To the abbey of Villelongue

Signs: Yellow markings

The trail follows the old path that linked the village to the abbey and starts at the top of the village near the towers and medieval garden, at the foot of the Carsac stone.

Take the small paved road to the left of the sign showing the three footpaths of Saint-Martin-le-Vieil. At the fork, leave the path "sentier des Capitelles" on the left , and carry on straight ahead. At the level of the vineyards, a marker will direct you to a path separating the different plots of land.

This one will lead you through the vineyards and then, in the undergrowth, on a slightly sandy earth path.

After a short hour's walk (half of the circuit), we arrive on the part of the path overlooking the abbey. We can then see the abbey, majestic, in its bosky bower. A visit of the abbey and the splendid garden is a must. For those who wish, a variant will take you to an old lime kiln.
To reach it, cross the small bridge over the "La Vernassonne" and just after the last building on the left, take the path that climbs gently upwards: count one-hour round trip but it is worth it !

The return trip promises to be very pleasant; to do so, take the track starting from the parking lot and go along the edge of the wood.

Then at the crossroads, turn right, make a small effort before reaching the plateau. The wooded part will be very nice in summer.

When you reach the paved road, continue and then take the track on the right and, a little further on, a track on your right. During the descent at 50m on your right stands a “capitelle” (dry-stone hut) with as always, the doorway to the south. 

As soon as you discover it, you will recognize the village and its two towers of the feudal castle, announcing you the end of the hike.