You will best enjoy the numerous scenic views by a bright and sunny day From the car park, walk up towards the bridge to cross the Dourdou river and turn left. Follow the D 25 for 875 m, then take a right turn and follow a small road towards Donacoste, and straight after take right a grassy path which runs alongside the road. Pass under a bridge, then cross a footbridge over a stream and further on you will find the entrance to a 500 m long unlit tunnel (old railway tunnel).Enter this tunnel, it is easier if you keep to the left hand side on the passageway. At the end of the tunnel you re-join the grassy path first running the D25, then deviating towards the hamlet les Roques. At the intersection between the D25 and the path, carry on straight leaving the hamlet to your left. Walk alongside the pond, leave on your right the entrance of another tunnel, walk over this tunnel to reach the hamlet of les Canacs.Enter the hamlet and just before you leave, walk to your left in a wide curve and follow a path rising progressively up, leaving 3 trails to the right one after the other. Walk into the woodland, and at the next fork, close by a barn, take the left most path and keep ascending towards NE. As you get near the crest, pay attention to the trail signs and leave the numerous trails going left and right to carry straight on. At the top, enjoy the beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. Walk down the slope and cross over to the other side of the hill.When you reach a fork on the path, take the left track and start walking down through the woodland. You are now walking on the “bishop’s trail”, which makes a wide curve north. After approximately 20mn, follow the path around two hair pin bends and join a little tarmacked road.Stop and take time to look at the carved standing stone beside the road. Follow that road to the left walking downhill until you reach a fork. At the fork, turn right the road which leads to Riols (equestrian farm) for approximately 150 m, then take almost opposite, a path that rises to the left. Follow a ridge line between the fields and enjoy the beautiful landscape which stretches on either side. The path runs down towards Belle-vue from where the entire village of Saint-Izaire can be seen.6- Follow the small road which leads to Notre-Dame de Grâce chapel. Close to the chapel, you will see a wide path to the right side which runs down towards Saint-Izaire. Walk around the chapel and follow the path which joins the D 25. Turn left, then right to pass under the bridge and get back to the car park.
Travel by bus or train: lio.laregion.fr/carpooling : BlaBlaCar, Rézo Pouce, Mobicoop, Idvroom, LaRoueVerte, Roulez malin
Take a light with you.Box tree moths are active from May to October. During the caterpillar phase, they feed on the leaves of box trees. They crawl down trees and move on long silken threads, although these threads are annoying when hiking they do not pose any health risk
Next the river after the bridge
From St-Affrique head towards Albi, then at the roundabout before Vabres l’Abbaye turn right the D25 up to St-Izaire
Saint-Izaire
De hameau en tunnel, de chapelle en statue-menhir et de ruisseau en étang, le long d’une passerelle ou du “chemin de l’évêque“, le paysage de la vallée du Dourdou et des crêtes avoisinantes se révèle peu à peu. La traversée du Bois Noir et la vue insoupçonnée sur Saint-Izaire sont les temps forts de cette rando à effectuer par temps clair, panoramas obligent !
Saint-Izaire