Les clapas. St Chinian

Les clapas. St Chinian. 10km, 3h15. Blue markers. This is a lovely walk, listed as easy. It is easy apart from the loop. (I think the 7.5km walk that does not take in the loop above Le Bousquet is easy but this loop involves a tricky climb up a huge stone walled area that you have to walk alone for some time, so don't take this loop unless you feel stable walking on piles of rock). The walk starts at the market car park in St Chinian but we started the walk from Fonjun. There is very little parking there but good parking at the col on the D612 just above the village. We walked up to join the route just through the village, then left following the blue markers on a wide track alongside the vines. The route turns left and up past a field with some very friendly goats and kids. Continue up the hill to reach a viewpoint. The track has beautiful views throughout but here the views look down on the town of Cebazan. Now the route bear right and rounds the hill where the views are across the valley and you will enjoy the warm scent of pines. After the little round pines the track winds down to a picnic area with good benches and a restored limeburners. This is also the point where two routes converge so take care to continue to your right up the hill. The route is straight here on a good track until it reaches a junction of tracks. Here you need to decide whether you wish to undertake the 7km or 10km walk. If taking the longer route turn left and go up to another great viewpoint. The path becomes narrow and tricky to walk down on a crumbly surface. When you reach a junction of paths with a signpost turn right, the path going down is for another walk. The path goes across and down with lovely views of the valley and the castle ruins below until you reach a large stone wall with long blue markers. It's seems rather strange but here you go up to your right onto the stone wall. It's an enormous,long pile of stones that stretches for quite a long way. You need to walk along the stone "wall" for a reasonable distance. Take care here, the rocks are not loose or rolly but they are neither "Easy" either. After the stone wall the route turns left and down to a small path that runs alongside vines and capitelles. There are lots of stone huts on this route but here there are many. After the route bears left once again it soon turns to the right with more views into the St chinian valley. The route returns to the junction where you left it with a couple of twists along the way but just watch for the blue markers. At the junction turn left to go down the hill but watch out for a small turn to your right near the top. Don't worry if you miss it as you can continue along the road and turn right just before the road. The little path runs down through the fields to reach the ruins of another building that looks to be a limeburners once again.There is an ancient windmill just across the hillside here, above the town. Go straight over and past the ruins to reach a junction. This is where the route comes up from St Chinian so it may be your end point but we turn right to continue on to Fonjun. The route twists right and then left through a pretty valley of orchards and vines, then up to a wild area of garrigue on the causse above the main road. Soon the path turns left and down to reach your start point just before the village. Walk back through the village, if you park on the col be careful of the lorries on the main road, it's only a short distance but there is no pavement, probably why the route was designed to start from St Chinian, but their is no climb up to the causse from Fonjun.