A guidebook to trekking the GR367 Cathar Way (Sentier Cathare) between Port-la-Nouvelle on the Mediterranean coast and Foix in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Covering 260km (162 miles), this long-distance trek through the Languedoc region of southern France takes around 2 weeks to hike and is suitable for hikers with some experience.

The route is described from east to west in 13 stages, each between 12 and 27km (7–17 miles in length). A shorter northern variant is included that explores remoter areas of the Languedoc.

• 1:100,000 maps included for each stage
• GPX files available to download
• Detailed information about accommodation and facilities along the route
• The route links several Cathar castles and provides insight into Cathar history

Map key

Overview map

Route summary table

Introduction

Languedoc history

The Cathars and the Crusade

The Cathar Way route

Features of interest

Planning the walk

North variant

Alternative ways to stage the Cathar Way

Getting there

Getting around

When to go

Accommodation

Food and drink

Language

Money matters

Phone and Wi-Fi

Health and safety

What to take

Maps

Waymarking

Updates

Using this guide

The Cathar Way

Port-la-Nouvelle to Puivert

Stage 1 Port-la-Nouvelle to Durban-Corbières

Stage 2 Durban-Corbières to Tuchan

Stage 3 Tuchan to Cucugnan

Stage 4 Cucugnan to Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet

Stage 5 Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet to Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes

Stage 6 Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes to Axat

Stage 7 Axat to Quirbajou

Stage 8 Quirbajou to Puivert

Cucugnan to Puivert: north variant

Stage 4a Cucugnan to Camps-sur-l’Agly

Stage 5a Camps-sur-l’Agly to Bugarach

Stage 6a Bugarach to Quillan

Stage 7a Quillan to Puivert

Puivert to Foix

Stage 9 Puivert to Espezel

Stage 10 Espezel to Comus

Stage 11 Comus to Montségur

Stage 12 Montségur to Roquefixade

Stage 13 Roquefixade to Foix

Appendix A Villages and towns with amenities

Appendix B Accommodation

Appendix C Useful contacts

Appendix D French–English glossary

Appendix E Further information and reading

Seasons

Best walking between April and June and between September and October. The summer months can be very hot, with accommodation busier and more expensive. Accommodation may be closed in winter and higher parts of the route can be impacted by snow.

Centres

Port-la-Nouvelle, Durban-Corbières, Tuchan, Cucugnan, Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet, Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes, Puilaurens, Axat, Bugarach (north variant), Quillan (north variant), Puivert, Espezel, Montségur, Montferrier, Foix

Difficulty

Difficulty varies from day to day, with some stages fairly gentle and others more strenuous, involving steep rocky paths and as much as 1000m ascent. A moderate level of fitness will improve your enjoyment of the trek. There are no technical difficulties but some sections of the route can feel remote, with few facilities (although accommodation is available at the end of every day stage).

Must See

Cathar castles: Aguilar, Quéribus, Peyrepertuse, Fenouillet, Puilaurens, Puivert, Montségur, Roquefixade and Foix; historic wine-producing villages such as Tuchan and Cucugnan; Galamus Gorge; the remote Boulzane River; the imposing ridge of the Pech de Bugarach; pretty Quillan (north variant); French Resistance memorials; fantastic panoramas from the Plateau de Languerail; Frau Gorge; views towards the Pyrenees

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).

Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.