Distance: 31,6 km
Level: Difficult
Elevation: 954 D +
1 reviews

Departure: EMBRES-ET-CASTELMAURE
boucle
MTB Black
The Cathare Trail: very technical and physical, can be a challenge on some sections. After the ascent to La Recaoufa, watch out for the descent (! Horses); Some magical places, such as the sites of the Notre Dame de l'Olive chapel or of Castelmaure with the Saint Félix chapel, allow a break full of "zenitude". Circuit 5 of Espace VTT-FFC 198 To see: Durban-C: Castle, mill of En Crabié. Fraisse des C: Chapelle Ste Colombe, XNUMXth century castle. St Jean de Barrou: Fresh fountain, Notre Dame de l'Olive Chapel. Castelmaure: St Félix chapel, remains of the feudal castle. Viewpoints: Embres and Castelmaure: Col de Bent. Durban-C: The Berre river; Col de Vente flour; Col de Portel.

By mountain bike

THE COLS AND CHAPELS CIRCUIT

Ranking & labels

  • MTB-FFC sites
  • Vignobles et Découvertes

Your itinerary

EMBRES-ET-CASTELMAURE

IGN map reference (s): IGN 2547 OT

1

Step 1

Step not located on the map

Take the D205 towards Villeneuve; at the end of the village, turn left on the uphill path. Follow the Cathare Trail. Continue with a technical descent (ravine area). Just before the ruined sheepfold, turn right and go down to the road. Take the D205 to the right for about 450m and turn left. 500m later, go up to the left towards La Recaoufa. Then continue downhill (! Horses); join the D611. Drive through Durban. Take the Cathare Trail (portage for 150m outside Durban) (! Double direction) until the D50. About 650 m after the farm of Mandourelle, turn right on a path, leave it before the D27; Go up to the left on an embankment and walk along a vine. (! Be attentive to the process). Go along the hill of Calla, follow a path between vineyards and scrubland. Via a motorable path, join the entrance to Fraïsse and the D205. Go opposite and at the fork continue to the left on the tarmac path until the D27. Turn right then about 250m later on the left. Pass in front of the Notre Dame de l'Olive chapel. About 1 km away possibility of reaching the village of Saint Jean de Barrou. Follow the small road to Castelmaure (Saint Félix chapel). Continue on the tarmac path towards Embres.

Be careful, the fire risk is often high, especially in summer, and can lead to flower bed closures. Find out before you go consulting the fire risk map for outdoor activities.
Fires strictly prohibited. Do not smoke and never throw cigarette butts in nature. Fires are numerous and catastrophic in our region. In the event of a fire or accident: give alert 18 or 112 from a cell phone.
Protect yourself from the sun and take enough water with you.
Avoid picking flowers and plants. Take all your trash. Close fences and keep dogs on a leash in pasture areas, villages and protected areas.

Mountain bike routes: the routes are often shared with hikers or other users (cars, tractors, etc.). Be careful and always anticipate that a pedestrian may be present around a bend to have time to brake if necessary. Pedestrians have priority in principle, slow down at crossings or stop if the configuration of the terrain requires you to do so.
Thank you and happy hiking!

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Reviews

Soubelet Denis The 29 July 2021
On leave in August 2015, I embarked on this circuit n ° 5 ... to situate myself, I am 51 years old, an experienced and trained mountain biker. The start of the circuit at the end of the spray is already difficult, from the start, the climb of the 4 * 4 path is steep. The very long descent that follows is fantastic, technical, dangerous at times (I am from Bordeaux and am not too used to stones). then, the climb to the virgin of the requesta is difficult, I pushed the mountain bike in places ... the view up there is fabulous. and the descent that follows is a real trap! pebbles, rocks even, 1m deep ruts in the middle of the path, and the slope I won't tell you, maybe 30 or 40% in places! and it lasts, it lasts ... in addition, there are tree trunks across the path (like the other descent for that matter), brilliant! After Durban, the climb on the Cathar trail is impassable in places (rocks + portage), and the return to fraissé et spray is easy. note: 8/10 (because of the ruts in the descent which forced me to do part of it on foot). A few tips: my tires were too light for gravel, so plan for beef, and my development (29/34 for a 26 inch cannondale scalpel) too big on some climbs. Next year if I can I come back to this beautiful region!

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