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On the border of the Tarn and Aude, this circuit allows you to discover four authentic villages preserved in their green setting: Mas-Cabardès, the starting point, Roquefère and its castle, Miraval and La Tourette. Most of the walk is carried out in the scrubland, but the first part of the walk offers a beautiful view of the plain of Carcassonne, the Corbières and the Pyrenees in the background.
(D/A) Exit the car park, follow the D101 to the right for about thirty meters, then turn right to cross the bridge over the Orbiel. Follow the narrow street and cross another bridge at the exit of the village. Yellow and green markings - old and sporadic.
(1) Cross the D101 (be careful because this is in the middle of a bend) and go opposite it, at the corner of the house, on a narrow stony path. 100m further, fork to the right and continue on the path that passes beautiful dry stone walls and eventually leads to the D9. Follow the road to the left, observing the warning rules in force, to an intersection marked with a metal cross (parking for walkers on the other side of the road). Yellow markers.
(2) Leave the road and take the path on the left. 200m further, leave a path going up on the left (wooden barriers) and continue until you reach a small paved road at the entrance of the village of Roquefère. We then enjoy a beautiful view of the castle. No marking. Turn right and immediately left onto the found D9. Cross the bridge and go up the stairs to the left just before the church. Pass under a stone arch and descend to arrive at a small stone bridge that must be crossed. Go a few yards to the right to the small wash house, then turn back and take the small cobbled street, going up steeply to the right. The latter gives way to a path that quickly connects to the road that leads to Saint-Julien. Yellow markers
(3) Cross and take a narrow path opposite, the beginning of which is indicated by the inscription "Saint-Julien" on a slate. |
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(4) At the fork, follow the yellow markings and the fork to the left. Continue straight to reach the wide, partially paved path that serves the Houstals Nauts and follow it on the left until the next intersection.
(5) Turn right (sign Cubserviès). The path crosses a beautiful airy undergrowth by making a number of more or less pronounced bends, then turns right at a sharp angle and goes up a short meadow to the Dolmen de Ventajou.
(6) A stop is essential to fully enjoy the view of the Pyrenees and Corbières. Then continue on the marked path and come to a fork not shown on the IGN map. Turn right and join a wide, stabilized track that takes you to a major intersection.
(7) Turn left (Cubserviès sign) and follow the path to get to the crossroads of Plo Saint-Martin (Vierge on the right, slightly hidden by the branches of the trees around it). Yellow + yellow and green markings, both old and quite sparse. Continue straight ahead, follow the double markings and the sign "La Tourette par Miraval" to reach a new intersection on hill 797.
(8) When branching to the left and at the first marked right turn, leave the track for a wide grassy path to the left. Pass an unattractive structure at these places, keep joining the track for about 500m and follow it to the left until a large star-shaped intersection.
(9) Ignore the paths left and right and take the road opposite. At a place called Le Carnier, when the path goes up to the right, turn left downhill (sign "La Tourette par Miraval" in bad condition).
Vertaaltypen Tekstvertaling Brontekst Bifurquer à gauche puis, dans le premier virage marqué à droite, quitter la piste pour un large sentier enherbé à gauche. Passer une construction peu esthétique en ces lieux, poursuivre pour rejoindre la piste 500m plus loin environ et la suivre à gauche jusqu'à un grand carrefour en étoile. 1749 / 5000 Vertaalresultaten
(10) At the fork, continue to the left on the path which descends steeply at the beginning and then becomes quiet again before reaching Miraval. Once at the tarmac, continue towards the village, cross the bridge on the left and reach the foot of the Notre-Dame de la Lauze church.
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(11) Take the stairs to the right, pass the entrance of the church and follow the narrow path that climbs steeply into the forest.
(12) At the intersection, fork to the right (the path that comes from the right before this intersection and that appears on the IGN map). At the top of a steep hill (hill 536), do not climb further to the right, but descend slightly to the left. Be careful as there is no visible mark in this location. Continue to the road (D9).
(13) Follow this road to the right, be careful as there is no shoulder and reach the main square of La Tourette. Continue to the right, passing the church in height (not accessible to visitors as it is being restored) then take the first cobbled street steeply up to the right which then turns into a wide grassy path. Turn right onto a path, continue into the undergrowth past a large mowing area on the left and reach a major intersection. Yellow and green markers.
(14) Turn left, merge onto D9, cross over (be careful) and walk opposite to get to a spot with just cleared sides, a hundred meters further. Yellow mark for a hundred meters, then no mark.
