Bessas walks

An easy hike to discover the landscapes of the Ardèche and Gard regions at the Carabasse rocks and, a little further on, the archaeological remains.

Following good paths through holm oak trees, this hike will take you to the ridges of the Grospierres hills with beautiful views, sometimes towards the Basse Ardèche on the south side, sometimes towards the mountains on the north side. On the way back, you can see the Notre-Dame des Songes chapel, the abandoned village of Chastelas and the Font Vive resurgence with its green water.

The easiest and authorised route to reach the ruins of "Chastelas" and the Font Vive resurgence is via a superb ridge line above the village.

This hike allows you to discover the Combe Fille Dolmen, then the Sous-Planas Dolmen, different views of the Ardèche foothills to the Lozère Mountains, a small drystone shelter in a magnificent holm oak undergrowth, the Chapel of Notre-Dame des Songes, the ruins of the "Chastelas" and finally the Font Vive Resurgence.

Vineyards and olive groves at the foot of the Montagne de la Serre and Serre de Cruzières. Panoramic view of the Barjac plain and the Cévennes.

This hike takes you along the Montagne de la Serre, whose highest point is La Baume Lardière. To reach this ridge, take the path that leads to the Col de la Cize. At the ridge, you will discover numerous viewpoints over the Cévennes, as well as the Baronnies massif and Mont Ventoux. The return journey is via the Ravin de la Fontaine du Merle.

A beautiful, easy walk that takes you through the shade of the trees in the Ardèche scrubland (very pleasant in the sometimes intense heat) before offering a beautiful view of the Ardèche and the Pont d'Arc.

Discover an old hermitage on the banks of the Céze where you can swim. As a bonus, you will pass by the Château de Fereyrolles.

A long route through the heath around Chandolas with some very wild paths. The highlight is a final section along a ledge above Chassezac, which is dizzying but not difficult provided you remain cautious. The use of a map app is strongly recommended, preferably OpenStreetMap, as there are many tracks in the heath.

This family hike begins with magnificent views of the Chassezac gorges, then crosses a karstic rocky chaos in a Tolkien-esque forest. Further on, you will find drystone shelters, ancient dry stone shelters. The return journey offers a classic route through the limestone landscapes of southern Ardèche along a small road that is little used out of season (those allergic to tarmac will find some alternative routes through heath).

This route offers beautiful views of the cliffs and gorges of the Chassezac, rocky terrain, ancient dry stone constructions and a return route through a landscape of heath that is perhaps less poetic but nevertheless typical of the southern Ardèche.

Sampzon, a small village perched on a promontory overlooking the Rocher and encircled by a loop of the Ardèche, (you have to see it from the top of the car park). A veritable natural belvedere, it offers a unique panorama of the meandering Ardèche. The old village has preserved its traditional houses. The route is very well signposted.

From the banks of Ardèche, to the balconies of Salavas, but fairly challenging in the bed of Rieussec. There are stringing points. ATTENTION: Some sections can quickly become very dangerous for hikers who are ill-equipped or not trained for this kind of more technical hike. Therefore, please take care.

A hike to discover the banks of the Chassezac, the villages of Berrias and Casteljau, Ardèche hamlets with, as a bonus, a passage through the Bois de Païolive and a view of the Gorges du Chassezac. At the start, when you walk along the Chassezac and in the Bois de Païolive, there are many paths. A GPS may be useful.

The Granges Necropolis is one of the most important dolmen sites in Ardèche. This short, easy circuit allows hikers to discover some of them while enjoying the landscape, vegetation and waterways of the limestone plateaus of lower Ardèche.

A short hike with no major difficulties, but best avoided during hot weather. The elevation gain is low, and overall the paths are not too difficult and are often marked in yellow. It is possible to descend to the Cotepatière resurgence and back, preferably after rain, otherwise it is dry. I am providing the details of the "les résurgences" hike, which you walk along for a while.

An unusual walk and nothing too complicated if you’re not claustrophobic.

In this part of the Plateau des Gras, the Bourbouillet resurgence and the Aven du Reméjadou are among the classic routes often described. This hike will take you along some lesser-known and therefore less-frequented trails in the surrounding area. A word of advice, however: forget the IGN map, which is very incomplete in this area. Instead, use the OpenStreetMap hiking base map with the Visorando app; the built-in GPS may come in handy.

A very pleasant, easy walk through the heath between dry stone walls, with the option to explore the Neolithic necropolis and the Bourbouillet resurgence cave if you wish. Magnificent in spring when white yarrow blankets the landscape, dotted with pink, yellow or blue from other flowers. The wetland vegetation near the Reméjadou karstic cave is surprising, featuring mosses, lichens, ferns, etc. 15/05/2024: Starting car park changed.

A walk amid holm oaks along the capricious Ibie river, whose water doesn’t always flow overground.

This walk begins in the era of the dolmens and continues along a route between the piles and walls of cleared stones, allowing you to admire the colossal work of the Ardèche ancestors in clearing a few square metres of usable land. The paths are easy but sometimes a bit stony; not all the stones are in the piles... Best done in winter when the oak trees have no leaves.

