Villegailhenc walks

The trail is on very clayey ground; best avoided within ten days of rain. It’s best to go in summer, but do take the usual precautions (exposure to direct sunlight).

Walk in full sun. Don't forget your hat and water. Avoid when it has rained the previous week as the vineyard soil is very clayey and remains sticky for a long time. Very beautiful views of the village of Aragon.

This unpretentious walk allows you to stroll in the fresh air through countryside that has remained very rural despite the proximity of the two villages and the town, which you can see via the Hôtel du Département, perched on its hilltop.

A circular walk with no particular difficulties, partly on roads open to traffic. The route has very little shade and no water sources; best avoided in extreme heat. Beautiful views of the Montagne Noire and the Pyrenees.

On 300 hectares, an association in Conques-sur-Orbiel has restored a large number of drystone shelters, which were once used to shelter farmers when they worked on this inhospitable land. The rocks dug up during the work were used to build these shelters. You will come across around thirty of these drystone shelters.

In the Heath du Roi in Conques-sur-Orbiel, many dry stone structures have been restored by a village association. On this walk, we will show you the walls that were originally used to mark out boundaries and create enclosures for livestock at night.

A leisurely walk offering an interesting view of the Rieusec valley, Salsigne and Villanière, and on the other side, the Orbiel valley.

An easy walk through the heath, passing a few drystone shelters. Beautiful views of the Pyrenees and the nearby Montagne Noire.

This is an easy walk on a limestone plateau that was cultivated until a century ago, despite the poor soil. This is why there are many drystone shelters, which were small shelters to protect workers in case of bad weather. These shelters were built with countless stones taken from the land during agricultural work.

Circular route marked in red by the Pennautier Nature et Patrimoine (PNP) association. Legend has it that a beautiful noblewoman from Pennautier would dress up as a wolf at night to meet her lovers along these paths. A lovely walk that follows the Fresquel and continues through fields and vineyards in the countryside west of Carcassonne.

This easy hike takes you through heaths and charming villages such as Fraisse-Cabardès and Aragon, perched on its hilltop. It gives you a taste of Cabardès, the foothills between Carcassonne and Mazamet.

A very pretty walk north of the village of Aragon, allowing you to discover the drystone shelter housing estate with its dry stone walls, its hillside planted with pine trees and the plateau with its drystone shelters, stone walls and panoramic views. The route is very well signposted and the information boards are very interesting.

Take a walk or bike ride along the Canal du Midi, passing through the river port of Trèbes to the Château de Bouilhonnac.

This walk around Les Gardies hill is a place of tranquillity and natural beauty in the Aude region. It can be done on foot or by bike. See reviews, no recent updates

Discover the tomb of Armand Barbès and the stunning landscapes of the Carcassonne region.

The tour of the photovoltaic park offers an almost 360° panorama. From Salsigne to Villeneuve via Villanière and its mine shaft, Limousis, Sallèles-Cabardès and Marmonières.

An easy hike offering stunning views over the villages of Sallèles-Cabardès, Villegly, Villalier, Malves-Minervois, Boulhonnac, etc.

From the medieval city, which you can visit before or after the walk, it is worth going to the top of Pech Mary to enjoy a 360° panorama of the city and its surroundings, as well as a bird's eye view of the city, particularly Porte Narbonnaise.

In Villegly, a beautifully restored windmill offers a stunning view, and a ford sometimes allows you to step back in time to when there weren't as many bridges as there are today. All this is set against a backdrop of vineyards and heaths.

⚠️ THERE IS AN ENTRANCE FEE TO VISIT THE SITE. See reviews. An enjoyable cultural visit combining walking and discovery, history and a journey into the past: visit the Cathar castles of Lastours. Four castrums on the same route: Quertinheux, Surdespine, Tour Régine, Cabaret. Suitable for families with motivated children. There are a large number of steps, which will give your psoas and quadriceps a good workout.

An easy walk through vineyards and open woodland.

The walk is half sheltered from the sun and wind. There is a little tarmac and a lot of almost carriageable, limestone and very stony paths.

Petite balade autour du village durant laquelle vous allez souvent longer des murettes en pierres sèches. Les sentiers ont été creusés à flanc de colline et ces murettes ont été montées pour retenir la terre du fond dominant. Nous sommes en 2016 et le tracé a été reconnu et identifié par des marques de couleur Rouge. Ces marques ne respectent pas la forme officielle de la FFR mais sont parfaitement visibles car assez larges. Cela n'est pas inutile car certains sentiers sont dans les champs.

A pleasant hike with quite a few climbs. The descent after (4) is a little tricky, so make sure you have good footwear. This walk is marked with large orange brushstrokes. But as always, it is best to follow Visorando.

You'll be amazed by the well-preserved state of the Visigoths' tombs found along the way. You can explore the cemetery, made up of fifteen or so graves, at the corner of a path in the middle of shrub land.

An interesting circular route through vineyards and heath around the Plaine de Moussoulens.

