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.

The chemin de Carballes on the Les Trois Tours, A walk in the Languedoc .

 The chemin de Carballes on the Les Trois Tours has so much history to discover.

 Lots of information boards and lovely names for each dwelling. The area called the Frog is where two ancient routes met and if you look carefully you will see him sitting beside the road. 

There were lots of flowers on the walk including early orchids. There is also sign lovely signs about the flowers which grow there near the windmills. 

 Children will love this walk. Adults will be fascinated and dogs will enjoy it too!

Mons to Compeyre.

A glorious walk today, crossing the whole mountain range from Mons(south) to St Gervais sur Mare(north). 8h 20km. D grade. Starting in Mons I followed the red/yellow markers to the gorge d'heric. Then up the little gorge road to the hamlet of Heric. (It's a nice place for a rest is you fancy and drink or an ice cream). I had my usual flask of coffee and picnic lunch with me so turning left into the hamlet and then right onto the yellow marked Col du Salis path up went up hill to the first abandoned houses for my first coffee break( wonderful views here of the Fourcat d'heric and down to the gorge. The trail continues to the col du Salis. Here you continue on into the Mouflon sanctuary, through lovely beech woods and on to a pretty glade and stream at Le Vialais(a nice place to stop for a picnic). Now turn right up hill to the col de l'Ourtigas, being careful to follow the yellow markers once again. At the col turn right and cross the road to a small parking area and walking path signs. Take the yellow/red path down through the woods to Caissenols le Haut (a small abandoned hamlet) This trail starts off quite steep and is also marked with blue makers and small cairns. In this first hamlet turn left and continue on to the next abandoned hamlet of Caissenols le bas. Eventually the trail leaves the coolness of the woods and comes out in the valley with stunning views of the purple heather above. Passing through the remarkable Portail de Roquandouire ( a col with a rock formation making a doorway).Here keeping to the yellow/red markers head up to the Serre de More. The views here are breath taking in every direction. Over the rocky top and down through the heather; filled with the wonderful sound of tiny buzzing bees. This is a beautiful ridge that leads all the way down to a little wood just outside Compeyre, just south of St Gerais sur Mare. Turning left after the bridge you pass a delightful tiny chapel(Chapelle st Barthelemy). It is such a beautiful walk, you have to keep stopping and having another coffee break, just because you don't want it all to end! I was able to get a lift home but you could leave a car in St Gervais, get a bus or stay overnight and return by one of the other beautiful routes. I saw another 3 more that I want to complete while I was up there.

Circuit; le Vialais.

A circular walk from Douch. Circuit; le Vialais. A lovely walk taking around 4.30h 11km. C Grade. The walk is quite long and in parts a little difficult with loose stones or uphill sections. Follow the yellow markers from Douch up to the col de l'Airole. The route continues to the right and a little more up hill before going down to the col du Salis. Going down here can be quite tricky with lose stones. At the col turn right and walk through the beautiful valley within the lovely mouflon sanctuary. Keep to the paths and listen out for mouflon. There are lots to be seen during the autumn, winter and spring. When you reach a pretty glade with a lovely stream you turn right once again and uphill this time to the next col. (The glade is a lovely place for a picnic). Make sure that you follow the trail to the left now, as the other one is restricted. At the col de l'Ourtigas you come out at a small parking area. Left this on your right and look for a track on the same side of the road a few metres away. This track leads uphill through a wood (the large rock on your left here is also a lovely place for a break). As you leave the woodland you turn right once again and follow the track to the top of the hill. Finally turning to the left on this and keeping straight on this path all the way back to the col du Tircondel and then left and down hill into Douch. This walk was completed in late September when the heather was just going over.

La Volute, Mons La trivalle.

A pretty walk down to La Volute this afternoon. From the village of Mons take the blue marked path past the church and down to piste vert, turn left then into the village of La Trivalle. Here cross the bridge and take the Chemin to La Voulte to the left. Follow this road to the hamlet of La Voulte. At the lovely church look for a tiny path next to a small ruin near the church, follow this, a bit like Alice down the rabbit hole to the castle ruins and a wonderful view back to the church. You can continue on this trail all the way to the river or go back to the church and then up to a crossroads where you take the track on the right through the vines, which are wonderful at the moment (marked blue). This path goes down to the river and then up through the garrigue, turning right and back to La Trivalle. Take the road between the shop and the Auberge back up the hill Mons. You can park by the church in Mons. 1h 2km. Grade B.