The Cathar Way - A Walker's Cicerone guidebook

Update September 2016

The Cathar Way, Stage 3, between Tuchan and Padern

A fire between Tuchan and Padern is reported to have burnt over ten square kilometres of vineyards, woodland and hill scrub land on September 5th and 6th 2016. The fire was said to have been extinguished by September 7th, but it will undoubtedly have affected land crossed by Stage 3 of the Cathar Way. This may lead to temporary diversions or closures of parts of the trail in this sector.

May 2016

The Cathar Way, Stage 4 ("Main Route", now the GR367A) - Galamus Gorge and River Agly crossing

The major works which were started last year in the Galamus Gorge, to stabilise the cliff face and to prevent further falls of rock (see Update, May 2015 below) took longer than expected, but have now been finished. 

The road through the gorge is once again open to walkers (and to motor traffic).

However, the footbridge over the River Agly just below the gorge, at a place called "la TirounËre"(referred to as point (6) on pages 76 and 79 of our "Cathar Way" guidebook), is still missing (see Update, July 2015(1) below).

There seems to be no indication of when the footbridge will be replaced. 

It is possible to ford the river on foot at this point during dry periods (there are calm sections of water which are about ankle-deep).

But, to repeat the warning given earlier, on no account should you try to ford the river at this point (or anywhere else) during or just after periods of heavy rain. The river can rise very quickly and become very dangerous.

The diversion of the route via St Paul de Fenouillet (see Update, July 2015(1) below) is still in place.

September 2015

The chambres d'hotes, MAISON 1800 in Lapradelle is closing indefinitely on October 1st 2015.

Update July 2015 (1)

Update July 2015 (2)

Update - May 2015

Updates December 2014

Waymarking of the path

On page 21 of our guidebook, it is noted that ‘In due course, the Sentier Cathare may itself be designated as a GR path (Sentier de Grande Randonnée). In that case, the whole of the route will be indicated by red and white waymarks.’

This has now happened. The Sentier Cathare is now officially the GR367. The GR367 takes in the North Variant via Bugarach and Quillan. What is referred to in our guidebook as the ‘Main Route’ (via Puylaurens) (and which is also known as the ‘South Variant’) has been designated the GR367A.

In addition, the whole of the route now carries red and white waymarks, and new signposts (see an example at www.alanmattingly.eu/GR367A-signpost.pdf). The distinctive blue and yellow waymarks which formerly designated much of the route of the Sentier Cathare have been replaced.

Temporary closure of the Frau Gorge, Stage 10

Once again, the Gorges de la Frau, north of Comus, is closed temporarily to walkers. The risk of accidents due to falling boulders and trees is judged to be too high at present. (In any event, heavy rain and flooding in the autumn and winter months not infrequently leaves the gorge blocked by debris.)

The closure period is 15 December 2014 to 15 March 2015.

A map showing a temporary alternative route can be downloaded here: www.alanmattingly.eu/sentier_cathare_frau_2016.pdf.

This alternative route begins near the Refuge des Gardes (point 5 on Stage 9) and descends to Pelail (point 4 on Stage 10).

May 2014

Accommodation
 
In Espezel (stage 8), the Hôtel Grau is now called "Le 100 Unique". 
 
In Comus (stage 9), there is a new chambre d'hôte, recommended by a reader, 'L'Oustal d'Annetta'.  Address: Lieu-dit, 128 devant ville, La Thémis, 11340 Comus . Tel: + 33(0) 468 748 126; + 33(0) 622 452 537. E-mail: ghislaine.caria@loustaldelannetta.fr.

July 2013

Lapradelle-Puilaurens;

The Mas Occitan no longer excists and also the restaurant Le Viaduc has disappeared. There is another restaurant, but it is not open everyday. The B&B , maison1800  has a tiny shop in the village which is only open in the morning  ( bread needs to be ordered a day before ). In the season the castle is  now lit between 22.00 and 24.00 hours.
The nearest place to draw money is in Axat

January 2012

Significant amendments to the route of the trail have been made recently in Stages 1 and 4. A few relatively minor amendments have been made elsewhere. Policy on waymarking is also evolving. The accommodation section (Appendix 1) has been re-written. Useful new publications in French have recently appeared. These developments are described below.

Pages 21 & 23 – Waymarking and Route-finding

The Sentier Cathare is still well waymarked throughout its length, but the system of waymarking is evolving, and is likely to change further in the years ahead.

Where the trail coincides with a national GR path, its route is indicated by the red and white waymarks of such paths. This applies to certain sections on Stages 4 and 5 (GR36); to a section on Stage 7 (the GR7); and to the whole of Stages 10, 11 and 12 (GR107), nearly all in Ariège.

In due course, the Sentier Cathare may itself be designated as a GR path. In that case, the whole of its route will be indicated by red and white waymarks. But, for the moment, the first nine stages of the trail are mostly indicated by blue and yellow (supposedly ochre) waymarks.

Where the trail coincides with a GR path, the blue and yellow waymarks sometimes still appear along with the GR path's red and white waymarks. But it is to be expected that this will be the case less and less in the future.

On one short section of Stage 5 (Main Route), the trail is indicated by red and yellow waymarks, where the Sentier Cathare coincides with a regional path, the Tour du Fenouillèdes.

Page 39 – Maps

The sketch maps in this book offer only an indication of the key features along the trail. It is strongly recommended that you also equip yourself with a very useful 1:55,000 map called Le Sentier Cathare, published in 2011 by rando édition. It covers the whole trail. Further information on the map is given here: www.editions-sudouest.com.

Page 52 – Port-la-Nouvelle

The route has been amended between the wind turbines at point (5) and an underpass at point (7). This is the new route description:

Go straight ahead at a crossing of tracks by the wind turbines (5) and start to descend. After a short distance, take a left fork (ie, go straight ahead). Red and yellow waymarks indicate a right turn here, but that is for a different route, so ignore those waymarks. Stay with the blue and yellow waymarks of the Sentier Cathare. You are descending in the direction of another group of wind turbines. Pass a ruined building, come to a fork and go right there.

After nearly a kilometre, a track joins on the left. You are very close to one of the wind turbines, on the left. Here, the trail chinks slightly to the right then continues in the same direction. Not very long after that, look out carefully for a T-junction of tracks and turn right there.

The trail bears round to the right, seemingly turning back on itself. The edge of the plateau, on the left, is approached. You reach the top of a steep slope with cliffs to the right and left (6). Directly below on the left is a stony path going down between the cliffs. Scramble down that path.

The path leads to the edge of a vineyard. Continue downhill, in the same direction. On meeting a track at the bottom of the vineyard, turn left, along that track. This track leads you to a narrow tunnel under the N9 road (7).