| ↺ Distance / ↑ Ascent | Time | Map |
↺ 8 km / ↑ 300 m |
3 hours |
Online with GPX
|
After a few months in the Canary Islands, I’ve moved back to continental Europe. I spent a couple of weeks in rainy London and then I finally arrived in the lovely village of Fougax et Barrineuf, in southern France on the edge of Pyrenees. It’s my first time in Pyrenees and I haven’t felt so much at home since leaving New Zealand. So, I couldn’t wait to do my first hike here, and because it’s good to explore your surroundings first, I’ve chosen an undemanding walk: La Croix de Millet.
You’ll see a lot of mud in the Pyrenees in the winter
The hike starts at Fontestorbes Fountain. It’s a very unique natural phenomena – from July until October, the flow of the water coming out of the cave stops and starts at approximately half hour intervals. The reservoir sealed inside the cave has two outlets which creates a kind of natural pump, depending on the height of the water in the reservoir and resultant change in pressure.
Fontestorbes Fountain
From there, take the path going straight up the slope. You soon hit the road which you follow for a few minutes and then you go down towards a couple of stone buildings. Go right and follow a forest walk up. The forest density steadily grows together with the slope. After about an hour of going up, you eventually come to the Croix de Millet. From there you can oversee all the beauty of the Pyrenees foothills.
Croix de Millet
From the cross the path follows the ridge back for a bit and then it gradually descends to Bélesta. Like the other villages around, Bélesta’s population has been slowly but gradually decreasing over the last few decades. It doesn’t stop it from being an admirable mountainish townish.
Typical French wooden balcony wrapped in climbing grapes
After crossing the bridge, turn left and follow the yellow marks along the river all the way back to Fougax et Barrineuf. Most of the time you just walk on a gravel road but it’s lovely.
Walkway going back to the Fontestorbes Fountain
Hiked with Anna on 14th February 2016. Photos taken by me and my lovely Sony a6000 |
Hi Michal, When you went to Fontestorbes, were you able to go further into the cave system (when safe) and did anyone talk about a passageway of about more of less 3,000 metres terminating/beginning in or close to Montsegur?
I will be there next month researching the area from – of course – Cathar times and also what was accessibly in the late 1920’s early 1930’s.I’m working on a book, the third in a of sorts.
Any help/desccriptions/anecdotes/links/persons you could provide me with would be very welcome.
Thank you,Tracy
Hi Tracy, no I didn’t go there. There is a big community of British folks in Fougax that may have some more inforation 🙂 I may pass you on with some contact details if you like