Arboras and the Fairy Cave

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Arboras, a village located in the foothills of the Larzac. This route takes you through the Grotte aux Fées (a magnificent little cave) and up to the heights just below Mont Saint-Baudille.

Details

n°981525
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.64 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 425 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 429 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 563 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 237 m
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Photos

The exit is never far away
The cave keeper
Le Joncas in water
The fairy cave

Description of the walk

Access: From Arboras, take the Departmental Road 9 towards Montpeyroux Gignac.
After a bus stop, take the D122 on your left towards Saint-Jean-de-Buèges, La Font du Griffe and Les Lavagnes. Continue along this road until you reach a flat area with a pink graffiti sculpture. Park at the Col de Cocalières dolmen.

(S/E) At the signpost, take the track.

(1) At the fork, continue straight ahead and pass a large farm building. Continue along this track for about 200 metres until you reach the next crossroads.

(2) At this junction, take the small path on the left. Follow the path. You will then walk along the Ruisseau du Joncas stream, sometimes in the stream, sometimes beside it. After about 2 km, look out for a cairn on your left.

(3) Take the path on the left that climbs up the mountain. There is a blue dot on the rock. Follow the trail, looking for signs of other hikers (there are quite a few in this area). The entrance to the cave will come into view, and it is easy to climb down. Return by the same route until you reach the path you left.

(3) Follow this path to the left.

(4) Almost at the top, leave the track on the left and take a path that descends to the right at the bottom of a hollow. From there, you can see the path that will take you back up to a large track.

(5) Turn right and follow this track for about a kilometre.

(6) Take a path on your right marked with a cross and a sign prohibiting motorcycles. Further down, you can see the top of the Cirque de l'Infernet below. This pleasant little path leads to a wide track.

(7) Continue to the end of the hairpin bend and follow this track to the right.

(8) Further down, leave theGR® for a small path on the right, which allows you to avoid this long track for a while. Leave two paths on the left to rejoin the track further down, at the Neolithic enclosure.

(9) Return to theGR®653. Follow the GR®. In a wide curve to the right, leave the track on the right and continue on the PR®. Reach the route taken at the start.

(1) Turn left to return to the Col de Cocalières (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 284 m - Car park at the Dolmen du Col de Cocalières
  2. 1 : km 0.64 - alt. 258 m - Crossroads, opposite
  3. 2 : km 1.03 - alt. 244 m - Path on the left
  4. 3 : km 2.32 - alt. 289 m - Towards the Grotte aux Fées
  5. 4 : km 3.97 - alt. 401 m - On the right along the path
  6. 5 : km 4.36 - alt. 431 m - Junction with the track
  7. 6 : km 5.48 - alt. 515 m - Start of the short trail
  8. 7 : km 6.51 - alt. 491 m - Continue straight ahead on the track
  9. 8 : km 9.07 - alt. 426 m - Leave the GR
  10. 9 : km 10.04 - alt. 379 m - Turn right onto the GR
  11. S/E : km 12.64 - alt. 284 m - Car park at the Dolmen du Col de Cocalières

Notes

Walking shoes recommended
Bring a torch to admire the interior of the cave.

Worth a visit

Recommended detour for those who are not familiar with Saint-Guihem-le-Désert.
At (6), follow the track that will take you to the Mas Nègre viewpoint.
Also worth seeing in Arboras are the castle and the Dolmen de la Croix de l'Yeuse (corridor dolmen).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 43 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Nygard
Nygard
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I didn’t have high expectations for this hike; I’d seen from the reviews that opinions were mixed. But I came away absolutely delighted. Yes, it isn’t very technical – half the route is on a track – but it’s far from unpleasant. On a Friday morning in March, we were alone from start to finish; we only passed a couple coming the other way towards the end. The path is secluded, not a soul in sight, absolute peace and quiet. The cave is impressive; I’d never seen one like it that was freely accessible. Towards the end, the route offers lovely panoramic views over the Hérault plain and beyond. The only downside is that you need to keep your GPS to hand as there are no signposts.

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User 2314701

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant, varied hike, ending with beautiful 180° views of the entire county and beyond!
The start follows a stream bed that was very active in February.
Please note that there are very few signs, so follow the trail carefully.

