In search of underground water and megalithic sites

This hike will take you through an enchanting forest above one of the region's large underground water networks, which can be seen in several places: in an underground cistern, at the bottom of a karstic cave, in the bed of an almost dry river, or at a resurgence. You will also see one of the most beautiful dolmen sites in southern Ardèche.
Please note that the Aven du Reméjadou is extremely dangerous.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.27 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 128 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 134 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 236 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 157 m

Photos

Description of the walk

After Joyeuse, head south, continue on the D104, then turn left at the first major crossroads towards "Les Gras de Perret". Drive through the village of Les Gras de Perret, then the hamlet of Guilhaumon and continue to the houses in the hamlet of Tourneuse. There are places to park your car, but on private land, so please ask the locals. Otherwise, there are one or two spaces just before the water reservoir (do not block access).

(S/E) Continue along the wide path for about 400 metres until you reach a fork with a wide path on the right. To help you find your way, a wooden hunting blind has recently been built 20 metres from the crossroads on the left, and there is another older one about a hundred metres away.

(1) Take this path, which is wide at first and runs through a meadow, but quickly becomes a more wooded trail. Curiously, it is not fully marked on IGN maps, yet it is obvious. It is marked on the ground with red dots on stones. Continue along this path south-southwest. After a short climb, you will notice what looks like a karstic cave on your left. This is a double underground cistern, which is immediately accessible. Go and see it, and notice how it has been vaulted to keep it cool and prevent too much evaporation. Continue for about half an hour until you reach a crossroads. Note that the path on the right is marked with yellow and white signs and the one you have just left is marked with a yellow and white cross (see the hike "A short tour of the Gras de Perret", for which the route is the same).

(2) Continue straight ahead and then very quickly take the path on the right (towards Reméjadou). Yellow-white markers. The path crosses a limestone chaos and an extraordinary mossy forest worthy of fairy tales. Do not stray from the path, as the karst terrain is very uneven (there are many holes). After climbing up to a clearing, the trail leaves the wide path and turns left between some rocks. Continue along this path until you reach the "Reméjadou" signpost.

(3) Turn left towards Bourbouillet. The path heads south-east then quickly turns north-east between rocks. Keep an eye out for a path on the left marked with a cross (less than 100 metres from the crossroads). Take this path with great care. It stops abruptly in front of a pile of rocks behind which there is nothing. A 30-metre deep chasm. Note the piton used by cavers to abseil down, and note or listen for the river flowing at the bottom. Return to the path and continue (to the left). Cross another section of forest, then the path slopes southwards and leaves the forest. Join a wide path bordered by a high fence.

(4) Make a return trip to the Bourbouillet resurgence: continue along the main path heading south, which descends. At the bottom, you will find a field on your right with a wide track, blocked by a removable fence, just before a ford. Take this track north-west to the end - you will almost turn around - (close the fence). You will find the resurgence site at the bottom of the valley 200 metres away. It is a beautiful spot with some shade for picnics. Return to the fence to continue.

Continue right on the wide path heading south. After 200m (a sharp right turn followed by an uphill section), you will find a wide path on your right at a right angle (close the fence) that climbs slightly.

(5) Take this path (close the gate) for 350 m (white and yellow markers). It is lined with a small power line suspended from telegraph poles. Just where this path branches off slightly to the right, look for a faint track that goes off at a right angle to your left (landmark: it is just opposite an electricity pole (two feet away), the next one of which, a little further on, is marked with a clearly visible white and yellow marker). A cairn had also been piled up at the start of the track (but may have been destroyed by wild animals, etc.).

(6) Make a round trip to the dolmens: turn left and take this track straight ahead, heading south. It descends towards the bed of the Ruisseau de Fontgraze, which you can see. Leave two other tracks on the right and left. After 300 metres, the track seems to stop and turn sharply left. Ignore it and head slightly right into the scree, which you cross diagonally to reach a bench of sharp limestone pavement overlooking the stream bed, just opposite the road you can see ahead. The first dolmen is there, on your right. Two others are located 150 m away, taking a left heading south from the first dolmen on the lapiaz plateau, descending towards the river (in the direction of the cracks).

