Le Sommit du Caroux

Le Sommit du Caroux. 3H . 8km. (grade B/C). No real difficulties with this walk. It's a lovely one for all the family. Park in the car park at Douch. On your right you will see a barrier at the end of the car park. Follow the yellow markers and head up on the ZIg zag track to reach two stones on your right that mark the path that lead to the summit. From the summit you head south and down to join the GR7 where you turn right and head over a broad walk over a bog (keep left where the track divides). The track enters woods and then turns left to the table d'orientation. At a small refuge hut turn right and head through beech woods and the heath, before heading down to the hamlet of Douch.

Mons to Olargues. Voie verte.

A walk to Olargues along the cycle track from Mons. The bell tower is 12th century, as is the beautiful Pont Du Diable (Devils bridge). The beautiful little old street surrounds the south facing side of the castle ruins. Most of the old houses date from the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries. There are two little bars, a restaurant or two, a lovely bakers, butchers, pottery, tabac, general stores, pharmacy and a number of other lovely little shops dotted around the village. The village is on the Jaur river and surrounded by mountains.
If you walk from Mons to Olargues along the cycle track allow 40 minutes each way. It's always nice to have lunch there so don't rush your walk.

The Circuit of La Gleizo.

This is my amazing walk from earlier this week. The Circuit of La Gleizo. 
3H. 6.4km. (grade D). 490m of assent. It's not a practically long walk but there are lots of rocky areas, scree slopes and it's not always easy to follow the markers so be very careful. If you can't see on of the markers back track to where you last saw one as you don't want to lose the trail up there. The route starts in Mons. Park near the church, turn right and go up through the first small road following the red/yellow markers until they turn off left between two houses. Continue on until you come to some green wire fencing. Keep to the left of it and past the wooden gate which will be on your right. The small path leads up through pine and chestnut wooded terraces (follow red dotted/line markers) until you come to two small ruins. Go between these and keep following the markers up the side of the gorge. It will often be difficult to see them. There are wonderful views here of the valley. Continue on until you come to an old mine on a scree slope go over this and continue to the first col.(here you will find a signpost, where you can go to the right to look at a view from the rocks). The path goes on up and over to more scree slopes and through wooded slopes until you finally come to another col. Go around the large pine trees to the left.(these trees mark the point that you turn if you are doing this walk in reverse).You will find another signpost here. Keep going up the slope and it will get more difficult as you get onto the scree slope proper (there has been quite a bit of rock movement here in the storms so be careful).Finally you arrive at the col de Roujas. At this point the markers change to yellow. There are fantastic views to the north and the south here, enjoy. Now turn right and you will soon come another view point. This time over the ravine and down into the Jaur valley. Keep following the yellow markers through the chestnut woods, the will be views on your right soon of the Roc de La Gleyzo. Keep going down through the woods until it joins the ravine path. Turn left onto this and follow the yellow/red markers back to Mons.(there are lots of other coloured markers on this path but don't worry about them. Just before you get into Mons you will have more great views to the west and the south. It's a fantastic walk this one, but keep safe, watch your trail, be careful of mossy rocks in the woods and stones moving on the loose slopes.

Mons La Trivalle.

A misty morning walk in Mons La Trivalle, before a lovely day. 
Blue walk. 

Le Cirque de Moureze.

A short walk around Le Cirque de Moureze. A relatively easy walk, I say this because it's rather difficult underfoot, if you don't mind a bit of clambering about it's great.(Grade B). 1h, 3km. The village has a lovely little restaurant near the car park (2 Euros). Follow the yellow markers through the village and around the rocky paths. The area is full of lovely flowering plants and beautiful views. If you feel more energetic there are three other rather wonderful walks which start from the same place.

Caroux

A beautiful walk on the Caroux. Takes about 5.30h to 6h(with a couple of picnic/coffee stops) and is fairly difficult.(D grade), 14km. From Mons it's a little further but the little village is a pretty place to park and parking is free. If you park in the gorge car park you only pay from April to September. Take the path from the car park to the first little bridge. There is a sign here for the Sentier des Gardes path, which takes one hour to climb to the col de Bartouyre following the yellow markers. Keep going along the path, past the col and one zig zag up until you find 3 signs ( be very careful here not to follow the red and yellow signs). Here follow the red dots to the Refuge de font Salesse. this takes another hour up but with a picnic on the way and all the wonderful views it's worth the effort. Now follow yellow markers once again (also red/white GR7) until you can see the village of Douche. Turn left here and walk towards the gorge until you come to a stone with a small orange triangle on it (don't worry you're not going climbing, that's the other way!) No go down this little track to re-join the GR7 at the col de l'Airole. Turn left onto this path and head down through the chestnut woods to Heric. You can have a drink, ice cream,snack or even a beer here at the pretty little café. Now turn left onto the Heric gorge road/path back down to the car park.

Mons to Olargues

From Mons to Olargues. Allow 3 to 4 hours (it only takes 2 to 3 but it's so interesting that you will want to spend time in Olargues). Grade B . Park in the car park near the church in Mons. Take the small road with blue markers down to the Piste vert and the turn right onto the cycle track its self. Follow this route all the way until you cross the red bridge in Olargues. After the bridge turn right into the village and take the little road at this end of the village that winds its way up to the castle. The views at the castle are wonderful and it a lovely place for a picnic too. Leave the castle by taking a small path at the western end of the site which winds back down a different route to the end of the middle street and the beautiful old bridge. You can enjoy the bridge for a few minutes then go back through the lovely main street in Olargues with its delightful old buildings, shops, galleries and potteries. Finally coming back out in the square cross the road once again and head back to Mons. When you get to a small olive grove just before a stone bridge, cross the olive grove and come up onto the small road leading up to Les Pradals. It's not busy and has lovely views of the valley. Don't turn left into the village of Les Pradals at the top of the hill. Keep going and it leads you back to Mons.

Caroux walk from Mons.

A walk from the gorge d'heric up to the Refuge de Font Salesse and back via Heric to the car park. Start in the Car park. Allow 6 hours. Grade D. 13km. Go up to the pont des soupirs (the small foot bridge when you first come into the gorge). Cross and take the footpath to the left. Its a steep path and requires effort and caution. This path has red/yellow and yellow markers. At the col de Bartouyre you pass through some cool woods before coming out on to a view point. After one switch back you come to a junction. (The yellow path goes down to your right, the yellow/red to the right too). Take the red spotted trail to the left . This continues to wind up over the rocky mountainside until you reach a small beach wood at the top. Here you will find the Refuge de Font Salesse, a small hut for protection in bad weather. There is a picnic area under the trees here go to the left of the hut and keep following the red/white or yellow markers until you come to a junction of paths. leave the main path turning left and follow the occasional orange triangle until you see some rocks and a small path leading down to the GR7. Turn left onto the GR7 red/white markers, follow the path down through the woods to Heric( this path becomes a little broken and difficult near Heric). Before the hamlet take the main track down the gorge back to the car park. Its a long way down.