out quickly in the sun once the storm has passed.
Lightning may also cause fire. Fortunately, this part of France suffers much less from fires in forest and undergrowth than does hotter, drier Provence, further east. If you find yourself anywhere near an uncontrolled fire, get away from it as quickly as possible. Flames can move across the ground with startling speed, especially when fanned by a strong wind. Needless to say, walkers should take great care not to start a fire themselves.
If you are walking anywhere in this region from September to February, don’t be surprised to hear the occasional sharp crack of gunfire, probably from hunters tracking down wild boar or, on the higher ground, deer. You may also see signs alongside footpaths warning you that shooting is taking place in the area. It is very unlikely that you will be shot; the hunters have to comply with strict safety regulations, including not firing across footpaths. Stick carefully to the waymarked path and offer a cheerful bonjour as you go past.
You have even less cause for concern if you ever actually see a wild boar. The sight of anything resembling Homo sapiens will cause it to turn on its heels and dash off without a second’s hesitation. Wolves and bears live in Cathar castle country, but in extremely small numbers. They do eat sheep and other livestock for breakfast (in 2004 a bear polished off a couple of pigs in Niort, just south of Quillan, before being chased away), but your chances of meeting one of these creatures is infinitely small.
Pyrenean sheep dogs – big, beautiful, white-haired creatures – are often employed by farmers to guard flocks of sheep and goats while they graze. These dogs are usually unaccompanied by shepherds. They may utter a few warning barks in your direction, but present no danger to walkers. If you have a dog with you, keep it well under control (as in all circumstances). Pyrenean sheep dogs are trained to issue summary justice to bears, wolves and stray dogs which threaten their flock, so don’t give them reason to take issue with your pet.
Sheep and cattle are often fenced in. Even high up on open country you will come across wire fences. They rarely present an insuperable barrier, but always be careful how you cross them; they might be electrified. Some electric fences are powered by solar panels.
As caterpillars descend, plants shoot up. In spring and early summer undergrowth can rapidly become exceptionally dense, especially in the western part of the area. The paths followed on the walks described all seem popular, so the passage of walkers should keep most of them clear. But one or two sections were overgrown when the walks were surveyed. Where this may be a problem a suggested alternative route is given.
Finally, take a note of emergency telephone numbers, posted up in information offices, gîtes, hotels, and so on. If you ever need to telephone for help or to report an accident or a fire and are not sure who best to call, ring 18 (the French fire service, the sapeurs pompiers, which deals with many types of emergency). However, bear in mind that mobile telephones will not always work in remoter areas of countryside. Always ensure that you have adequate insurance in case you have to be rescued or need emergency medical treatment.
LOOK OUT FOR…
Snakes are rarely sighted, and the majority are not poisonous. Perhaps the most ‘dangerous’ creature that you are likely to encounter is – surprisingly – a caterpillar. In the early spring, especially beneath or near pine trees, you may see curious, worm-like lines of hairy brown caterpillars winding across the ground. These are processional caterpillars, that overwinter in a cotton-wool cocoon high up in a pine tree. They chomp on the pine leaves and can leave whole forests devastated. In spring they come down to earth, form head-to-tail chains and wander around looking for somewhere to bury themselves. Don’t touch them or get too close – they have a nasty sting. Above all, keep your dog well away, or you could be facing a distressing trip to the nearest vet.
Processional caterpillars: possibly the region’s most dangerous creatures
Waymarked walking routes
In Cathar castle country, where green tourism is flourishing, most communes (roughly equivalent to parish councils) have one or more waymarked walks in their territory. Often a notice board in the square of the main village will display these, and publications describing them may be available from the local tourist office or town hall (mairie).
It is becoming common practice for adjacent communes to band together as communautés de communes. Those joint organisations often take responsibility for planning, waymarking and publicising local walking circuits in the area they cover. An example in Cathar castle country is the Communauté de Communes Pays d’Olmes, based in the town of Lavelanet, east of Foix. It has developed a fine network of local waymarked circuits. Sections of those circuits have been incorporated in walks described in the Roquefixade and Montségur sections of this book. Later sections and Appendix 2 contain information about relevant publications covering local walks.
The Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (FFRP) has also published several Topo-guides for local walks (www.ffrandonnee.fr). These are for PR paths, Promenades Randonnées, which roughly means walks that can be completed in a day or less. Like the FFRP’s series of Topo-guides for GR (Grande Randonnée) long-distance paths, the PR Topo-guides have a uniform format. The maps, illustrations, route descriptions and complementary information are of a high quality.
Local walking circuits are usually waymarked in yellow – as on this signpost above Montségur (Section 9)
Relevant PR Topo-guides are referred to in Appendix 2 and in various walk descriptions. The local walks described in these guidebooks are waymarked with painted yellow rectangles. Most other local walking circuits in Cathar castle country are also now indicated by yellow waymarks (but not always: for instance, a section of the hill walk described in the Montaillou section is indicated by red waymarks).
GR paths carry red and white waymarks. A few – the GR7, GR36 and GR77 – cross Cathar castle country. Regional GRP (Grande Randonnée de Pays) paths carry red and yellow waymarks. There are a few of those in the area too, such as the Tours du Pays d’Olmes, near Roquefixade. The Sentier Cathare carries red and yellow waymarks for much of its route in Ariège, but blue and yellow waymarks in Aude.
It should be noted that where a section of a local walking route (normally indicated by yellow waymarks) coincides with the route of a GR or GRP path, the waymarks of the latter may take priority. The GR/GRP waymarks may thus be the only waymarks along that section of the local circuit.
For each walk there are notes on what kinds of waymarks to look out for, and (where appropriate) on which ones to ignore. For example, you may see waymarks consisting of a triangle and two adjacent discs, indicating the routes of mountain bike circuits. For the most part, they are best ignored.
Local walking circuits are susceptible to modification at any time. Please bear in mind that the routes of some of the walks described may be amended in the future. If in doubt, follow the routes indicated by any new waymarking on the ground.
The walks described in this book
The 16 walk sections describe several walks in Cathar castle country. All the walks follow waymarked and well-maintained routes. They can all be accomplished in a day or less. Several of the walks are circular; some are out-and-back walks, which return to the starting point by the outward route. A couple follow figure-of-eight circuits; one is a linear walk.
Each of the walk sections describes one or two walks. In a few cases, a variant of a walk is also suggested, giving the option of lengthening
