What to do when it is forbidden to move more than 10 kilometers from your home? We offer you a treasure hunt and two hikes to do in Castres.
The successive confinements have forced the majority of people to turn to the virtual in order to be able to continue to keep a social link or to find fun and cultural activities. The passing of time has, however, generated a certain form of weariness regarding this mode of entertainment and communication and everyone now prefers to be content with simple authorized walks to improve daily life. There is however an activity allowing to combine fun and cultural activities and walks; icing on the cake, it is practicable within 10 kilometers of most towns and villages. Her name ? Cistus hunting. A free treasure hunt, open to all, upon registration on the website Cistes.net whose goal is to solve more or less tough puzzles in order to flush out small boxes with worthless contents. A cistus is a watertight box containing some objects, which has been intentionally hidden somewhere. There is nothing to gain other than the pleasure of discovering it! In antiquity, a cistus or cyst was a sacred chest or basket used in mystery cults.
“Pleasant to walk around and discover Castres”
A pretext to discover the wealth of heritage (dangerous and private sites are prohibited). Invented in 2003 by the late Max Valentin, creator of the famous golden owl which has still not been discovered, this activity brings together several thousand followers around the world. A fashion that Castres has not escaped, as evidenced by Julien, an occasional researcher. “I heard about it on television and it interested me. It’s quite pleasant to walk with my daughter and discover Castres where I have lived for two years. It’s a free activity that allows you to discover landscapes. It takes you off the beaten track. Sometimes when I go to see my family in Carmaux or in Albi we go to look for them. I have never been a hider, I do not know how it works “explains the young father. Because yes, you can also become a hider and thus hide your little box, concoct your enigma and take the participants to a place which we believe is worth the detour. To better understand what attracts those who practice this unusual hunt, we looked for cists hidden by a player answering the sweet nickname of potato31. Following the clue photos, we discover our first cistus a stone’s throw from the most famous place of worship in Castres.
Quickly taken by the game, we decide to continue towards the second meeting point of the course entitled Debout (the motto of Castres) which includes seven stages. From cache to cache, we explore the city, as conquered by the walk as by the excitement of the game which ultimately resembles a great Easter egg race. A game, which the greed does not corrupt, which will appeal to young and old alike who will quickly find their child’s soul. For fans of a more high-tech treasure hunt mode, there is also geocaching which is practiced with a GPS. cistes.net Or on geocaching.com, there is a good chance that there is a hiding place to discover near you. At the time of writing, 1114 cistus have been listed in the Tarn… It’s your turn!
The loops of La Parulle and Jean Petit: a change of scenery less than 10 km
And why not take a hike less than 10 km from your home? There is no shortage of hiking trails around Castres, so we had to make a choice. The website of the Castres tourist office is no longer accessible since the fire which ravaged the premises and the OVH servers in Strasbourg on Wednesday March 10, we decided to highlight two routes recommended by the members of this structure.
The loop of La Parulle: 7.5 kms – 2 h 20 – Departure from Chemin de la Barque. From the Boat, the “Chemin des Fontaines” goes up the course of the Agout towards Sidobre. Carved in the schists, always dressed in lichens, mosses and ferns, it progresses in a fresh atmosphere mixed with river scents and humus scents. Near Burlats, the route leaves the Agout to climb a steep slope bordered by oak, locust and maple woods. Higher up, the elegant silhouette of the tall Carla pines marks the end of the climb. Meadows, some perspectives on the valley but, very quickly, the path plunges again into a valley. Under the cover of beautiful oak groves, the path is strewn with pebbles torn from the clays which adorn the reliefs dominating the Castres plain. Again the back of a hill … The fields of La Parulle free up the horizon to the Pyrenees … splendid hedges of old oaks enliven the landscape. Now on the hillside, the path declines towards Tournemire. He soon found the “Chemin des Fontaines” with its procession of small hedges and returned to the Boat.
The Jean Petit loop: 8.5 kms – 2 h 30 min – Departure from the greenway parking lot. (Be careful depending on your exact address, this route can take you to a little more than 10 kilometers from Castres, be careful before leaving). To get to the start, from the city center of Castres, you will have to take the direction of Lautrec via the D83 then, 3 kilometers after the bypass, turn left in the direction of Saint-Nazaire and La Jonquière. At the next crossroads, turn right onto Chemin de La Jonquière. Follow this path for 2 kilometers until you reach the green lane. The car park will be on your left. “At the gates of Castres, the hills of Lautrécois offer the walker an ideal country getaway. Curvaceous landscapes, shaped by valleys, where the paths roam the hillsides, slip at the foot of the slopes or prance among the fields. charming hamlets are scattered around each other with Occitan sounds… ”explains the hiking guide from the tourist office. Let yourself be guided by the signs and enjoy the change of scenery.
–
