This is a circular walk of around 17km which starts and ends in the hamlet of Le Cros. The walk takes in the Moulin des Gabios fish farm, an enormous 100 year old beech tree, the tiny hamlets of Sejoux and La Ribiere, the village of St Goussaud with its 12th Century church and Lantern des Morts (Lantern of the Dead), ancient stone shepherd huts and the ruins of the Roman city of Praetorium. Most of the walk is in forest although some parts of the walk are exposed and could be uncomfortable during very hot weather. The walk is a mixture of quiet country lanes and footpaths (many of them old roman ways), and is waymarked by painted yellow markers on the trees. The footpaths are in generally good condition, although the roman tendency to use stone means that footwear with good ankle support is advisable and long trousers where the paths are overgrown.

Walk Details:

From Le Cros take the country lane out to the South in the direction of Millemilanges. Go through the hamlet of Millemilanges and turn left onto the forest path just after the last house in the hamlet - this is marked by a sign for Les Gabios and a yellow waymarker painted on the tree. The footpath bears immediately right and into the forest. Follow the track straight ahead at all times. The track is slightly overgrown in places, and there are a multitude of blackberry bushes along the path which are full of fruit during late August and September. (We forgot to take a spare carrier bag!) Eventually this path will bring you down to the Moulin des Gabios fish farm and lake. Rods are available for hire and you pay for what you catch. There is also a restaurant serving produce from the farm which is open at lunchtimes although you need to book well in advance.

Follow the country lane which bisects the lake and the breeding tanks. This lane winds uphill and eventually comes to a T junction. Turn right along this road, then after around half a kilometre turn left towards Sejoux. (Normally the route takes a track through the forest - but at the time of writing the path is closed due to storm damage from the 1998 hurricane and is still dangerous). The detour is waymarked in yellow.

Eventually you will reach the very pretty hamlet of Sejoux. Continue up through and out of the hamlet and after around half a kilometre on a right hand bend in the road you will find a yellow waymark painted on a tree. Take the footpath to the left. This is an old stone footpath with much of the forest on the left destroyed by the storm mentioned earlier. Follow this path until you reach a fork in the path by an old stone farmhouse - take the left path up through the forest. (Both forks are waymarked because two routes cross each other here). This path will take you to La Ribiere.




When the path ends at La Ribiere, turn right and up the hill. After 300 metres turn right again onto the stone footpath. This is an old stone roman way which is long and steep in places. Eventually you will cross an old logging track - continue straight ahead and after around 300 metres you will come to the ruins of the roman city of Praetorum which was destroyed by the Saracens in 732 AD.

The footpath eventually ends on a country lane. Turn right and after around 1km. you will reach the small village of St. Goussaud and the highest point of the walk. Here there is a 12th century church (in need of some repair internally), the Lantern des Morts - one of only five examples that exist, and a permanent exhibiition of the artist Bernard Bigey who has his studio in the village.There is also an observation post with views over the surrounding countryside.

Leave the village by the same route that you came in on - direction Jabrielles les Bordes. After around 2 km you will reach a fork in the road - continue straight ahead on the top road towards Jabrielles.

Eventually you will come to a small picnic area on the left, and a large granite outcrop with a viewpoint over the valley - Roche Cheguerry. Further down the road on the left look out for a small sign on a tree marked “Loges des Bergers”. Immediately below this sign and tucked into the side of the road you will find the oldest remaining example of a stone shepherd hut in France. 500 metres further down the road you will see another “Loges des Bergers” sign on the right. A small detour up the track on the right will take you to 3 other examples perched on the hillside.

Rejoin the original road and eventualy you will come to a yellow waymarker painted on a tree on the left. This track will take you down through the forest (past an ancient Renault Dauphine - can’t guess how it got there!) and back into the hamlet of Le Cros. Note that in very wet weather this footpath can be a little slippery, so as an alternative you can follow the road and take the next lane on the left back to the hamlet.

This walk was completed and written by Colin Ormston - 2001

Top of Page