Guidebook with maps/step-by-step
(D) - Take the road opposite the post office towards Château d'Usson. Before the bridge, take the asphalt road downhill. Cross the bridge and turn right. Take a series of switchbacks up to the Rialet (or Rouze) dam.
40 min - Arrive at the dam. Continue straight ahead along the road around the lake. After the factory, turn right towards Artigues. You'll come to a tarmac road, which you follow to the left and then to the right to take the D116 towards Mijanès for a short while. After the first bend in the road, turn left onto a footpath towards Artigues. 50 m further on, at the crossroads, continue left over a small bridge.
bridge. Take the hairpin bends that lead to a meadow. Cross the meadow to reach a tarmac road and continue straight on to Artigues.
1h 40 - In Artigues, go around the church and under a bridge. Turn right immediately to climb to Col d'Aspil. You can climb up to Mascara (1303 m) and back, for a superb view of the valley. From Col d'Aspil, descend to Lac de Noubals (or Lac des Grandes Pâtures). Continue along the right bank until you reach the dam.
2h 20 - Descend the hairpin bends behind the dam, cross the bridge and take the path to the right towards Mijanès. Reach a road which you cross to continue on a footpath. Follow a new road to the left to reach the village of Mijanès.
2h 40 - Cross the bridge and take the first right through Mijanès along the left bank of La Bruyante. Follow this road to Rouze. Continue along this road until you reach a small staircase on the right, which you can use to return to your car.
(A) 3h - Car park at Rouze post office.
40 min - Arrive at the dam. Continue straight ahead along the road around the lake. After the factory, turn right towards Artigues. You'll come to a tarmac road, which you follow to the left and then to the right to take the D116 towards Mijanès for a short while. After the first bend in the road, turn left onto a footpath towards Artigues. 50 m further on, at the crossroads, continue left over a small bridge.
bridge. Take the hairpin bends that lead to a meadow. Cross the meadow to reach a tarmac road and continue straight on to Artigues.
1h 40 - In Artigues, go around the church and under a bridge. Turn right immediately to climb to Col d'Aspil. You can climb up to Mascara (1303 m) and back, for a superb view of the valley. From Col d'Aspil, descend to Lac de Noubals (or Lac des Grandes Pâtures). Continue along the right bank until you reach the dam.
2h 20 - Descend the hairpin bends behind the dam, cross the bridge and take the path to the right towards Mijanès. Reach a road which you cross to continue on a footpath. Follow a new road to the left to reach the village of Mijanès.
2h 40 - Cross the bridge and take the first right through Mijanès along the left bank of La Bruyante. Follow this road to Rouze. Continue along this road until you reach a small staircase on the right, which you can use to return to your car.
(A) 3h - Car park at Rouze post office.
