Bez Bédène - Jean Front’s Mountain

A very pleasant walk through the woodland, exploring a magnificent wilderness, around the edge of the peninsula, the Selves Gorges and the Calvary, from where you can admire the surrounding countryside and the beautiful wilderness of Bez-Bédène.

Details

2287825
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.25 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 231 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 241 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 566 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 471 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the entrance to the hamlet, near the inn.

(S/E) From the car park, walk down the hamlet’s only street.

(1) At the bread oven, ignore the path on the right (which will be the return route) and continue straight on to the cemetery.

(2) After the cemetery, at the hairpin bend on the left, leave the road and follow a 500-metre circular route to the Pierre Branlante, at the tip of the headland.

(2) On the way back, rejoin the road and head down to the old 14th-century stone bridge.

(3) After crossing it, at the signpost marked “Route Jean Front”, immediately turn right onto a path that climbs through the beech and chestnut forest. Follow the yellow markings until you return to the hamlet.

(4) At the fork, ignore the path leading uphill to the left and continue straight ahead. The path becomes steep with a series of ascents and descents. Many sections are secured with ropes and ladders.
These sections require caution, particularly if you are accompanied by children.
At the pass before the cross, there is a stunning view of the peninsula, the hamlet and the Selves Gorges.
After passing the cross (alt. 540 m), the path descends to the bottom of the gorge. Cross the bridge over the Selves and continue along the very steep path equipped with steps and ropes to leave the gorges. The path becomes a small road and enters the hamlet.

(1) At the bread oven, turn left onto the main street to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 531 m - Car park at the entrance to the hamlet
  2. 1 : km 0.17 - alt. 519 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 0.3 - alt. 495 m - Return trip to the dolmen
  4. 3 : km 1.05 - alt. 507 m - To the right on the path after the bridge at - Selves (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 1.36 - alt. 555 m - Continue straight ahead
  6. S/E : km 3.25 - alt. 530 m - Car park at the entrance to the hamlet

Notes

The hiking sign in the centre of the hamlet states that the route is 6 km long. In reality, it is shorter but nonetheless very demanding.
The most exposed sections are secured with ropes and ladders.
Avoid wet weather.

Worth a visit

To visit at the end of the hike:
- The Priory founded by Saint Gausbert in the 11th century, featuring beautiful stained-glass windows by Claude Baillon and statues by Jacques de Verdal.
- The Museum: It recreates a classroom from the 1930s–60s.
- The Charles de Louvrié Exhibition, dedicated to the French engineer and pioneer of the jet engine (patents filed in 1863). Among the exhibits, models bring his inventions to life.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
michevi33
michevi33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A relatively short route that requires a bit of fitness. A stunning spot for nature lovers. ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

Machine-translated

michel breton
michel breton

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

very steep and poorly secured – the ropes need replacing in some places – it’s slippery due to the fallen leaves – impassable in wet weather – the difficulty of this route – which isn’t really a hike – makes for a disappointing walk – strictly for experienced and very fit people – you can’t call this a hike; it’s non-stop climbing
Furthermore, there is no mobile phone coverage everywhere in the event of an accident.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE OVER 70 OR WITH CHILDREN
The map at the entrance to the Bes Bedene site states 6 km, difficulty 1* – it took us 5 hours – it’s more like 4****
Walk completed on 8 September 2022 – we reported the issue to the Entraygues Tourist Office and, to our surprise, it is now rated 3***, which is much closer to reality

Machine-translated

MNORDIC
MNORDIC

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Paris, early in the morning of 25 August 2022: a hike centred around the remarkable site of Bés-Bédène
It’s simply superb!
More of a workout than a challenge: handrails, ladders and ropes for the trickier sections
It’s constantly going up and down: we love it!
Plenty of views of the B-Bédène rocky outcrop
We cross the Selve via a footbridge: the only ‘flat’ part of the hike 🤣
For keen walkers who love the wild, natural side
You’re in the woods the whole way
Shady, steep
We 💕 Carladez

Machine-translated

User 4052175

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Much of the route is very hilly.
Also, the distance shown on the sign at the start of the walk is given as 6km, whereas your website states it is approximately 3km.
Still enjoyable in good weather.

Machine-translated

NisB
NisB

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. Can be slippery in wet weather.
Not always easy, but there are tricky sections with ropes and ladders.
Highly recommended.

Machine-translated

CPVDR
CPVDR

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The setting for the walk is magnificent, but the difficulty of the path detracts somewhat from the experience.
In our opinion, this hike should be classified as difficult, as the path is indeed very rugged and unmarked. Many sections are challenging for casual walkers (ropes are often in poor condition).

Machine-translated

viso2015
viso2015

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A nice circular loop around BeZ Bedene. Not recommended for children due to steep sections with safety ropes

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.