This circular loop starts in Saint-Jean-de-Maruéjols and heads into the heath via Avéjan, Cabiac, then Serre du Barri and the Ermitage Saint-Ferréol on the banks of the Cèze. It then climbs back up towards Barjac, passing through several charming hamlets. After Barjac, you walk through fields on the plain, along the border of the nearby Ardèche region, through meadows and farmhouses, before returning to the starting point. This circular route is nothing exceptional, but it allows you to discover the heath and the plain with its agricultural activity. Its appeal lies in combining a challenging hike with very clear and easy-to-follow signage, except for the short passages indicated in the description where you move from one signpost to another.

A beautiful loop that allows you to discover the Chassezac Gorges with passages at river level and others on the heights with beautiful views. For the more adventurous, there is the possibility of exploring caves. And to wash off (depending on the season), you can relax in the river. Ideal for children, although the cliff passages require parents' full attention.

This hike will take you to a megalithic necropolis and a desert plain inhabited long ago by those who were buried there. It will take you to the village of Berrias, up to the Païolive woods, which you will cross, and then to the hermitage of Saint-Eugène, which is still in use, before allowing you to admire the Chassezac gorges from the magnificent cliff.

A very pleasant hike along the Chassezac, then on the Sentier des Drystone Shelters. Return via the Sentier Roche and a small wood in Païolive. Superb landscape of the Ardèche Cévennes.I recommend using the GPX track as there are countless small paths.Hike for experienced hikers. I rated the walk as difficult not because of its length or elevation gain, but because of the many rocky areas and scree slopes to cross. It is physically demanding between (9) and (10) and from (15) to (S/E) Warning: do not attempt this hike in rainy weather as the rocky, limestone terrain is very slippery.

Starting from the village of Saint-Brès, a lovely walk through the heath between Gard and Ardèche with stunning views from the orientation table at the Chapel of Saint-Privat. The direction indicated is the easiest; this avoids a fairly steep climb to reach the chapel. Do not attempt in very hot weather. You can visit the village of Saint-Sauveur and its church, as well as the village of Saint-Brès, on the way back.

This hike is primarily a stroll along pretty trails in a relatively cool and humid area of the Plateau des Gras. The few points of interest marked on the map can be considered as a series of goals to achieve in what resembles an orienteering course. Avoid this route if you only hike on easy, well-marked routes. GPS and OpenStreetMap are recommended; see the practical information section.

After crossing a forest that could have been used as a location for scenes from Tolkien's novels, the return to the ridge runs alongside a necropolis of dolmens.

From the Château de Saint-Victor-de-Malcap to the banks of the Cèze, this walk through the fields and small villages of the Gard is an easy one. The only downside is that there are many tarmac or gravel sections. On the plus side: - firstly, this walk remains accessible even after rain - and secondly, these small roads leading to farmhouses have almost no traffic.

Starting from Saint-Victor-de-Malcap, this hike consists of two circular loops: the first to the Moulin du Roc Tombé on the banks of the Cèze and the second on the shores of the Lerou lake. Beautiful passages through a forest of fir and pine trees.

Starting from Saint-Ambroix, a pretty village in the Gard, set off to explore the Gisquet tower and the ruins of the medieval Château de Montalet. A beautiful hike through holm oak woods and chestnut groves.

A medieval gem offering beautiful views of the meanders of the Cèze river on a walk that is shorter than its namesake, the 'Circuit de la Dent du Serret'.

Quick alternative route to one of the most beautiful viewpoints over the Cèze Gorges.

A short half-day tour to discover the Cèze and the medieval village of Montclus.

Hike starting from the Cèze valley, climbing through oak trees, arbutus trees and boxwood. Discover the karstic cave de La Peyre Haute. La Baume des Fades (or Grotte des Fées) discovery trail, don't miss the dolmens and the viewpoint. View of the Rocher de l'Aigle. Superb panorama from the top of the Dent du Serret. Depending on the time of day, you can eat by the Cèze river.

From the Ibie Valley, make your way to and explore the little village of Lagorce by a route other than the road, setting foot on the land that nourishes the vineyards and, further on, the fields and meadows. At the end of the day or early in the morning, startle a wild boar rooting around in a field and approach the village gently, making your way up to the church from below and winding your way up the narrow cobbled streets before returning via an old path between the houses.

Following small roads and tracks through the Ardèche countryside, at the foot of the village of Lagorce, we join a path that goes deep into the trees to climb to the summit of Sigaud. We then continue to link the various summits of the Ranc, sometimes on footpaths, sometimes on forest tracks. The view of this superb region of the Ardèche opens up regularly from one side to the other. After a steep, stony descent of around 200 m, we return to small roads and country lanes. In spring, all this is amply covered with a multitude of varied flowers.

Saint-Genest-de-Beauzon is a strange commune, made up of scattered hamlets in the southern foothills of the Cévennes Ardéchoises, with an isolated town hall near an unfinished church that has only its walls remaining. Landscapes, old houses, historical curiosities and geological sites punctuate this route.