. Numerous windmills are dotted across these first hills of La Piège, taking advantage of the generous winds that blow alternately from the Mediterranean (the Autan or marine wind) and the Atlantic (the Cers). The view stretches far beyond the hills to the Pyrenees and the Montagne Noire. Eleven information panels provide details about the area's heritage. Yellow and blue markings

This is a beautiful walk, but it is exposed to the wind and sun. The first kilometre is quite steep, but the next two kilometres are gentler. Rough wooden signs engraved with "Circuit Saint-Roch" will guide you along the way, even if they are not very visible or legible... Since 15 October 2018 and the floods, a lot of earth has been washed away from the paths and many of them have become very stony and rocky. However, the circuit remains entirely feasible.

A ten-kilometre hike that winds through forests and fields. There are some beautiful properties to see, and above all, the village of Montolieu is worth a visit.

An exceptional panoramic view from the ridge, picturesque villages (Cazal des Faures, Tréziers, Roumengoux) and historic villages (Lagarde), a gigantic feudal castle, a short greenway and the sparkling clear waters of the River Hers. This loop is magnificent from Moulin-Neuf: enjoy!Remember to follow your GPS: this is a new route and the first part is not signposted!

This family hike will allow you to discover the different landscapes of Mirepoix from two viewpoints: the Croix de Terride with a partial view of Mirepoix but with an orientation table, and before Montbruguet, with a full view. The trail is varied, sometimes open, sometimes in the woods, but always pleasant.

A 15-minute drive from Carcassonne, the village of Roullens, perched on a hill, overlooks a stunning landscape, a small part of which you can enjoy.

A shaded hike through a beautiful forest that once provided charcoal. A few pits, or charcoal pits, remain as evidence of this.

From the dam, head towards the Montagne Noire Natural Park for a hike in the forest and along the river. After a short wet crossing and a final easy climb, the arrival point reveals a magnificent view of the dam.

This hike alternates between beech, oak and chestnut forests and cattle pastures on the hillsides. The elevation gain is gentle, but the beautiful descent through the woods after Le Montagnet can be difficult in wet weather. Spring and late autumn are the best times to enjoy this route.

This hike is very easy to follow, but bring sunscreen and water if you're doing it in the middle of summer!

There are no signs indicating this remnant of a powerful Cathar fortress where three hundred Cathar perfects took refuge in 1209. All that remains is a tower and an intact Romanesque gate marking the entrance to the castrum. This walk along the Rigole de la Montagne and Sor rivers will reveal the entrance to the hidden path.

The proximity of the lake for cooling off, the deciduous forest for a shaded walk and the very passable paths, despite a few fords along the route, ensure a very pleasant time even with children.

On the watershed between the Aude and Tarn rivers, we follow in the footsteps of P.P. Riquet once again, discovering other water resources that enabled this self-taught engineer to demonstrate to the experts sent by Colbert the merits of his project to supply his Canal des Deux Mers. However, the forest remains present on this easy route, and Arfons, with its slate roofs, is a picturesque little village in the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park.

A lovely little walk from the Bassin de Saint-Denis to the Prise Alzeau and back along the stream.

This is an easy hike, sheltered from the sun for 90% of the route. The hike can be done in either direction. You will be better sheltered from the sun if you follow the directions given here.

Three quarters of the hike is sheltered from the sun and wind by the beech forest (mainly). Wear good shoes as the trail is often muddy with some stream crossings that are more or less maintained. Foresters have cleared the trail, which creates some large puddles, but these can always be avoided by walking along the edges of the forest.

A circular that will allow you to discover the Lauragais countryside and the Rigole de la Plaine, which feeds the Canal du Midi

A refreshing walk in the Montagne Noire from the small village of Lacombe (11310) to the Ramondens national forest (Tarn) with a picnic stop near the retaining dyke of the St-Denis basin. Return via the right bank of the Alzeau and passage at the Prise d'Alzeau, source of the Canal du Midi, before climbing back up to Lacombe. Walk checked on 18/06/23. A few details have been added by the author

360 years ago, Pierre Paul Riquet had the trial trench for the Canal du Midi dug. The official purpose of this small diversion canal was to prove that large quantities of water could be brought from the Montagne Noire to the Naurouze threshold, where the planned navigation canal would have its "dividing point", its highest watercourse. However, for Riquet, the stakes were much higher: he also wanted to prove that he was fully capable of managing a project as large as the gigantic structure he had planned. To convince Colbert and the commission responsible for examining the feasibility of the project, he offered to finance the test canal himself and only be reimbursed if the objectives were achieved... Theoutcome proved this stubborn man right! This walk takes you on a journey of discovery to find traces of this "Rigole d'Essai" in the Alzeau valley, starting from the village of Lacombe. Parking is available opposite the town hall.

Nestled between Lake Galaube and Lake Laprade Basse, the Loubatière State Forest covers 450 hectares. It is located in the western part of the vast forest that covers the southern slope of the Montagne Noire in the Aude department. A single, completely wooded area, this forest, which ranges in altitude from 660 to 885 metres, forms the headwaters of the Linon stream. In autumn, it offers a dream setting for hikers in search of mushrooms and chestnuts, with the golden colours of oak, beech, birch and chestnut leaves carpeting the ground. This is the ideal playground for an easy walk starting from the hamlet of Cals Haut, part of the commune of Lacombe, between Saissac and Les Martys.