After this visit, return to the intersection with the main road lined with a high fence.

(4) Take the wide north-northeast path opposite, which starts by going downhill, following the high fence on your right. Continue until you reach the "Espéluche" hiking sign.

(7) Turn right (short climb) towards Joyeuse. At the top of the climb, the path turns right at a right angle. Ignore the narrower path that continues straight ahead along the fence. Turn left and continue along this path until you reach a fork (Saint-Alban-Auriolles on the right). Continue straight ahead towards "Joyeuse". The road runs alongside a low wall and then descends, turning slightly to the left. Join a road coming from your left. You will arrive at the signpost "Falaises de Lunel".

(8) The path becomes a wide forest track and then a forest road.

(9) Take this forest road on the left, which runs alongside and overlooks the La Beaume river. You will return to the junction of the loop.

(1) Follow the same route back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 231 m - Houses of Tourneuse
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 215 m - Hunting blind. Near the Beaume (river) - a tributary of the Ardèche
  3. 2 : km 2.11 - alt. 205 m - Intersection of the Chemin des Combes
  4. 3 : km 3.05 - alt. 201 m - Reméjadou signpost
  5. 4 : km 4.26 - alt. 178 m - Bourbouillet path and farm
  6. 5 : km 4.82 - alt. 166 m - fence to be closed
  7. 6 : km 5.15 - alt. 182 m - Electric pole and cairn
  8. 7 : km 6.6 - alt. 180 m - Espéluche signpost
  9. 8 : km 7.8 - alt. 206 m - Ventalon signpost
  10. 9 : km 8.75 - alt. 236 m - Falaises de Lunel signpost
  11. S/E : km 10.27 - alt. 231 m - Houses of Tourneuse

Notes

There is no drinking water on the route. Take precautions.
Light walking shoes (with good grip) are sufficient.
There is no shelter in case of rain, except for the dolmen itself!
If you are with children, take extreme care around the Karstic Cave of Reméjadou.
In very hot weather, bear in mind that the route between (4) and the dolmens is in direct sunlight.
Thanks to the software, the time has been estimated at 3 hours; allow 4 hours with all the visits.
For enthusiasts (like me), it is possible to be completely naked throughout the route, taking precautions (a few encounters are possible).

Worth a visit

In my opinion, the hike is only really worthwhile if you do the three round trips suggested: karstic cave, resurgence, dolmens.
Imagine the underground network beneath your feet: the water is almost the same everywhere, circulating and seeping underground.
Between (2) and (3), the forest is magnificent: look around, stroll, spot endemic species of flowers and vegetation, and observe the limestone chaos created by nature.
From (7), you can complete the route with a visit to the Grotte des Espéluches: at the top of the hill, continue straight ahead along the fence, then turn right onto the wide path. Then turn left towards the cave (some land is private, so ask for permission or, if no one is there, make sure you close any gates behind you). The Grotte des Espéluches is actually a "vent", a horizontal opening that goes deep into the hill (underground river). Do not explore without a guide. After the visit, return to the crossroads you left earlier (7).

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 35 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 16424207

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This was our second time doing this hike. As mentioned in the previous review, we couldn't find the route between points 1 and 2, so we turned right and found point 2 a little further on. The same thing happened with the route between points (and 6; we couldn't find the dolmens.
Apart from that, it was a magnificent route through the forest, very original with trees covered in moss or lichen, and beautiful autumn sunshine to boot.

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ardo
ardo

The last time I went to see the dolmens, the fence wasn't there, sorry. It's up to you if you don't want to visit, but it's a shame because they're very beautiful and the site is interesting.

