Haut-Languedoc: The Gorges d'Héric, Mont Caroux and the Passa Païs
Occitanie, France
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400
XP
+100 France
= 500 total
2 days
Haut-Languedoc: The Gorges d'Héric, Mont Caroux and the Passa Païs
400 + 100 XP
In the Haut-Languedoc regional park the Héric torrent has cut a gorge into the Caroux massif, where the largest population of Corsican mouflon in France has grazed the slopes since 1956, and a car-free road climbs it to a hamlet of stone houses with slate roofs. Below, the Passa Païs greenway runs the old Mazamet-to-Bédarieux railway, which carried passengers from 1889 until 1972, through its tunnels and over its viaducts past the medieval village of Olargues.
Required Activities
1
of 4
Walk the car-free road up the Gorges d'Héric to the stone hamlet at the top, between walls of augen gneiss and migmatite that formed tens of kilometres down and are the exposed root of the Hercynian range, and swim in one of the string of rock pools on the way
2
of 4
Climb out of the gorge onto the edge of the Caroux plateau early or late in the day and watch the slopes for Corsican mouflon, brought here in 1956 and now the largest population of them in France, thriving on a mountain that is parched in summer and barely holds snow in winter
3
of 4
Cycle a stretch of the Passa Païs greenway, through its tunnels and over its railway viaducts
4
of 4
Cross the Pont du Diable into Olargues and climb the lanes of a hill almost ringed by the Jaur to the square keep that survived Simon de Montfort's siege of 1210 and now serves as the bell tower of Saint-Laurent
Walk the car-free road up the Gorges d'Héric to the stone hamlet at the top, between walls of augen gneiss and migmatite that formed tens of kilometres down and are the exposed root of the Hercynian range, and swim in one of the string of rock pools on the way
Climb out of the gorge onto the edge of the Caroux plateau early or late in the day and watch the slopes for Corsican mouflon, brought here in 1956 and now the largest population of them in France, thriving on a mountain that is parched in summer and barely holds snow in winter
Cycle a stretch of the Passa Païs greenway, through its tunnels and over its railway viaducts
Cross the Pont du Diable into Olargues and climb the lanes of a hill almost ringed by the Jaur to the square keep that survived Simon de Montfort's siege of 1210 and now serves as the bell tower of Saint-Laurent
Before you go
Swimming in the gorge is not supervised
The Sentier des Gardes is steep, with about 800m of climbing
Mouflon are hunted on the Caroux; in the shooting season keep to the marked paths and wear something bright on the open slopes.
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Challenge Location
XP Breakdown
Challenge XP
400 XP
France country bonus
+100 XP
Potential total
500 XP
Country bonus earned on completion of your first challenge in France.
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