Bessas walks

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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.

This beautiful 9 km hike will take you to the banks of the Ardèche, in the heart of the canyon. A hike with handrails and ladders along the route. Swimming is allowed and irresistible. The descent through the Combe des Champs will be long, but you will be amazed when you arrive in the canyon. A significant elevation gain of -500 / + 500 will make this hike difficult, but the trails are well marked and protected. Please note: this hike is currently impassable due to a major rockfall on the Ardèche riverbank on 14 June 2024 Please check with the Vallon-Pont-d'Arc Tourist Office on 04 75 54 54 20 or the Syndicat de Gestion des Gorges de l'Ardèche, which manages the trails in the nature reserve, to find out if access is possible again.

A beautiful hike in the heart of the Ardèche Gorges, during which you will:- descend a valley, follow the river along a path equipped with cables and ladders for a short section. Cirques, cliffs, small caves, rocks, needles, rapids, sandy or pebble beaches follow one after another. Many birds inhabit the cliffs.- climb back up another beautiful valley, offering some stunning views of the gorges and their meanders, to reach the plateau.

Between Vallon-Pont-d'Arc and Saint-Remèze, this hike should be done mid-season before it become too difficult to park in "gorges de l'Ardèche" after Pont-d'Arc.The walk offers beautiful view points over the Ardèche and Tiourre valleys, the Saint-Remèze plateau then Pont-d'Arc on the trip back.

This hike will take you from the heath to the pine forest and back in time as you discover the ruins of the Moulin de la Tiourre.

Shortly before flowing into the Ardèche, the Beaume (or Baume) has carved out meandering gorges in the limestone plateau west of Ruoms. Two routes along paths, paved slanting streets and tracks, but also tarmac, run along one bank of the river and then the other between Labeaume and Ruoms. Here you will find the typical landscapes and vegetation of karst areas, between abandoned farmland and new developments, and the unspoilt charm of the old village of Labeaume.

From Ruoms to Labeaume, the hike alternates between ancient villages and nature. This itinerary passes the Ardèche river, the heights of the Baume river gorge, the pretty village of Labeaume and the old town of Ruoms. Alternating between shady and sunny stretches. Several possibilities for swimming along the way.

An easy walk on the ridges between Ruoms and Pradons. Beautiful views over the Ardèche valley and the cliffs of the cirque de Gens in the second part. Avoid hot weather, as shade is scarce and there's no water.

A pleasant hike along the banks of the Ardèche river, sometimes with overhanging cliffs on a magnificent path, and sometimes skirting the riverbed. There's also a cave within easy reach.

Spectacular hike off the beaten track and unmarked trails on the limestone plateau of Labeaume, discovering the landscapes and vernacular heritage: engraved crosses, dolmens, cliff-side path to the confluence of the Ardèche and Ligne rivers. On the way back, pass by the splendid Mas de l'Abeille. :

A very beautiful hike allowing you to discover a karstic cave, dolmens, rock shelters and magnificent arches. Update on 20 February 2025. Following Jacba's comments on 19 February, for which I am very grateful, I would like to make an update that will make this hike less difficult and more enjoyable. At (10), take the path on the left, which is clearly marked in yellow. This good path joins the one that leads to (13). Take it on the right to make a round trip to the Arches du Morgue. Retrace your steps and continue on the initial trail of this hike, passing through (14) and (15).

Explore a particularly interesting woods above the town of Vans.

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

A short circuit that will take you along beautiful trails to discover an underground cave and beautiful beaches on the banks of the Ardèche with breathtaking views of the Ruoms gorge and the Cirque de Gens.

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.

From the plateau to the river, this short and fairly easy route will also allow you to discover the vegetation of the gorges, notably the Phoenician juniper. The elevation gain is at the end of the route, and the concrete track from the Gournier bivouac to the starting point is very steep. The route is well shaded. Pay attention to point (3).

This is a beautiful walk, partly along the river, then leading to the exceptional site of La Maladrerie opposite the Cirque de la Madeleine. The remains of an ancient monastery, probably dating from the 12th century, with improbable origins. Reality or Templar myth? Be sure to follow the yellow markings on the ground between (6) and (7). Avoid this route when the Ardèche is in high water. To find out the height and flow of the water: https://www.rdbrmc.com/hydroreel2/statio...

Between Baume, Ardèche and Ligne, vast stretches of stony ground have been and are still partly cultivated, with olive trees now reigning supreme. The former silkworm farms have now been converted into homes but retain their old-world charm. Along the river, hanging gardens are still maintained and clearly visible on the banks on the sunny side of La Baume. The Ardèche and Chassezac rivers have created a vast plain where vineyards, fruit trees and gardens occupy the space.

The Ibie Valley and its cliffs are full of geological curiosities. The Ranc de l'Arche is the best known, with the Trou de la Lune rock. It is easily accessible via this route. The second part takes you along a section of the botanical trail, and the third part takes you to the Salastre stream canyon and its famous gour, where you will be alone in the world. Allow 3 to 3½ hours to take your time and enjoy the scenery.

From Lagorce, the route climbs to the Notre-Dame d'Ajude chapel, through holm oak woods to the Ibie cliffs, past the Gour de la Sompe (waterfall and plunge pool), and returns to the village through more open farmland. This hike requires a good awareness of the environment, reading IGN maps and/or GPS indications.

Leaving from the centre of the small village of Lagorce (Ardèche), we set off along the usual roads to the entrance to Vallon Pont d'Arc. The return journey is a pleasant one, through the countryside of the Ardèche, on a small road with no (or almost no) vehicles, along farm tracks, stony or slightly rocky, to arrive on the other side of the village.

A hilly walk through green oaks between Pradons and Lagorce. Beautiful views of the Ardèche cliffs on the final descent.

Contrasting landscapes between the southern scrubland and the deep gullies in the clay-limestone marl. Fossil footprints, botanical path, abrupt change of vegetation between limestone strata and Cevennes shale, and return by a path overlooking the Chassezac river. Very pretty and picturesque village of Naves. That's what's on the menu of this spectacular hike which takes you around the west of Les Vans.

This is a long hike that follows the Baume, first along the ledge on its left bank, then high up on its right bank (Falaise de Lunel). The final section, after point (21) , requires a lot of attention as the path entrances are often somewhat hidden, but after (23), the view is magnificent. From (12), you are in the middle of the heath and it can get very hot. I recommend setting off at dawn and taking plenty of drinks with you.

Walk in the Bois d'Ajude near Lagorce. The Gour de la Sompe is not well described in guidebooks and is not on a marked path, but the site is worth a visit for its green water and waterfall (when there is enough water). Beautiful view of the Ibie valley from the Pertus de Fabria.

This is a challenging hike that allows you to discover different aspects of the southern Cévennes countryside, passing through forests and superb panoramas, as well as villages and hamlets. The climb from Robiac to the Chapelle Lacham is challenging, with some steep sections, but the scenery is well worth the effort. The descent from the chapel to Saint-Florent-sur-Auzonnet is also challenging, due to the large unstable rocks typical of the Cévennes over much of the descent.

A very beautiful hike starting from the hamlet of Les Salelles. You will first take a short tour of the hamlet to see the two bread ovens, then continue into the forest and pass by a lavender field. The return trip will be less shaded.

Easy loop from the hamlet of La Bastide d'Orniols in the commune of Goudargues in the Gard. Heath, pine forest, chapels, drystone shelters, stone houses. It is possible to start in the village of Goudargues, see Practical Information below.