Bois de Paris

In the heathland hinterland between Sommières and Quissac, this wild, wooded hill dominates the Vidourle valley and offers a beautiful view to the south, all the way to the sea.

Details

449460
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.82 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 230 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 236 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 239 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 48 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Aspères (30250)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.808338° / E 4.039782°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2842OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park on the Esplanade.

(S/E) Head towards the centre of the village and take the paved road called Chemin de Psalmodi. Pass the old Saint-Pierre d'Aspères cemetery and continue until you reach a fork in the road. Continue slightly to the left. Leave the road that branches off to the left.

(1) At the fork, continue straight ahead, leaving the path on your right. Pass under the power line, then in front of a cistern and a small wind turbine.

(2) Keep on the main path, which will start to climb, leaving a path on your left at elevation 176, and continue for about 200 metres.

(3) Be careful to take a path that branches off to the right of the main path and climbs steeply through the holm oaks.

(4) On the plateau, turn right towards a viewpoint with an orientation table.

(5) Retrace your steps.

(4) Turn right again. After 200 metres, you will arrive at the Grotte du Bois De Paris. Continue along the path on the right until you reach a fork.

(6) Turn right and start the descent, ignoring all the paths that branch off to the right.

(7) You will come out onto a carriage road and turn left. Cross the bridge over the Ruisseau de Quiquilhan and arrive at the village of Saint-Clément. In front of the cross, turn right onto the street that quickly becomes a path and follow it along the vineyards.

(8) At the fork, turn right, cross the stream and continue along the main path which climbs up through the Bois De Boulous. Ignore several paths on either side and keep heading south-east. Continue to the end of the vineyard and descend gently towards the village of Aspères.

(9) Turn right, pass between Mas Montel and Mas Bousanquet and arrive at the village where you started. Once at the junction with Rue de l'Eglise, turn right, pass in front of the church before reaching the esplanade where you parked (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 84 m - Marcel Granier Esplanade
  2. 1 : km 1.09 - alt. 102 m - Go straight ahead at the fork.
  3. 2 : km 2.68 - alt. 128 m - Small wind turbine
  4. 3 : km 3.65 - alt. 202 m - Path on the right
  5. 4 : km 4.35 - alt. 231 m - Fork in the road
  6. 5 : km 4.52 - alt. 225 m - Orientation table
  7. 6 : km 5.28 - alt. 206 m - Right at the fork
  8. 7 : km 7.15 - alt. 58 m - Bridge over the Quiquilhan stream.
  9. 8 : km 8.26 - alt. 51 m - Turn right at the fork.
  10. 9 : km 10.07 - alt. 88 m - Turn right at the fork.
  11. S/E : km 10.82 - alt. 84 m - Marcel Granier Esplanade

Notes

Water source and shelters in the village of Saint-Clément.

Worth a visit

Visit to the old cemetery between the (S/E) and the (1).
View towards the south with orientation table.
Visit to the Grotte du Bois de Paris.
Village of Saint-Clément.
Village of Aspères.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 76 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Feuille
Feuille

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with magnificent weather and streams. Really very pleasant.

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Berit71
Berit71

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful mountain bike ride, not a hike, today. However, it requires a good level of fitness and technical skill, as the climbs are tough and the descent over rocks is not for beginners, but it's a real treat.
The only deviation from the described route was at point 3, where instead of taking the very narrow path on the right, we continued on the DFCI for 200 metres. We then turned onto the wider path (which is also clearly visible on the IGN map) to rejoin the original route after 200 metres, on the ridge line.
We thoroughly enjoyed the variety of landscapes and the beauty of the view and will definitely do this hike again, perhaps even on foot.

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paravisini G
paravisini G

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very shaded grounds with a few sunny spots! River, bridge, picturesque surroundings, pretty little medieval village

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didierm
didierm

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello, when you say before the cross take 1 path slightly to the right, specify that you have to go into St Clément because at the entrance to the village there is a stone cross and this is confusing, so we had to retrace our steps.

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Pog 34
Pog 34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely hike, great views
The diversions to the grotto (which is rather badly signposted, which is a pity) is well worth a visit.
Very well signposted path, large shady sections... we had a great time between the heath, vineyards, olive groves and woodland.

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Frégaville
Frégaville

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As with most of the walks in the region, the only difficulty is the nature of the stony paths, so good shoes are essential.

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verden49
verden49

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

no problem with the gps .a little monotonous at the beginning but parish specific to Brittany thereafter .no problem
to find the cave.

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gsigsi
gsigsi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route with many points of view.

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kris.teyran
kris.teyran

Thanks Pastis34, great video, now we don't have to do the hike, we've seen it all!

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Pastis34
Pastis34
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

When I'm planning a hike, it's always very instructive to read the comments on Visorando about a route in this area... This was the case again for my last hike.... Thank you to Visorando, which really is the application that best achieves this exchange!

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Lorène T
Lorène T
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk. Hikers used to sporting hikes with magnificent panoramas, as can be found in the region, skip it. It's still a nice walk and the cave is well worth the effort (after turning around at the orientation table, 100/200m further on, there's a small marker on the right - that's where you should go!
Not a very busy route (3 couples). It took us 3:50 with a picnic break and just wandering around.

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pascal30900
pascal30900

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

as stated in the comments, it is regrettable that the cave is not indicated.

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pascal.forbin
pascal.forbin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Contradiction between the route indicated on the app and the one drawn on the paper map. No need to make a round trip in 4/5, possibility of continuing after the orientation table (not done!).
Rather steep descent full of rocks.
But a fine semi-sporty walk.

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thierry fauquier
thierry fauquier

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Walk made on a Thursday. No other hikers encountered.
Well-marked route. Apart from a fairly steep section over 300 metres shortly before the orientation table, no particular difficulties. The views are superb.
Don't miss a visit to the small cemetery just outside Asperes.
The Bois de Paris cave, which is poorly signposted, is very interesting with its cistern built to collect rainwater. Beware, the stairs are steep and slippery despite the presence of a handrail. Remember to bring a torch.
The charming little bridge at Saint Clément spans a dry stream bed.
This hike should be avoided in very hot weather.

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Mpoujol
Mpoujol

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

1st part and great view up to the orientation table, same descent
It's a shame that access to the cave isn't in the description because we missed it.

2nd part between St Clément and Asperes nothing to see, a shame, you can't see the landscape, less good signposting. And a long way with no view.

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