79 – LE MAIL DE HARD

Steps

Step 1

Park your vehicle in the motorhome area at the bottom of the village, just to the left before the barrier. The start is marked by a sign (yellow marker no. 79). Follow this small paved road.

Step 2

50 metres further on, turn left at the intersection. Continue along this small road while enjoying the scenery. When you reach a new intersection, leave the road and take the track on your right into the woods.

Step 3

50m further on, take the small, fairly steep path on the right (signposted Le Mont).

Step 6

You will come to a junction of tracks with the paved road 20 metres below. Take the track on the left.

Step 4

You will come to another intersection. Turn left onto the stony path. You will arrive at a paved road and a house.

Step 5

Take the path on the right. Follow it until you reach a small grassy hill, then continue on the path leading off to the left.

Step 7

You will arrive at another intersection where you will follow the gravel track. A few minutes later, you will come to a paved road. Follow it, turning right.

Step 8

At the next crossroads, turn right and drive through the small village of Labat. As you leave the village, the road winds downhill.

Step 9

Cross a small bridge and turn left immediately after. You will pass a picnic table, which is a welcome place to stop for a break, then take the small path on your right.

Step 10

Stay on this main road and continue straight ahead.

Step 11

You will then come to a junction where a sign points to the Gouffre de l'Espugue. In less than 5 minutes you will arrive at the edge of the chasm.

Step 12

Then retrace your steps to the previous intersection with the sign and turn right.

Step 13

A few minutes later, at a junction with a track, turn right. You'll come to a small road.

Step 14

Turn left and cross a small bridge. Follow this small road and very quickly take the track going up to the right. A few hundred metres further on, take the path going up to your left. This path climbs quite steeply for about 20 minutes.

Step 15

Take the path on your left downhill (if you did not go to the summit, turn right at the sign for Hard (819m).

Step 16

Continue straight ahead along this path until you come to an intersection with a tarmac road. Turn right onto this small road, which descends slightly.

Step 17

At a right-hand bend, you will come back to the path you took on the way up, with the house. Take this path, just to the left of the corner of the house. You will come back to the stony path you started on – be careful not to miss the junction a few hundred metres further down and turn right.

Step 18

At the bottom of the descent, 20 metres further on, join the tarmac road which you follow on the left to reach your vehicle.