As soon as you leave Castres, you’ll know what kind of day it’s going to be. There’s no sharp climb, just an endless up and down through the hills of southern France. It stays mild, but all those small ascents add up. You’ll climb around 300 metres over the course of the day, and you’ll feel it in your legs, especially in the afternoon.
The landscape is open and peaceful. Fields, woodland edges, villages where there’s often not a soul in the street. At about six hours of walking, this is a day for settling into a steady rhythm, not for rushing. Towards the end, Dourgne comes into view at the foot of the Montagne Noire. So take plenty of food and drink with you from Castres, and build in a proper break halfway.