(15) Leave the wide path and the yellow markers to go straight ahead to split to the left on a path down. At the next intersection, go straight ahead and reach a hole with an inconspicuous branch a hundred meters ahead (be careful not to miss it).
(16) Let the wide path go up to the right and split to the left on the path, the beginning of which is quite difficult to see. The latter widens and begins to descend quite sharply, crossing several thick mats of dead leaves that require attention as they hide the stones on the ground and can lead to sprains. We reach Mas-Cabardès at the level of an asphalted street. Turn left, pass the car park and turn right into Rue du Colombin which leads to the D101. The car park is about a hundred yards on the right
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Features: |
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- Distance - 16,5 km
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- Mini Altitude - 307 meter
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- Departure
- Parking
- Mas-Cabardès |
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- Type - Loop
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- Max Altitude
- 804 meter
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- Vertical drop -
191 meter |
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- Duration - 7 Hours
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- Markup - Yes
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- IGN reference
- 2344ET, 2344OT, 2345E, - 2345O
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- Difficulty -
Average
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- Coordinates - N 43.370602° / E 2.363407°
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- Download GPS Track

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Opening
Mas-Cabardès - Le circuit des quatre villages:
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01 january to 31
december
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Roquefère

Cascade de Cubserviès

Pradelles-Cabardès
Le Gouffre géant
de Cabrespine |
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The unusually large range of crystals and rock formations of the Gouffre Geante de Cabrespine is carefully protected. Translated the name means giant Chasm of Cabrespine. It was first discovered in the 1970s and is one of the largest caves in the world that is open to the public. The cave is 150 meters long and almost 300 meters high. The cave has been open to the public since 1988 and a small fee will take you on a guided tour. The cave that tourists visit is as deep as the Eiffel tower is tall. The tourists enter the chamber near the top, to fully appreciate the depth and all the beautiful formations this chamber of the cave has to offer... |
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Les Quatre Châteaux
de Lastours |
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Built on the top of bedrock at 300m above sea level, the four towers of the site
of Lastours (Cabaret, Tour Régine, and Surdespine Quertinheux) proudly dominate
the course of Orbiel (the river of olive trees) and the torrent Grésilhou in a
wild landscape bristling with cypress. Lock Cabardès since the early Middle
Ages, they controlled one of the main pathways in the Cabardès and the Black
Mountain and took all their importance at the time of the crusade against the
Albigensians. Archaeological excavations carried out since 1980 under the
direction of Marie-Elise Gardel, have helped to uncover the medieval village of
Cabaret, the Mecca of Catharism and the resistance against the Crusader armies.
This ancient fortified settlement called " Castrum ", consisted of a hundred
houses and many forges. These places were abandoned abruptly without the
inhabitants were able to take any object. Built on
the top of bedrock at 300m above sea level, the four towers of the site of
Lastours (Cabaret, Tour Régine, and Surdespine Quertinheux) proudly dominate the
course of Orbiel (the river of olive trees) and the torrent Grésilhou in a wild
landscape bristling with cypress. Lock Cabardès since the early Middle Ages,
they controlled one of the main pathways in the Cabardès and the Black Mountain
and took all their importance at the time of the crusade against the
Albigensians.
Archaeological excavations carried out since 1980 under the direction of
Marie-Elise Gardel, have helped to uncover the medieval village of Cabaret, the
Mecca of Catharism and the resistance against the Crusader armies...
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Mas-Cabardès - Le circuit des quatre villages |
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Leisure
- Sports - Mountain walks - Snow-shoe walks - Hiking - Walking |
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Departure: Parking 11380 Mas-Cabardès |
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Phone +33 4.68.26.30.24
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www.mascabardes.com |
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Aventures Parc -
Gouffre Géant de Cabrespine |
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Unique!
For the cave addicts, an acrobatic course located at the foot of the great hall of the Gouffre Giant Cabrespine. View the cliff of the 80-meter-high iron staircase, before you enter the big discovery line, to reach the zipline of fear of heights and you will reach an acrobatic bridge 40 meters above the void on the pearl platform. After a visit to the sanctuary of bats, a Nepalese bridge will allow you to dominate the bottom of the large hall of the Gouffre. For the bravest of you, try the ultimate experience with the zipline of hell and jump 90 m above the vacuum to reach the great petrified waterfall with a total height of 120m. The lower part of the Gouffre Giant of Cabrespine is home to nearly 25 km of galleries, much of which is traversed by a majestic underground river also called the secret river. A new exploration formula called "Rivière Souterraine" will allow you to follow the trail of first explorers...