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FredericBonjour
FredericBonjour

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I have mixed feelings about the hike.
There aren't many places at the starting point... a big sign prohibiting vehicles from leaving (between the two entrances, which doesn't bother me personally). Yuck! It seems like they really don't want to welcome others.
/|\ I got lost between points 1 and 2... I took a different route further to the right.
Point 3, the chasm is really cool!
Point 6 doesn't seem very interesting to me and the path surrounded by a very high fence isn't very inviting. Why such a high fence, with another one at the bottom? Private property/other
The return journey between points 7 and 8 is in full sun... Point 9 offers a beautiful view of the campsites below. No one is at the river, everyone is at the pool and water park. We live in a wonderful time!
I'll end on a positive note: most of the trail is in the forest, which is very pleasant and pretty, and the road up to the starting point is very nice (great for cycling!)
Thanks for the hiking suggestion.

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peyreg
peyreg

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thanks for the info.
The route is not very busy in April.
Like many others, I had problems between points 1 and 2, and my GPS was out of order that week...
I followed the red dots, which led me astray but allowed me to discover some beautiful ruins and views.
Enjoy your walk!

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kuumiut
kuumiut

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike through the sharp limestone pavement around the Réméjadou karstic cave. Although it is difficult to follow the suggested route in the first part, we let ourselves go and happily wander along the many small paths that criss-cross the area. Superb! We rejoin the route at the Réméjadou karstic cave where the river roars... The end of the trail is just as interesting, surrounded by dry stone walls.

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Josiane SCALON
Josiane SCALON
• Edited:

...

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padampadam
padampadam

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I loved this hike! Everything was sublime: the forest as a whole, the trees, moss, plants, rocks, streams, ruins, the views, the light that day...

Experience is the best teacher. Eager to follow the suggested route, we followed the map and our GPS, but... without paying much attention to the description and comments, which meant that...
- we got quite lost between points 1 and 2. All you have to do is follow the clear path under your feet (on the left, dotted on the map) and then turn right when a path clearly appears as an opportunity to rejoin the suggested route on this circuit
- we missed the resurgence, next time!
- we didn't find the dolmens

Thank you for this lovely walk, which was very enjoyable and will stay with me.

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Josiane SCALON
Josiane SCALON

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I really enjoyed this hike.
The locations are magical, and the route is not difficult.
We followed the "red circles" and found them very useful.
It took us a little longer than expected because the route is longer than stated in the description.
A real treat.

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ericcameleon26500
ericcameleon26500

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The departure point is on private land, so you need to find another place. We found a spot on the Route des Grads (an extra 1,500 metres each way).
Between the point ((1) and (2) ), just follow the path on the map and not the hiking trail.
At the point ((8)), go down to the riverbed to find the three dolmens
As for the Espeluches cave, we couldn't find any entrance to access it.

Otherwise, it was a very beautiful hike

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Shalva
Shalva

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Between points 1 and 2, the directions indicate to follow a path on the left, but this does not lead to point 2. We nevertheless reached point 2 by staying on the main path instead of turning left

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nyl
nyl

But what's difficult is following a poorly marked trail on the model, with an IGN map that doesn't show this path at all.🤔

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Génolhac
Génolhac

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nothing more to say, very good
Best regards

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jacques.talbot
jacques.talbot

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Like many others, we lost track yesterday between 1 and 2, despite Iphigénie and the GPS track, and found ourselves in a maze of paths that led us to Bourbouillet, where we turned back to see the chasm (very impressive).
So, keep your eyes on the GPS track and turn back at the slightest deviation...
The resurgence is also beautiful, and the forests are mossy.
Thanks for the adventures :-)

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ardo
ardo

Excuse me, but this kind of report annoys me.
A word of advice: leave your phone and GPS at home, enjoy the scenery, and if you're unsure about the route, consult a blue IGN map at a scale of 1:25,000. Personally, that's what we've always done.
For your information, the GPS track is calculated by the Visorando software based on the recorded route.

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herve3401
herve3401

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

The GPS track is incorrect in several places:
- between 1 and 2, if you follow the track, you will find yourself off the path and unable to continue, and you will not pass by the karstic cave,
- the track to the resurgence is too far east,
- the track to the dolmen is correct at the beginning, but incorrect in the last section.

All in all, a very disappointing hike due to its very approximate route and lack of interesting views

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