Circuit of Cassagnoles

Circuit of Cassagnoles, 7km, 2.15H easy. No waymakers. Such a beautiful walk on the old paths above St Etienne d'Albagnan. On this route you will enjoy glorious views of the Espinouse mountains, Somail and the beautiful Caroux.

The route is very varied and uses track, tiny stone paths, twists up open hillsides and through lovely old chest woods.

There are little hamlets, streams and even a magical pool to side and picnic beside.

Start by drive up and through the tiny hamlet of Cassagnoles,parking can be found in a large area where there is a turn around place.

Walk back down the little lane and on your left you will see a small rough track, follow this up and around past a small stream.

There is a short cut on a tiny path just past this turn over a broken wall but we continued on the track down along the wall with lovely open views across the valley to slopes that in summer are covered in heather.

When you are above the mill buildings below the track turns left and descends to wider track (the track is quite undefined here).

Once onto the wider track turn left and go uphill past a little clearing with a hunters lodge and tower in it.

The bench here makes a good spot for a coffee break, with lovely views down towards the caroux.

Keep going up on this track with beautiful views over the meadows at Pradels and descend down towards Violgues.

Before reaching the hamlet turn left up a steep track and ignore the first turns to your right but shortly at a small col you will find you come to a split in the tracks. Take the smaller one to your right.

This heads towards an area that was once cultivated with vines but is now overgrown. Your view are now to the west.

The track splits again, but be sure to take the more overgrown top track to your right. This goes past a little stone building and between two fields of small olive trees. It doesn't look much like a path here but it is, so stick with it.

Very soon you leave the field and pass into chestnut trees. The little old path has an electric fence on one side, I was not sure if it was working. The path descends to a junction where you take the path to your right (you can hear the stream here and as it gets closer you will see the tiny stone bridge and then the very lovely large pool with little waterfalls.

This makes a wonderful spot for a picnic, so enjoy this little bit of heaven before continuing on the tiny path along through the chestnut woods.

The path comes out in La Calagno. Now descend left at the corner of the building, on a very tiny stone path between two small low stone walls. The chestnuts here are very lovely in open glades with grass under them.

The path itself seems to double as a stream but it's not really wet, just bubbling through the stones. Ignore the left-hand path and keep to the top one which now descends down to join another track leading to a bridge on the left.

Go over the bridge and keep right past the Mas du Rieu (farm). There were loads of sheep going up to the pastures as we came by, a very pretty sight.

This broad track now follow the stream down to a fork in the track. Descend to the right on a small unmade road, pass a couple of houses and back to the car. Very lovely walk.