Hours of walk: 6,30
Rise: 1000 m
Drop: 550 m

Itinerary

For other options for food and accommodation in Murat-sur-Vèbres: Syndicat d’initiative de Murat-sur-Vèbres
place de la Mairie, tel. 33 (0)5 63 37 47 47
From the Place du Pont Vieux you follow the D 902 southbound for 5.2 km, until Ouyre (m 422), located in the beautiful agricultural valley of the Dourdou; the Laur farm is worth to be noticed as it is the biggest one in the area. From Ouyre you reach the hamlet’s church. There is an ancient mule track behind the building and it goes up along the left mountain side of the rivulet of Ladous until the village of Ouyre Haute. The route proceeds past the bridge on the rural road that continues going up beyond the last houses; it is to be left after around 400 m to take the trail that goes up to the left through hairpin bends until a saddle on the crest, where a trail on the right goes up to Le Four à Chaux. The route continues going up along the crest. At a saddle with a marked altitude of m 948, you walk up on the right to the peak of Fontanelles (m 1014), walking below the towers of a big wind-power installation. The summit of the Merdelou (m 1110) is reached by walking along ups and downs; there is a viewpoint with boards indicating the mountains that can be seen: the Pyrenees, the Causses and the Cévennes. The route goes down from the wide crest proceeding straight westbound and away from the last wind turbine blade. You follow the rural road going initially through a wooded area. You take the left at the first junction on the dirt road that goes twisting down to the asphalted road of the Mas de Brau, which is to be followed to the right for 600 m. At the crossroads you take the rural road on the left going towards the south-west. The itinerary proceeds along uninhabited rural hills: only enclosed pasturelands for cows can be seen, interrupted by high hedges and rows of windbreak trees. The rural road is shaded and protected by holly and hawthorn bushes and other spontaneous shrubs, which are remarkably looked after. At the junction at an altitude of 884 m you turn left until you reach a tree-lined road in Le Vivier (m 888); you follow this road to the right for 800 m in order to take the tree-lined path on the right. You turn right at the junction with a marked altitude of m 917, and then you immediately take the left. At the following junction, at an altitude of m 947, you proceed straight towards the southwest, and you meet a road leading directly to the hamlet of Gabaude (m 923). By keeping the same direction the D 169 is reached and is to be followed westbound for a short while in order to take the first rural road on the left. At the following junction you turn right to follow a crest track pointing southbound. The itinerary twists westbound to reach the D 169, on which you walk for a short while. At the second junction you turn left to go up to a parallel road that leads to Murat-sur-Vèbre.

Food and accommodation

-In Murat-sur-Vèbres

Gîte communal de Murat-sur-Vèbre
With camping in front of the town hall, the Mairie, tel. 33 (0)5 63 37 47 47.

Accueil pélerin Gite d’étape des Menhirs
33 (0)5 63 37 51 20.

Syndicat d’initiative de Murat-sur-Vèbres
Place de la Mairie, tel. +33 (0)5 63 37 47 47