The Untravelled World: Walking in the Haut-Languedoc

Haut-Languedoc

I noticed that I could fly to Béziers in Languedoc–Rousillon. This would be a good base for walking part of the Canal du Midi... but, hold on, were there any hills nearby? Yes, the Haut-Languedoc, which was a Parc Naturel Régional, and there was a Cicerone guidebook available, indicating that there must be good walking. So my mind was made up: all that remained was to plot a walking route that tied in with accommodation and public transport.

Costs. Flight £60. Prémian room (B&B) €45. Fraïsse hotel (B&B) €51. Mons La Trivalle room (B&B) €40. Béziers hotel (B&B) €46. Glasgow–Edinburgh Airport bus (return) £18. Béziers–Airport bus €1.60 each way. Béziers–St-Pons bus €1.60. Colombières–Bédarieux bus €1.60. Bédarieux–Béziers train €1.00. Typical three-course evening meal with wine €28. Typical 25 cl beer €2.50. Total cost of trip £340.

Places I stayed and was happy with. Chez Sheila, Prémian (Day 1, Read my review); Auberge de l’Espinouse, Fraïsse-sur-Agout (Day 2, Read my review); Manoir La Trivalle, Mons La Trivalle (Day 3, Read my review); Hôtel Confort, Béziers (Day 4, Read my review).

Books. The Rough Guide to Languedoc & Roussillon (Rough Guides, 5th edition); Walking in the Languedoc by John Cross (Cicerone, 2nd revised edition).

Maps. Haut-Languedoc, 1:75,000 (with 1:25,000 expansions of key areas), IGN.

Day 1: Travel to St-Pons-de-Thomières; walk to Prémian. My alarm rang at 3 am, the taxi came at 3.40 am (10 min late), and I caught the 4 am bus to Edinburgh Airport, arriving 4.45 am. The plane took off at 6.30 am and landed at 9.50 am local time. The airport bus (no. 210) came at 10.30 am and deposited me at the bus station in Béziers at 11.05 am. After having a coffee and buying some water, I caught the 12.23 pm bus (no. 214) to St Pons, arriving 1.30 pm. I looked at the cathedral and then had a beer in a bar. In no great rush, I then wandered around the old town before walking east along the main road to join La Voie Verte (formerly La Piste Verte), a disused railway that has been converted into a cycling and walking track. I walked along this for maybe 2 h 30 min until I reached my destination, the village of Prémian. Here, it took me more than an hour to find my chambre d’hôte/B&B (pre-booked) – but that was my fault for not equipping myself with all the required information! After a nice English cup of tea and a shower, I had a good dinner in a nearby restaurant, and then slept.

Day 2: Walk to Fraïsse-sur-Agout. After a good breakfast at 8.30 am, I started walking at 9.40 am. I headed up the GR77 towards the Lac de Vézoles. This was a spectacular walk, especially in the latter stages where it was very steep. A friend of my Prémian hostess had warned me that it would take me 5 h but I did it in 3 h 50 min – although this was 50 min longer than my most pessimistic estimate! After the lake, it was mostly a flat walk or gentle descent. There were many options but I tried to take a direct line towards Fraïsse but taking in the Menhir de Picarel. I arrived in Fraïsse at 4.20 pm (so 6 h 40 min walking), found my auberge (pre-booked), and had a couple of beers before dinner and bed.

Day 3: Walk to Mons La Trivalle. After breakfast at 8.30 am, I started walking at 9.30 am. Followed the GR71 east and joined the GR7 at the Col de Fontfroide. Continued east along this track through the forest – there were far more cars (!) than walkers along this section, which hardly improved a rather dull trudge. After the Les Bourdils refuge, the path seemed to take a rather pointless meander through dense woodland before emerging from the trees on to open moorland (and hence improving considerably). Shortly before the Lac de l’Airette, I encountered a concrete track near the farm Le Secadou and, leaving the GR7 as planned, followed this down into the valley to the hamlet of Les Horts and thence to join La Voie Verte again. I followed the track eastwards again to find my chambre d’hôte/B&B (pre-booked) in Mons La Trivalle, arriving at 4.30 pm (so 7 h walking). After a beer with my agreeable host, I went and found more beer and a pizza in the village.

Day 4: Walk to Colombières-sur-Orb; travel to Béziers. After breakfast at 8.30 am, I started walking at 9.30 am. Walked east along minor road to Le Verdier Haut at the bottom of the Gorges d’Heric. Started up the Gorge but then soon took Le Sentier des Gardes, which climbs above the Gorge on the eastern side, later joining the Piste de Rieutord Supérieure. This brought me up onto the Caroux plateau (after about 3 h 20 min walking). I then cut across eastwards on a track to join the GR7 again, descending across the Caroux plateau to the refuge La Fage. My original plan was to descend all the way on the GR7 to Lamalou-les-Bains but I found that I was getting very tired and my left knee, which I had overtaxed on the ascent of a “fourteener” in Colorado in July, was playing up again. So at La Fage I turned south and slowly followed the spectacular path down the western side of the Gorge de Colombières to the village, arriving 4.40 pm (so 7 h 10 walking). I then caught the 5.20 pm bus (no. 482) to Bédarieux and the 6.54 pm train back to Béziers. I found my small hotel (pre-booked) and then went out for dinner.

Day 5: Travel home. Had breakfast at 7.15 am and then caught the 8.25 am bus (no. 210) out to the airport. My plane left at 10.30 am and landed (with the biggest bump ever!) in Edinburgh at 11.50 am local time. I caught the 12.30 pm bus back to Glasgow and then a local bus home, arriving 2.05 pm.

Wildlife seen. Praying Mantis, Red-veined Darter, Wall Lizard, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown, Southern White Admiral, Red Admiral, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Small Copper, Peacock, Clouded Yellow, Wood Ants.