L'Arboussie, Roquebrun

L'Arboussie, Roquebrun. blue markers, 9km, 3h,(but it only took me just over 2 walking on my own with Phoebe, the rain might have helped too). The walk starts from the OT in Roquebrun. Walk over the bridge and turn right to walk on the little river that runs beside the River Orb, it was a wild river today after last night's stormy weather. after about 1km take a small track road on your left, up hill, don't turn off it until you reach a small hut. (There is also a short 1h20 4km, variant of this walk that turns back at this point). Turn right here and at the next junction keep straight on. The track continues uphill, quite stiffly for sometime to reach the top. There are lovely views of the vineyards, hills and mountains. At the top you can even see the Pyrenees in the distance. This hill is covered in garrigue, with green oak, strawberry trees, lavender, cistus and tree heathers but once you reach the top you will see a little stone building in the vineyard and a lovely view of the Berlou valley. Keep left and continue down the hill but then keep right on the bend. The track continues towards Berlou and slightly uphill before taking another turn on a bend to the left and heading down into the valley. (As you approach the valley road you may hear the waterfall, it's not on this route but can be visited if you turn right onto the road and walk up to the bridge). Once you reach the road turn left and continue until you come to the top of the hill. The route leaves the road here and goes back onto the vineyard tracks. Continue on down until you reach a junction continuing on the main track.At the next junction turn left down the hill. Keep on this track all the way back to the road. At this crossing point cross over to a track on the other side of the road past the horse fields, a little chapel on the hill and alongside the river orb once again. Soon you will reach the wide beach at Roquebrun with the beautiful view of the village. Cross the bridge once again to the start point. There are several small bars for refreshments here, a local shop, restaurants and the Mediterranean garden with its beautiful views at the top of the hill. Walk 64 of the Pays Haut Languedoc walks box. 12 Euros from local tourist offices.

Les Bousigues, Assignan

Les Bousigues, Assignan. 7km / 2h15. blue markers. Beautiful walk in the vines and on the causes of Assignan today. Map at end of post. No 28 of the box of leaflet walks. The walk starts at the church. The is a small parking area there or use the main car park just up the road. Cross over the small roundabout and you will find the starter map post. Walk down the little lane and turn left, then right straight away. The small track track you up through the vines to the top of the hill. Here you reach the road. Cross the road and walk a short distance to a small track on your left. The track does a small loop away from the road and nearly returns to the road a couple of times before heading left up a hill and onto a high flat causse covered in rosemary and juniper. After sometime you return to the road just before the village of Villespassans. Cross the road and head down the track. the track bears right and along the top of another lovely causse before dropping down and dropping left. After passing through the garrigue once again you come to a valley with vineyards at the bottom. The path drops down into this pretty valley and turns left beside the red soils of the hillside. After s while you cross the vineyards to the other side of the valley and go up the hill. As you turn right once again you will come to the top of another valley filled with vineyards. The little lane passes olives too and a couple of crosses before keeping left at a junction of lanes and heading up to the village. Take a look at the village and the old pigeon tower too while you are here. It's a very lovely walk with excellent and far reaching views all the way 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.

l'Arboussie, Roquebrun. A beautiful walk through the Languedoc vineyards.

l'Arboussie, Roquebrun. 10km / 3h. Blue markings. A glorious walk leaving from Roquebrun and heading up through beauitful vineyards with wonderful views of the Caroux and Espinouse and even down to the snowy Pyrenees. The route passes through lush garrigue, the whole route is lined  with an abundance of wild flowers of every colour. Bird song too and even some interesting signs about the grapes varieties.

Park in the little car park near the Tourist information and turn right onto the bridge. At the bridge turn right onto a little road which passes beside the beautiful river(you can also choose to take another track over the vineyards above if you prefer). 

You come to a left turn and take this uphill to another junction where you turn right beside a small mazet with signs for the walk.  Later you cross a junction and keep straight on up the hill ignoring any other side routes. You now find that the route bears to the left as it reaches the top with a beautiful view down to Roquebrun and over to the Caroux.

You will then see a house at the top of the hill on your right but keep left hill and go down the hill past the pretty vineyard building. The route bear right at a no through sign and continues do the hill until it reaches a little road where you turn left. Keep on this road for a short while and soon you will see a left turn at the top of a rise. 

This track winds down through the vineyards until it comes to the D14. Cross the road and take the little track opposite. This bears to the left and keeps to the left of the river. You will come to the end of the wide track and continue on the smaller path to reach the beach area of the river with more lovely views of Roquebrun. 

At the end of the beach take the steps to your right and turn right to go back over the bridge and the car park. The views on this walk are just so beautiful and if I could bottle the sounds of birds and the rich smells of the flowers in the garrigue, the wonderful pines, I would, but it's such a lovely walk, I will leave it to you to enjoy

Le Roc Rouge, A lovely walk above Bedarieux, Languedoc.

Le Roc Rouge, Bedarieux. 5.5km / 1.30h  Blue markings. A lovely varied little walk, up to the rocks with fantastic views of the Orb valley, Caroux, Avant Monts and the Monts de Orb. Then over beautiful little Causses, woodland and garrigue.

The walk starts at a junction of the D146/D908, park on the Rue des Sablons (it's not far from the school, beside a roundabout with a blue sculpture). Walk up this little road to join a little chemin and cross the road to another chemin with a sign for climbing on the Roc Rouge.

Take this little path which is marked blue. The track climbs quite steeply here (There are also new yellow markers here that go as far as the Roc Rouge). The track goes up hill and turns slightly to the left before reaching  a sign for the climbing routes. Keep straight on here on a small path the goes right to the top of the rocks.

You come to a junction of little paths, (the yellow path leaves to your left but it's worth a detour along the edge of the cliff to see the views and small stone huts that dot the landscape,lots of orchids up here too). At this junction go straight on, the path descends between beautiful old stone walls that divide the once farmed little fields. Here there are lots of little mazets that have been long forgotten, it's another world.

You now keep straight on when you reach a turning to the right and the track descends gradually through woodland and garrigue. When you reach another junction onto a small road turn right and right again at the next junction beside a house. 

This little road then ends at another house where you take a turn to the right onto a tiny rocky path through the trees where you will find more orchids, it comes back out onto a small take which goes downhill to a road.

Turn right onto the road and follow this road back to the roundabout with the blue sculpture were you parked. Lots of beautiful flowers on this walk and wonderful views. It's not too long and easy to do for a family walk.