Ceps. l'Ayrolle.

Ceps. l'Ayrolle. For our walk this morning. Yellow markers. 3H 30m. This is a 10km circuit, taking in the lovely les gorges de l'Orb, the village of Vieussan, views of the Caroux and then back down the return valley to Ceps where the fields are packed with beautiful cared for vines. We didn't do the whole walk today as it was rather damp but it made a lovely walk before the Mimosa festival in Roquebrun to walk up the Orb .

The walk starts by parking in Ceps. There is a walkers car park over the bridge. Start at the walks signpost near the bridge on the village side and go under it to pick up a little track. The track winds it's way, following yellow markers up the gorges of the orb to Boissezon, with wonderful views of the valley, gorge and the pretty village of Vieussan. You can cross the bridge here to enjoy the village  with its restaurant and little shop for picnic items. Just before Boissezon take a track to your left up the valley to join the road. Turn left. The road takes a couple of zig zags up to the col. At the col you can decide whether you would rather walk through the woods on the hill and staying on the yellow route or taking the track to the right (cycle track) which winds down through pretty vineyards. Both are nice and easy to follow. They both end up at Ceps. 

Vieussan

A short morning walk at Vieussan yesterday. A lovely village with a Tour, beautiful walks, a shop, cafe by the Orb and parking on the road up to the village. Follow blue signs for local walks. Red for the old tower.

Vieussan

An amazingly wonderful walk, with stunningly beautiful scenery, a delightful village, super tower to visit, lime kilns, mountains and a little excitement onroute. Vieussan. Blue/yellow. 4.5km but it feels like 7km. 2H but allow longer as the views are stunning and you will want to go off to look at the tour and the special viewpoint. Don't underestimate this walk as it's not what I would call easy even if it is relatively short. There is quite a bit of climbing and in parts the route can be difficult. Take the D14 to Vieussan and park in the village. There is plenty of parking up on the road into the village, don't park down by the little shop on the D14. Walk into the village and just before the first arch there is a turn to the left. This little path takes you up and out of the village to the tower. Soon you will see a red sign for the Tour. It's not far up and worth a visit, just a little bit of climbing. The views here are beautiful even if you are unable to do the rest of the walk. Return to the path and head north. It's a lovely little path above the road and river. You should see a lime kiln soon. The path descends to the road and you then have to turn right and walk the short distance up to the pottery. Just before the pottery you will see a track to your right. Take this and follow the stream up the valley. It's not an easy route over rock, but there are little steps on the rock to help. The path twist back and forth over the stream. At one point you will see the blue path going to your right and white dots to your left. The blue route goes up and back down to avoid a difficult rock in the stream. If you prefer take the white route and hold the chain to climb the rock then you will rejoin the blue trail on the other side. The route continues up the stream but after a while you will see a yellow route to your right. Leave the blue blue and take the yellow route sharply up hill. Continue on this path until you see a red sign. It's up to you if you take this diversion but if you don't you will miss out on the most stunning views of the whole walk. Here you see all the valley, the Caroux and gorge and the beautiful Espinouse. There is a little house here, with a tiny garden which makes a good lunch spot out of the wind but if it's not windy go on a little way and you will find the best lunch spot of all, with views to delight. Now return to the yellow path and continue towards the village. I think there is another lime kiln here. Soon you will have views down to the tower and the village. So beautiful in the sunshine. Just before the tower there is a choice of paths. Go down to your left and then turn right onto the little path that leads back into the village, marked blue. It would not be a good idea to do this walk in wet weather or after heavy rain as you follow the stream, crossing it many times. Enjoy.

Ceps to the col du Bac

From Ceps on the Orb up the cycle track to the col du Bac. This was yesterday's walk and picnic. We even managed to avoid the rain.

The whole route continues up over the col and down to Vieussan where it follows the Orb back down to Ceps (two valleys).

Another variation is to take the cycle track up to the col du bac and then return without crossing the col on the yellow route in the forested hillside back to Ceps- this walk stays in the same valley.  Ceps is a lovely old hamlet and well worth a little wander around.