A short walk, sheltered from the sun and wind for almost the entire length as it is in the forest. It had been marked in blue for an event and these markings remain visible in 2016 – but for how long? In two places, we follow paths that are not shown on the IGN map. Hence the importance of following the Visorando route.

An easy walk through fields and woodland. Well signposted in yellow. Three signs reading ‘Entre puits et heaths’ indicate that you are on the right track.

An easy walk through woods and fields. A lovely climb through the forest alongside the Moureau stream.

Close to Carcassonne, this walk, which can be enjoyed with family or friends, is not difficult and offers beautiful views of the plain and the Montagne Noire.

Part of a larger 13km circular, this fairly easy walk allows you to discover two ancient villages and breathe in the tranquillity of the banks of the Canal du Midi.

This challenging hike involves four successive ascents and descents in the foothills of the Montagne Noire. It offers a wide variety of places and views throughout the day. To complete this loop, we have cleared a path through broom and holm oak trees. The GPX track is essential for following this section, which is approximately 400 m long, from the point (10). The rest of the hike is on well-marked trails. Note the crossing of the Ruisseau de La Grave (at an altitude of 397 m), which can be tricky if the flow is strong.

A circular route starting from the village of Les Ilhes-Cabardès. A few demanding climbs allow you to discover the unspoilt nature and mountain ranges in this area, which was occupied by the Maquis during the Second World War.

Magnificent landscapes on the border between Haut-Cabardès and Minervois for a circular route that follows the GR®36 on the way back from the foot of Pradelles-Cabardès, taking an old Roman road. Breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, except for the Tramontane wind.

Many points of interest along the route: arboretum, lime kilns, dolmen, legend, remarkable tree...

This hike in the Cabardès initially follows the ‘path of remembrance’ leading to the Grotte du Maquis de Trassanel, infamous for the number of Resistance fighters killed there by the occupying forces on 8 August 1944. On a lighter note, the route continues past the two remarkable viewpoints of Roc d’Agnel and Roc de l’Aigle before returning along the ridges, crossing a Natura 2000 protected area. A harmonious blend of history and unspoilt nature on the borders of the Montagne Noire and the Minervois. Several informative panels, rich in insights into the area’s geology and biosphere, are well worth a closer look.

Lake Cavayère is the place to visit in Carcassonne when the sun is out. The path around the lake is laid out clearly and is very easy to follow even with children (over ten years). The ever present lake provides a very pleasant setting.

Hike on wide, often passable paths. We are in the low mountains with views of the Pyrenees and various villages in the Montagne Noire.

A walk through woods and fields. The first kilometre is a bit muddy after heavy rain.

This walk was created by the association "Environnement, territoires et paysages" (Environment, Territories and Landscapes). Another description can be found at the Brousses town hall or at the paper mill. Half of the route is on tarmac roads, but with wide, well-mowed verges that allow you to walk on the grass. This walk is particularly enjoyable after heavy rainfall, as in 2018/2019.

This route was created by the association "Environnement, Territoires et Paysages" and is very well marked with yellow lines in accordance with FFRP coding. Every slightly complicated crossroads has been clearly marked. Very well protected, it can be done in both winter and summer. Two or three fords have been damaged by the floods of 15 October 2018, but they can be crossed without any problems. You can visit the town hall website to download another description of this hike.

A mid-season hike as it’s always exposed to the sun and wind. It climbs for 3.5 km before heading back down… obviously!

To complete a loop in the Montagne Noire on unmarked, poorly marked and rarely used paths, we have opened up a few sections of trail that allowed us to enjoy an unusual experience in a little-known area. If you like adventure, don't forget to take the GPX track with you!

Loop, on little-known trails or ones we create, reserved for experienced walkers who are willing to follow the GPX track and are not afraid to take poorly marked trails, most of which are unmarked.

Between rocks, caves and passes, this hike starting from the Gouffre Géant de Cabrespine offers beautiful views of the Minervois plain, the Corbières massif and, weather permitting, the Pyrenees mountain range.

This varied walk first takes you to the Roc du Tonnerre, offering a superb 360° panorama: the Pic de Nore and the Haut Cabardès wind farm to the north, and the Minervois, the Corbières and the Pyrenees to the south. The second part takes you through six of the seven charming hamlets that make up the village of Castans, whose town hall and church are located in one of them, Laviale. Vast open spaces and stretches through magnificent woodland of conifers and beech trees alternate pleasantly, making you forget the final section on the road – a result of the floods in the winter of 2023, which have rendered the footbridge over the Ruisseau de Serremijeanne temporarily impassable.

A magnificent circular hike around Cabrespine offering beautiful 360° views, walks through fragrant heath scrubland in bloom (especially in spring), surprising caves (best visited with a head torch) and historical remains (a Roman road, a castle, etc.).

A lovely, varied hike with alternating limestone and schist formations and many beautiful views (as far as the Pyrenees).

A loop trail to discover the sheepfolds of yesteryear and enjoy beautiful views of the Pyrenees, the Montagne Noire and the Pic de Nore.