Discover geocaching in the Bassin Auterivain: 2 hiking trails and over 200 caches to discover just 30 minutes from Toulouse!
Having trouble convincing your friends to join you on a hike? Are your children dragging their feet when you put on your walking shoes? Why not spice up your nature outings in the South of Toulouse region with Geocaching? Get into treasure-hunting mode and discover the Auterivain Basin in an unusual way.
What is geocaching?
Geocaching is a kind of GPS-assisted treasure hunt! The ‘geocachers’ set off in search of ‘geocaches’, small boxes to be found using a smartphone and clues.
The reward: the chance to add your name to the list of those who have found the cache, and even win a small item – which you’ll have to replace for the next person to find it!
How do you play the game?
Create an account on the geocaching.com website
Download the (free) application onto your smartphone
On the map, click on the cache of your choice, then on ‘go’.
Take with you :
1 pen
1 charged smartphone
Small objects (bean, ball…) to take from cache to cache
A family outing just 30 minutes south of Toulouse!
Trail #34 – Burguerolles loop from the Sentes & Layons guidebook – 2hrs 30mins, easy level
Footpath ‘Passerelles entre Rives et Balcons’ and in the village of Venerque – 2h, easy level
Zoom in on…Point Zero (PZ)
This is where the cache is located according to the GPS (point zero = 0m). Be careful, though, as the accuracy of different GPS units can vary from 1 to 2 metres to as much as 5 metres!
Can’t find it? Dig a little deeper and take a good look at the cache clues!
Geocaching glossary
Logbook: a small piece of paper in the cache where geocachers add their name after finding it.
Spoiler/hint: hint or photo
DNF (did not find): the cache was not found
MPLC (merci pour la cache): geocacher politeness (in a comment)
Muggle: person who does not practice geocaching
Geocaching charter
Respect the cache and its environment: do not break, force or tear down the cache and leave it clean.
Sign the cache logbook in addition to logging in to the application.
Thank the owner of the cache (MPLC for example) and specify in the comments if the cache needs maintenance.
Leave things exactly as they were before and always put an item back when you take one!