Mons to Vieussan, a walk over the col de Courbou. Languedoc.

Mons to Vieussan via Coasteplane, Courbou and the col de Courbou. Around 8km-10km. 3.30H . A lovely little route, but a variation on the way that I normally take.

Leaving Mons by taking the bridge down to Ornac, once in the village I meet a lovely old gentleman who told me about a pretty route on a little old path, so I decided that I must try it. In the hamlet beside the first house to the left there is a small track down to the river. Take this and it passes some nice vineyards and gardens with fruit trees. 

Pass the small track on your left and keep along the edge of the vineyard. The track goes down a little more and then crosses a small stream. Once over the stream take the little path uphill that stays on the right of the stream. The path here is rocky and fairly steep but eases off a little soon, before becoming steeper once more but not rocky. 

The path, although in the little holme oak woods is very pretty with lots of orchids on its edges. Further up the views open up of the Caroux, Espinouse  and the villages of the Orb and Jaur valleys. There are lots of wonderful flowers nearer to the top. 

The lower part of the path is marked with a few cairns but after a while you will see some yellow markers too. Finally the path joins a larger track just past the houses of Coasteplane. 

Turn left onto the track and walk a little downhill towards Courbou. There were cowslips here and lovely views though the chestnuts. When you reach Courbou go past the houses, there is a little left turn that takes you back down another small path, but go straight on (there are still yellow markers). The small track goes alongside the pretty buildings and leads to a stream which you cross where the path bears left and becomes narrower.

Now the path climbs up a rocky path to the col de Courbou. Here you will find a junction, which you need to cross over and take the opposite track that leads downhill on the other side of the col (red/yellow markers). Stay on this wide track until you almost reach a road, follow the red/yellow markers to your left for a short while then go down the first little  path on your left. This is quite steep, keep going downhill and don't turn off it.

It winds down through the valley crossing a stream on a bend and comes out at the road not far from the bridge in Vieussan. I stay on the road now but it is possible to use the little path below the road. Cross the lovely bridge, enjoy the views of the river and if you are able to find either the Blue Lizard restaurant or the local shop open enjoy the resentments on offer.

Now this is the tricky bit. Getting back. I have walked up the road to Mons before but it's not the best of routes although the scenery is nice. There is a bus service sometimes but if you can get a lift you have hit the jackpot.

Mons to Ceps, returning via Vieussan

Mons to Ceps, returning via Vieussan. 20km -25km. 6 to 8 hours. A beautiful route form a spring walk. Starting in Mons(car park by the church or down in La Trivalle) go into La trivalle and cross the bridge. Here turn right after the bridge and head down a small road to Ornac, in the hamlet take the tiny concert road to Carnoulet,then on to Fenouillede. Here take the left track and on up to Costeplane. Don't take the tiny path back downhill through the woods, there is one that goes to the left of the hamlet (house) and on to Courbou (down hill to the right). Again here be careful to take the trail on to the col de Courbou(follow the cycle trail signs), not the small trail on the left. This trail is smaller and goes past the hamlet and on through the scrub to the col with lovely views to the north and now to the south. Here you cross the larger track and take the one with red/yellow signs downhill to the right.( not the forest trails going uphill or downhill). This trail leads down to the col du Bac where you cross the road and take the trail to the right (marked with cycle trail markers). This trail leads down through the vineyards and turns left just south of the village of Ceps. Go through the village, picking up the yellow marked trail under the bridge. This goes up hill to become a smaller path, with lovely views of the river Orb. When you get to Boissezon you can either go the same way back to Mons via the col du Bac, walk the road back to Mons via Tarassac or get a bus. Vieussan is very pretty and there is a good way to cut over the hill through the village and castle then down a blue path to the road. There is a nice restaurant called Le Lezard bleu.http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g2137471-d40…
If you walk in spring time there are many different varieties of orchids and lizards about, watch out for the big blue and yellow lizards.