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El Pecos
El Pecos

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Regarding the fairy cave, for those who had trouble finding it and for future hikers, look for the blue dot and cairns on the left BEFORE the narrow passage through the mini rock gorge. After this narrow section, there is another path on the left, but this is not the right one. The fairy cave is very damaged, almost all the stalactites have been broken, it is clearly old, but the cave continues to form concretions towards the back. In addition, I noticed a small error at point 8. The cartouche indicates to leave the GR. No, you must continue on the GR that goes to the right and leave the DFCI that continues straight ahead. A lovely walk done on my own.

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Twin
Twin

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

We didn't manage to find the fairy cave, but that's okay, the first part of the hike was magnificent.
However, the second part on this extremely wide track was a bit disappointing and lacking in interest.

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cocodidou
cocodidou

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The only slight downside was the fairy cave. We had trouble finding the entrance with the blue dot

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bearn34
bearn34

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Access to the cave is via cairns, not GPS

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cocodidou
cocodidou

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The only slight downside was the fairy cave. We had trouble finding the entrance with the blue dot

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Servianés
Servianés

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

An interesting hike for those who enjoy heathland and rocky terrain. I added a viewpoint to the route I recorded to help locate the Grotte aux Fées, which is worth seeing.

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Servianés
Servianés

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

An interesting hike for those who enjoy heathland and rocky terrain. I added a viewpoint to the route I recorded to help locate the Grotte aux Fées, which is worth seeing.

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PPLR
PPLR

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, but the directions provided are not always accurate. We had to use GPS, which does not work everywhere

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francoise caussat
francoise caussat

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk with magnificent scenery. The climb up the little stream near the cave was pure pleasure, but the return trip had too many trails. However, you can't have everything. I highly recommend it, but not in very hot weather
you do need to use Geoportail to navigate, as there are two or three tricky spots where it's hard to find the right direction

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Legrandas
Legrandas

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike with magnificent views along the way. A little challenging at times. It was very windy, but some sections were well sheltered. More precise signage would be helpful to find the Fairy Cave. The hike is not marked. Several trails intersect. It is best to have a GPS and the Visorando app. At point 9, there seems to be a contradiction. Best to do before summer as there is little shade. Worth doing again though. The recorded distance is 13.6 km. It took us 4 hours with breaks.

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vero4030
vero4030

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant spring hike, with flowers already in bloom. The cave is interesting, with remnants of concretions, but does not take long to explore. The path leading to and from the cave is well marked, even though it is not clearly indicated on maps.

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Traines savates
Traines savates

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

route completed on 8 March 2024. The section in the stream bed at the start (point 2) is a bit tedious because there are a lot of stones. Not to be done after or during a Cévenol episode... The cave is quite large and worth a look. Lots of trails with beautiful views. Route not recommended in hot weather.

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dr34
dr34

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike in clear weather. As usual in this area, there were some stunning and varied views. The cave is well worth a visit.
Enjoy your hike!

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Other walks in the area

Walking From Max Nègre to the Fairy Cave

Visorando Member
Du Max Nègre à la Grotte des Fées
↔14.64 km ↗+425 m ↘-429 m ◔5h 25 ▲Moderate
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This hike follows small paths and forest tracks to reach Max Nègre, a remarkable geological site. The return route passes through the wild Joncas valley, where the Grotte des Fées cave opens up: a good torch allows you to visit the entrance for about thirty metres (stalactites and draperies).This route should be avoided in hot weather.

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This hike from Arboras will take you through wild countryside with beautiful views of Mont Saint-Baudille. Much of the route is shaded, either in the undergrowth or in the beautiful Parlatges forest, making it possible to enjoy this hike in the sunshine. The trails are easy (gentle slopes and very few stones), but the lack of markings on the ground means you need to be able to find your way around.

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Le Barry, a small village at the foot of the vineyards and the ruined Château de Castellas, near the village of Montpeyroux, provides access to the trails and a route through ancestral lands, vineyards and the La Font du Griffe sheepfold to join theGR® 74 towards the legendary Mont Saint-Baudille. From this spot, the view stretches across all the surrounding mountains and plains. Descent via Le Pioch Farrio, Le Joncas and La Croix de Fer.

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