Le Sentier Cathare (Cathares Path): in twelve stages from the Mediterranean to Foix.
Need more information in english: marlaine@home.nl
the 12 stages:
1. Port-la-Nouvelle – Durban/Corbières: 26 km. – duration 6-7 hours
2. Durban/Corbières – Padern : 28 km – duration 8 hours
3. Padern – Duilhac sous Peyrepertuse 14 km. – duration 4-5 hours
4. Duilhac sous Peyrepertuse – Gorges de Galamus: 11 km. – duration 3 hours
5. Gorges de Galamus – Bugarach: : 18 km. – duration 6-7 hours
Bugarach: Bed and breakfast ‘Le Presbytère’
6. Bugarach – Quillan: 23 km – duration 6-7 hours
Between Bugarach and Quillan: St. Louis: Cosy wooden house to let
Near Quillan: In Espéraza (Aude): cottage to let
Belvianes near Quillan: Bed and breakfast / Chambres d’hôtes ‘Nostalgie’
7. Quillan – Puivert: 18 km – duration 5-6 hours
Bed and Breakfast and Gîte – ‘Le Relais des Marionnettes’: Mme et mr Dubrunfaut, 119 Route 117, 11230 Puivert. Tel & fax. France 468 208069
8. Puivert – Espezel: 16 km – duration 4-5 hours
In Espezel: Hôtel Grau
9. Espezel – Comus: 20 km – duration 5-6 hours
10. Comus – Montségur: 13 km – duration 3-4 hours
11. Montségur – Roquefixade: 15 km – duration 4 hours
Gîte et chambres d’hôtes / House and Bed and Breakfast near Montferrier
12. Roquefixade – Foix: 16 km – duration 4-5 hours
Near Roquefixade: Ilhat: Landtreks Holiday Accommodation, Adventure Tours and Mini-breaks
West of Foix (8 km.): Table et chambres d’hôtes / Bed and Breakfast in Serres sur Arget
Route description and maps: Le Sentier Cathare: de la mer à Montségur – Pays-Histoire-Religion, Ed.Randonnées Pyrénéennes – ISBN 2.905521.82.1
In English: Cicerone: The Cathar way. A walker’s guide to the sentier Cathare – A. Mattingly
More info in dutch: Drieluik over de Katharen en het Sentier Cathare: Cees Gloudemans in De Volkskrant – zaterdagkatern Traject 22 februari, 1 maart en 8 maart 2003.
The remains of the Cathars period you will find mainly in the western part of the Sentier Cathare (Montsegur, Foix). It makes some sense to end there. It also is the most beautiful part. If you start in Foix the first stages will not be easy.
You must see the Gorges de la Frau
As the public transport in the region is poor and the distance between towns or villages with a hotel, B&B and gite d’etappe can be long, it is very unwise to go on the trail without a tent, in case you can’t find a proper place to stay for the night. Good places to stay are Foix and Quillan.
Early summer would be the best time for a walk on the Sentier Cathare.
We have walked:
– 5th of August 1997 Part of the stage Comus – Montségur: Carrefour de Pelail – Village of Montségur (and back). Beautiful! Good and free camping possibilities at the Passerelle sur le Lasset (beautiful!) and at the beginning of the village of Montségur. We have heard that the part east of Pelail is extremely beautiful (Gorges de la Frau). We will walk this part in the summer of 1998.
– 11th of August 1998 The remaining part of the stage Comus – Montségur in *the wrong direction*: Carrefour de Pelail – Comus (and back). Don’t miss the Gorges de la Frau!! Not easy if you start at the Carrefour de Pelail (climbing about 2 hours).
On 28 June 1999 we received a message from Keith Baxter: “Returned from trip (5-18 June). Thought the following may be of interest. Montsegur area: (1) Campsites: found one open in Montferrier, the rest in the area seem to open around 14 June. (2) Walks: Montferrier-Roquefixade: difficult underfoot (mud), Pelail-Montsegur: very difficult underfoot (mud). Pelail-Comus: best walk of my life. Wild flowers beautiful. Met a botanist, he said that he had identified 14 types of wild orchid. Hope this is of interest. Regards Keith Baxter”
– July 1995 Part of the stage Montségur- Roquefixade in the *wrong direction* starting in Montferrier. . We have left Montferrier – direction Monts d’Olmes. You will find there the yellow and red signs of the Cathares Path. In a couple of hours you will reach the Montségur mountain – at the top the Ruins of the Cathares Castle. The Cathares Path is passing underneath. It is possible to visit the ruins at the top (climbing about half an hour). In the tourist season you will have to pay for the visit. We went back to Montferrier following the GR7 from the Montségur Mountain and the last part following the rural road direction Montferrier.
– 31 July 1997 Roquefixade – Foix. Recommended! Starting point: the N-W point of the Roquefixade (little) market place. You will pass underneath the remains of the Roquefixade castle. At the end fantastic panoramic view on Foix and the famous Château de Gaston Phébus.
More about the Pyrenees and hiking and staying in the Pyrenees
© Ton & Polle de Maagt 1997-2011
Last updated on the 10th of February 2011
