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A hike in the region Midi-Pyrénées
The route (Sentier du Patrimoine = Patrimony Path) goes near the Regional Conservatory Orchard (Verger Conservatoire National), the Department farm of Roc, and runs along the brook Audoulou up to reach the summit of Grésigne forest. The path, situated in an area sheltered from wind, will lead you from Puycelsi rocks to a thermophilous vegetation, through a forest with the highest oaks in Midi-Pyrénées (French southwestern region). This hike starts and ends in the village of Puycelsi, a place full of history, classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France.
1- Go on the left side of Saint-Roch chapel.
2- A little farther, turn to the left on the track called "Road of Thieves"("Chemin des Voleurs"), and go up to a road.
3- Cross the road and take the path under the car park and the cemetery. From there, you reach the riding school and the small meteorological station. Take the tarred road on your right up to the top of the slope.
4- Turn to the left on a footpath lined with wild plum trees and blackthorns that leads to the laundry of Moussol. Take the footpath on your left and rise through a vegetation becoming more and more scattered. The slope is gentler before the first ruins of Lavaur. Continue on the track situated slightly on your right.
5- Skirt round the second ruins and go down to Audoulou brook. Don't cross the bridge, but turn to the right. Walking on successive wooden bridges, go upstream along the brook. This path leads to the waterfall of Audoulou. Pass over the waterfall, and go up to the ruins of Vène. Continue on the track up to the forest road.
6- Turn to the right and go up to the roundabout of Plégade.
7- Take a footpath which rises through copses up to reach a forest track that encircles Montoulieu forest. Continue up to the viewpoint.
8- At the top of the hillside, turn to the left and go down to Ayrol crossroads.
9- Go on the track opposite, and continue up to the path crossing.
10- Take the left path. Go down to the brook Audoulou, and for the last time, cross it. Continue up to Roc's farm upon the village. Take the right track which leads to the road.
11-12- Take the same route as sections 1 and 2 the other way around to get back to the starting point.
Information
General points
- Geographic situation. District : Puycelci
(department Tarn, canton Castelnau-de-Montmiral)
Road map with
 - Starting point : Puycelsi Tourist Office.
- The length of the stroll is estimated at 11 Km and the walk duration is about 4 h .
- The stroll is marked out all along
- Stroll form : dual (one part as a loop, the other one linear)
- Stroll relief : hilly (alt. mini = 250 m ; alt. maxi = 450 m)
- Maintenance : regular (right brushwood clearing)
- Exposure : varied (both covered and uncovered areas)
Events and information
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Worth seeing.
For a guided tour of the route, contact the Tourist Office. Phone: 05 63 33 19 25.
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Worth seeing.
Verger Conservatoire National: opened from March 15th till December 15th. Free guided tour. Contact the Tourist Office, at 05 63 33 19 25.
Noteworthy places
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Forêt de la Grésigne. The word Grésigne relates with the French word "grès" which means sandstone, because this rock was used for building houses, as grindstones, and also by glassworkers who lived in this country. The forest, which covers 3530 hectares, was surrounded by a wall or a ditch still visible in some places. It was built on command of Louis XIV who had sent Mr de Froidour to regulate the forest exploitation. The forest is classified "Zone Natura 2000" because of its high ecological interest.
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Massif de Montoulieu. It is a Nature Reserve studied by INRA (a French agronomic organization). Several protected specied lived there, such as stag beetles and violet click beetles, which find food and protection in some decaying trees left on the ground for this purpose. The highest point reaches 480 m. It is also the highest point for the Grésigne forest. The etymology of Montoulieu could be either Moun taliou, i.e. my piece in Occitan, or Mount aliou, i.e. Olive Mountain.
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Chapelle Saint-Roch. This chapel was built at the beginning of the XVIIIth century to take away the plague from the village. It is nowaday the Tourist Office. Worth to see: altarpiece and altar.
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Verger. Verger Conservatoire National (Regional Conservatory Orchard) was created in order to protect the diversity of regional plants. This orchard contains more than 3500 fruit trees, and 1000 vine stocks.
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Puycelsi. The central part of Puycelsi dates from the Middle Age, with a X-XIth century church. Worth to see: ramparts, double doors of Irissou... It is a place that was marked by prehistory, Albigeois crusade, and the French Wars of Religion.
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Fontaine du Verdier. This fountain was the only water source in the village for a long time.
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Pont de Laval. This is a Gallo-Roman bridge over the river Vère.
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Lavoir de Moussol. Moussol was the former laundry of the village.
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A part of the path correspond to an ancient Gallo-Roman way (section 5).
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L'Audoulou. The Audoulou brook presents a beautiful waterfall.
Maps
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IGN 2241 OT, Carto Exploreur 81 Ouest.
A guide is advised for the stroll (conducted tour, mountain hike, etc.)
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