Labastide hiking path

Situated at the confluence of the Rance and Tarn rivers, La Bastide-Solages is a village between hills and valleys within the "Pays des Sept Vallons" (land of the seven valleys). This hike starts from the intersection in the village where you take the D555 towards Plaisance for 300 m up to the Lesparro road. Take the left hand dirt road and when you reach the top of a little slope at a crossroads you will see a stone cross, where you take the track to your right. This path goes down to where it joins up again with the D555. Follow the road on your left towards St Sernin for approximately 400m. After the fork with a sign-post indicating the road to Bousquet, take the dirt track to your right that winds its way down a steep slope to the river. As you approach the bank of the river Rance, turn to your right along a track overlooking the river, and walk past the remains of an ancient shelter built in a rock excavation. The path then joins up with the riverbank and stays parallel for about 1 km. When the La Bastide houses come into view, take the right hand path that leads into the hamlet, walk through the hamlet and follow the road uphill for 150 m. Be careful not to miss the small path on your left that joins up with the road to Vernière. Follow that road up to the Vernière farm.4Walk around the farm to the right and after about 50 m leave the tarmac road and follow a dirt road on your right for approximately 80 m, then turn left. This path will rise gently leading you to a nearby statue of the Virgin Mary. Enjoy a superb view over the confluence of the Rance and the Tarn rivers and over the Tarn valley. To return to Solages, walk along the road up to the village.