metropolly, there are no fear-inducing paths in this part of via tolosana. you are more in danger of slipping on loose stones, so I recommend taking sticks/staff.
let's see:
- from arles streets and a ditch along canal du petit rhone, or road on GR, to st gilles. if you are going along canal, you cross a disused railway bridge. a board on it says that crossing is forbidden, but an arrow points right across. you then follow the former railway line to meet with GR. if you are reluctant to cross, follow the ditch to the main N572 road, go right and in a while meet with GR.
- from st gilles to montpellier there are roads and dirt tracks and gravel roads up and down the hills. after crossing canal du rhone, keep your eyes on the waymarks, as there is one right turn that is easy to miss. I think there are some cypresses on the left. I already described montpellier.
- from montpellier there are dirt tracks, gravel roads and roads to st guilhem. there is an alternative after le boissiere (2km shorter) that goes along the former railway line and through a 350m long tunnel with no lights. it was very interesting, crossing without lights. you emerge out in aniane. once in gorge de l'herault, the route runs on the road for a time, then on a small path below the road. take time to peek over the road railings!
- from st guilhem there is a climb on a 1m wide path that zig-zags up to the top. then there is a narrower stony path along the slope, across a scree. then a forest road for a long while. then a stony descend (plenty of very loose stones!) to tarmac road. then road to arboras. then a dirt track, a forest road, and a path along an old road with a fantastic dry stone wall. there were also some very high and steep steps down a small terrace just before st jean blaquiere but might have been improved since then.
- from blaquiere a road then a path down and up to uclas. then a forest road to gradmont (make a signposted 100m detour to a dolmen on the right). then a wonderful path through forest - take care of roots and branches, and small rocks. you also walk atop some small cliffs (about 5m high) but are very wide and mostly in the forest. then road and a steep and stony descent on a path to lodeve (this part might have been changed!).
- from lodeve road to belbezet then road, paths and tracks to the top, and a track down to D3 road. then road to bernague(?) village and from there wide but stony descent to joncels. then paths and tracks, sometimes muddy and stony, to lunas. then mostly road and gravel to st martin d'orb.
- from st martin d'orb a path climbs to the top, crossing a scree once. then forest tracks and forest road all the way across the mountains. plenty of ticks, too. then descent on tarmac and gravel road, then a path to mecle. then a lovely but sometimes overgrown narrow path with a fairly steep descent (in forest) to st gervais.
- from st gervais tracks, roads, forest roads to cap de faulet. in the last ascent though beautiful spruce forest keep your eyes open for waymarks. there way one turn right up that was unmarked but it had an arrow from tree branches on the ground, and another turn at a reservoir further up, that had very overgrown waymarks. you must reach windmills on top. then a descent on paths and tracks through forest then fields, and road, to murat.
- from murat pretty bucolic tracks and gravel, and roadwalk to salvetat.
- from salvetat lots of roadwalk, and tracks and gravel to angles.
- from angles mostly tracks and forest roads, with a path on the descent to boissezon. very muddy in rain.
- from boissezon some tracks and gravel, but lost of road to castres. look carefully for waymarks on the way in and out of castres.
- from castres to toulouse is all on rolling hills, tracks, gravel, roads (quite a lot), and an occasional path. canal de la robine is all flat, as is canal du midi (this one also all tarmac). I followed GR only as far as avignonet then went along canal du midi. it is recommended that you go along canal du midi at least from baziege because it saves you 10km.
- I recommend gite le pasuer-elle in les casses, 1.2km off route and signposted. the owner will point a very lovely short-cut for the next day, though you will need a bit of orientation skills at the end. there are several local waymarked trails in the area.
see, nothing to worry about.