Pechs et Vallons

The diversity of Carcassonnes area landscape, between hills, plains and forests, has produced a wide variety of place names that give keys to deciphering history. The most frequent toponyms refer to geographical features, such as Laprade or Pradelles (the meadow) Lacombe (small valley), Pech Redon (round mountain). Names such as Borde Neuve (new farm), La Bouriette (small farm), Casalet (small house), La Farguette (small forge), l'Horte or hortal (the garden) reflect human activities. Other toponyms finally find their origin in nature (Vernède, Fraisse, Castans) or fauna (les Crabes, Canto Aoussel).

Signs: Yellow markings
Leave from the parking lot in front of the village grocery store. Reach the village centre and cross it by the main street. Turn left, rue Saint-Marc and go down to the bridge. Just after the bridge, turn right immediately onto the small service road along the brook. Join the road, go down and turn left; 50 meters further, turn right onto a small road. This road climbs gently up to the Ventaillole vineyards. Take the road on the left and go down to Deumier. At the fork in the road, turn right and go straight ahead.
Go along the vineyards and reach a crossroads in the garrigue (point of connection with a hiking trail in the village of Aragon). Walk along a small path on the left, in the undergrowth, a capitella (drystone sheperds hut)  faces you on the old Raissac path. Leave the garrigue and at the crossroads, go opposite to the farm of Bourriette ("small farm", from the Occitan "borie": the farm).
Just after the buildings, turn right and then left to go along the vineyards at the foot of Pech Saint-Jean (highest point of the Commune). Go down and cross a wooded coomb.
Cross the bridge and turn left (ampelographic trail showing the vines and the different grape varieties). After 600m, reach a crossroads. Go down on the left through the vineyards (capitelle on the right, panorama on the village and beyond on the Cité of Carcassonne).
Return to the village on the D38.
Back in the centre, take some time to stroll through the narrow streets around the castle.