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Located in the Cabarde Region, on the lower slopes of the Montagne Noire, in an area steeped in the history of the Cathares, this restaurant features a wood-burning oven and massive amounts of well prepared food. The apertif tray, which may be ordered as the first course, has to be seen to be believed. Roquefère is one of the 100 most beautiful villages of France...
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Nicolas Dreux,
Guide Accompagnateur |
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My name is Nico Dreux, I am a mountain guide and educational animator, curious about nature, passionate about legends, the environment, I like to share her unusual gems while hiking, the time of a human adventure. It was in Saissac in Aude that I put down my bag, at the crossroads of the departments of Tarn and Haute-Garronne. As a mountain guide, I accompany you on your hikes in the south of the Massif Central in the Montagne Noire, Sidobre, the Monts de Lacaune, Caroux-Espinouse, ... and as an educational leader, share with you my knowledge that I have acquired during my professional training. During my discovery walks I can let you experience environmental educational activities. On the paths of the Aude, Tarn and Hérault, I will tell you my secrets through several legends. See you soon on our adventure trails, Nicolas Dreux...
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Domaine de la Vitarelle Outdoor Hotel - Glampsite |
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The Domaine de la Vitarelle is an outdoor Hotel or Glamping, located in Occitania region in the south of France, 20 minutes from the beautiful city of Carcassonne. settled in a natural area of 10 hectares, it is the perfect return to nature gettaway.
Our 25 lodges are spaced, built with environmentally friendly materials and nestled under the trees.
20 minutes from the sublime city of Carcassonne a UNESCO world heritage site, second most visited touristic site in France, the Domaine de la Vitarelle welcomes you in a preserved natural environment of 10 hectares for a natural stay in unique accommodations.
Our 17 Safari Tents and 8 Cabin Lodges, nestled under the cedars, are all equipped with a private bathroom with shower, washbasin and WC, kitchen corner and neat decoration. Sleep under the stars, surrounded by nature with all the comforts of a hotel!
On site you will enjoy the large sunny swimming pool, the pétanque field, charming hiking trails as well as convivial spaces around the grocery store offering a selection of organic wines, craft beers and local products...
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Mas Cabardès is a village in the Montagne Noire with about 200 inhabitants all year round. In the summer there is a significant increase in the population due to the summer visitors. There are also a number of expats who own houses in Mas Cabardes. The only common factor is their love for the village and respect for the original inhabitants. Noteworthy is the church of Saint Etienne which was probably built on the site of an old Benedictine monastery known as St Etienne de Cabaret and is mentioned in documents from the first half of the 9th century. Little has remained, except for the name of one of the adjoining properties, "la Claustre" - the monasteries. The current building dates from the late Gothic period. In the left column of the triumphal arch a year is carved: 1548. This undoubtedly refers to the year in which the apse was completed in a flamboyant style. Certain architectural features that can be seen in the nave or on the outside of the church may date back to the 16th century, such as the inset columns or carved stones reused from the original construction. The apse's lack of symmetry is remarkable. For the rest, Mas Cabardès is a peaceful sleepy village...
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This eco-friendly little campsite features stunning panoramic views across the site of the 'four castles of Lastours'. The campsite is shaded, peaceful and leafy, and features breathtaking views across the Pyrenees to the south and the castles of Lastours region to the north. Mobile home rental for 4-6 people is available. The campsite overlooks the site of Lastours: castles which is an outstanding set of four castles in ruins, built 300 meters above sea level, a top a rocky outcrop...
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Restaurant Le Puits du Trésor and Auberge du Diable au
Thym are created by a young and promising Chef, Jean Marc Boyer. He took this
rather risky bet in 2002: open a gourmet restaurant in a somewhat isolated
place. And he turned it into a success! When you taste the cuisine here now, see
the place that is modern and traditional all in one go you clearly see it. The
cuisine is refined, delicated, generous, a cuisine that has gourmets from around
here and elsewhere coming in great numbers. This is a promising address that has
more than one trick in store for you! A well of flavours and scents that we
encourage you to discover close to Lastours. Modern and pleasant with a very
large terrace overlooking the river and overhanging the 4 Cathar castles. The
compositions are often renewed to surprise you and charm you several times...
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