Today, I decided to talk about something local. Because of the lockdown and other restrictions, I haven’t done any of the short foreign trips I planned at the beginning of the year. However, when the weather was sunny (unlike these last few days), I did take my car and went on some nice day trips around Toulouse.
A Good Suggestion: Mazamet Footbridge
My latest trip was suggested by a friend, who accompanied me. I had never heard of it, but it was pretty touristy. It’s not that surprising because I’m originally not from the Occitanie region, but still. We drove to Mazamet (about 1 hour 20 minutes from Toulouse) to see its impressive footbridge. Only 15 or 30 minutes away from the parking lot (depending if you choose the Roman path or the gardens way), the bridge is not that long, but it’s pretty high. For some, it might seem like nothing, but I’m not too comfortable with high structures that move (like roller coasters, for example), so it felt pretty intimidating.
The walkway is 140m long and located 70m above the ground. It moves and sways a little when people walk on it or when the wind blows. It offers a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains, and leads to the medieval village of Hautpoul.
Where To Park And Which Way To Go
Let’s go back to the beginning of the hike. When you park in the parking lot in Mazamet, there are public toilets (important information, I know) and a path going up. Then, you arrive at a crossing and you have to choose between the Roman way (voie romaine) and the Cormouls Houlès gardens way (jardins Cormouls Houlès).
The first one is an uphill walk of about 15 minutes on slippery and sometimes wet rocks and then on normal ground. It can be a bit hard, but it’s not too bad and doesn’t take long. I recommend taking it to go up and not down, as it’s slippery.
The second one is a 30 minutes walk in the forest, where there are some small towers. No gardens though, maybe once upon a time. I think it’s an easier path to go down after all the efforts. But you can also take it to go up and down. It’s not a competition.
Crossing The Footbridge To Visit Hautpoul
Once at the footbridge, you can cross to reach the village. I precise that all of this if free, no need to pay any fee to cross. The village is cute and has a few bars, a shop and a restaurant. If you think, you’ve done the difficult part, you’re wrong. The way to village and to its top is steep, but every little street is charming and the view from the Virgin statue is astonishing. The walkway looks so small from up there!
Take a deep breath, enjoy the scenery, and prepare to slowly go back down, all the while taking in the beauty of this little village that seems straight out of a fairytale (or a hobbit tale).
It’s an easy hike, even though it’s always going up or down, and it’s perfect for a day or half day trip.
To know more about Mazamet footbridge, click here.
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