Olargues, Saint-Martin des œufs

Olargues, Saint-Martin des œufs, (Les Codouls, Les Sagnes), Le Cros, Rouillouse Ravine. 7.4km. 2 hours. Mostly marked with blue or blue/white markers. This is a lovely walk with beautiful views of the Jaur valley, the Espinouse mountains and the Avant Monts. Olargues. Park next to the Pont du Diable on the D908 in Olagues. There is a lovely bakers and villages stores for picnic items or 2 bars and a restaurant in the village. From the Pont du Diable head out of Olargues and after about 50m you will see a small concrete track on your right. Take this track up the hill. The track bends to the right at a junction just before it reaches the road. Continue on up the hill will wonderful views across to St Vincent d'Olargues and the Espinouse. The view is lovely and open across the valley here. Mas du Gue is below you to your left as you turn right up the hill and into the woods. Soon you will cross a tiny col and have wonderful views of the Jaur valley looking east towards Mons La Trivalle and the Caroux. A little further and you will come to a lovely peaceful little spot, the little chapel of Saint-Martin des œufs. It's perfect for a picnic with its picnic bench and shade in the summer. Now continue to your right along the track to the road, (or take the tiny grassy path up to the Les Codouls down to Les Sagnes and through the little cherry orchard route) turn right down to Le Cros. Turn right into the hamlet and keep on the concrete track down to the next right turn. The track turns right again once in the trees and follows the Rouillouse Ravine with it's pretty stream beside you past olives and old stone walls. Soon you will return to the D908. Here I'm afraid you have to turn right and return about 500m along the road to reach the old bridge. Do spend some time in the village if you don't know it. It's one of the most beautiful villages of France, with its tower and castle at the top of the hill, lovely old streets, museum in the old town staircase, the beautiful bridges and the lovely River jaur.

Le tour du Bessio, Le Billiere near Lamalou-les-bains, Herault.

Le tour du Bessio. Starting at Le Billiere.All little track roads, nice easy walking with lovely views. 1H.30 Accessed from the Lamalou-les-bains on the D22 and parking behind the old school opposite the church. turn left and walk through the villa. ge turning eminently left as you leave the village. The little road goes uphill with lots of orchids on the sides of the track. The bear right continuing uphill. At a junction turn right, looping left and joining a small road at the top of the hill leading into Le Tourel. Walk into the hamlet and turn left down on a left loop turning back under the hamlet. Continue on this track marked red/white GR to reach a stone barn. Now turn right downhill on the GR marked route to reach a tiny stream, Keep left and continue down to the hamlet of Le Cros where you cross the bridge. The river here is really beautiful, with a tantalisingly lovely little path beside it. Keep left through the hamlet and stay on the track until you turn left leaving the GR over the little bridge marked by a cross. (There's a sad little story here of two children drowning in the river in 1867, they were only 17 and 12 years old. A reminder of the power of this river, it being the one that engulfed the lovely little town of Lamalou-les-bains a couple of winters ago during a mountain storm). Although the hillsides are covered in chestnuts here, several fields have been beautiful cultivated here with young chestnut trees. At the junction, turn left where work is being undertaken to repair storm damage to the road. You will shortly return to the village. A map is on my last picture but as the walk is largely unmarked. I would suggest that you use the IGN map -Lamalou-les-bains and purchase the great little book Chemins du Haut Languedoc Caroux.

The hamlets of the Jaur, Olargues.

The hamlets of the Jaur. No markings. Just a lovely ramble following little tracks and returning on the voie verte. About 8- 9km. Allow a couple of hours. Parking at Olargues on the bypass road. This parking spot is beside the river Jaur and in itself a glorious location and a favourite swimming spot for locals in the summer. Now turn left and walk a few yards up the road to reach a little track on your right between a couple of houses. This little road winds up the hill beside the stream to Le Cros. Keep right at the first junction, left at the next and left again once you reach where it turns into a newly concreted road up to the hamlet itself. There is lots of cherry blossom up here and watch out for orchids too. Once in the hamlet turn right onto the road, we then kept right on a little track in a pretty dip. Taking the next left uphill path to the road near La Fabregue Haute. We kept right and went past Les Castagnes taking the road down to the beautiful Priere de st Julien. If you turn right here you can visit the priory and rejoin the road further down.This is a nice place for a picnic. Just before the road D908, you will see a little path to your right which will take you up through trees to the voie verte. If you miss this don't worry, a few yards down the main road are some concrete gateposts, take the second track here to rejoin the route. Now you have an easy and very lovely walk down the cycle/walking route back to Olargues. The birdsong was particularly wonderful here, almost like being in an avery. The views on this walk are just gorgeous, a little peace of heaven, up to the Espinouse, Caroux and across to the Avant Monts. Cherry blossom, wildflowers and streams everywhere. Deliciously beautiful, like eating iced buns on a Sunday. If you want to walk the voie verte or enjoy a cycle ride in the area you may like to stay in Olargues. It's such a lovely place. I can recommend this lovely place to stay for either B/B or with a wonderfully cooked evening meal of local ingredients. It's run by a lovely couple. Speaking both English and French and it's right in the centre of the village in one of the lovely little lanes. http://www.olargues.co.uk/