Discovering the trails of Piedmont

Sébastien Malaret is the Piedmont representative in the hiking trail maintenance service for the community of communes.

How long have you been hiking the Piedmont trails?

For 15 years! I initially practiced them a lot by mountain bike, the Piedmont area offers a very substantial network of circuits and you can very easily create your own routes according to your current fitness or the weather conditions. I now explore them one by one and on foot (to check the maintenance...) and each time I have ideas to improve them a little more. I do not hide the fact that I have built up a good collection of photos! However, my photos are not views, but rather trails, that's what fascinates me (the environment, the history, capturing the atmospheres...).

What do you think is special about hiking in the Piedmont?

The perspective you get from the view of the Pyrenees. When you're in the mountains, you don't have the same perspective. Here you can identify a huge number of peaks; the foothills are the land of orientation tables; they're the balcony of the Pyrenees!

What are your top 5 hikes in the Piedmont?

• The Hadas Trail in Eycheil: for the fun side! There are chasms, a hanging rope bridge, and interpretive panels along the trail. It's very family-friendly.
• The path at the end of the forest in Contrazy: for the diversity of atmosphere, mixing narrow forest paths and clear views of the mountains. There is a project to put an orientation table on this path too, which shows the interest of the panoramic landscape!
• The Erp and Soulan loop starting from the Col d'Ayens (new for 2023!): for the magnificent view of the Valier… It’s quite a long route, and the view of the Valier is mind-blowing. For me, it’s the most beautiful in the Couserans.
• The 3 loops of the Royal Forest in Sainte-Croix: for the unique atmosphere of the forest. It's a unique forest with a wide variety of trees, mushrooms, and clayey terrain. There are no viewpoints, but it's cool, and the loops are very easy.
• The tour of the Alzen chapel : for the diversity of the paths taken. It's a route that starts from the ecomuseum, which is great. You reach passes, with views close to the Péguère pass, a small waterfall and a chapel. These are the heights of the Piedmont!