Bonnevaux (Gard) walks

Set off to explore ancient drovers' roads (transhumance routes for herds) across arid, windswept plateaus. Chestnut trees (almost) everywhere, broom a little higher up, and then high-altitude moorland covered in heather and pine trees – that’s what this hike has in store! As well as magnificent views of the surrounding countryside. There are also quite a few stones on the ascents (up to the junction with theGRP® 4) and descents – take particular care between (8) and (9).

A round-trip hike, much of which follows the ridge, offering magnificent panoramic views of the peaks of the Cévennes in the Gard and the Monts d’Ardèche. Route along theGRP® Haute Vallée de la Cèze and the Cévenol.

Les Chams de Bonneveau, Cassenade and Malbosquet, and the hamlets of Malbosquet and Les Escoussous as seen from the Col de Peras. Beautiful views of the Cévennes, the Alps, Mont Ventoux, the Tanargue Massif and, closer by, the Berrias Plain. Varied terrain on this fairly demanding hike.

Une randonnée proposée par le Parc Naturel des Cévennes. Le sens de la randonnée a été inversé pour éviter une fin de parcours en forte côte, et très chaude.

A short route, suitable for families, on decent paths with good signposting. A lovely apiary at Les Bouchets and superb views of the Monts de la Lozère. It’s (relatively) cool in the morning.You can enhance the walk with a meal at the little restaurant opposite the church (closed on Wednesdays).

An easy walk that allows you to discover the isolated hamlets typical of this region of the Cévennes, as well as its vast chestnut groves.

A very pleasant hike in Malbosc among chestnut trees, taking paths and pretty paved slanting streets. Moderator's note Please note that the red bridge appears to have disappeared. See reviews

A short walk along pleasant Cévennes paths. A route that begins with a magnificent staircase made of splendid schist slabs, and a series of small steps allowing you to cross the various accols (or faïsses: terms meaning terraced farmland) once maintained for cultivation. Also worth noting is a distinctive feature of the Malbosquet Bridge, where one of the parapets has a pointed section in the middle, into which a slab has been set to form a seat.

Perched on a ridge between the steep-sided valleys of the Cèze and the Homol, the village of Sénéchas lies with its feet in the reservoir created by the dam that bears its name. The suggested route takes you down from the heights of the village to the shores of the lake, and on to an old medieval tower that stands watch over the lake’s meandering waters. Along the way, you’ll discover some marvels of the earthworks that once shaped this corner of the Cévennes.

One of the most beautiful routes in the Vans region, both in terms of scenery and heritage. Balcony paths, chestnut groves and drying rooms, a gold-bearing river, low walls and beehives carved into chestnut tree trunks: everything invites you to discover this enclave of the Ardèche and its hamlets, which were once only accessible on foot. Be careful, there are steep and very steep ascents and descents. Allow 5 hours for the route, plus extra time for wandering around.

A fairly challenging route as the bulk of the climb comes at the end, and therefore in the heat. Walking along the old drovers' road is a real pleasure, as it is so unspoilt (apart from a few watchtowers...). From the point (11), the route is magnificent, with a succession of paths and the crossing of Bournaves, which has some lovely houses.

A moderately challenging walk leading to the highest peak of the Serre de Barre, where a watchtower is manned during the summer months for fire surveillance. From the summit, you can enjoy a beautiful view over the plain and the Ardèche mountains.

This is an easy hike that takes you to the summit of the Pays des Vans at an altitude of 910 metres. Beautiful 360-degree panoramic views.

Starting from the village of Génolhac, the walk crosses the Col de l'Ancise and Col de la Banlève passes, heads towards the remarkable Tomple garden and crosses the Cévenol railway line, which still connects Clermont-Ferrand to Nîmes.

A circular loop without difficulty, with panoramic views to enjoy with the family. The Chemin des Vignes follows an old route that was once used for terraced farming and then for exploiting the pine forest to support the mining galleries. The vines disappeared in the 1960s.

A gentle start along a straight, slightly downhill forest track, before climbing again and passing through some charming hamlets. Don’t hesitate to make a round trip to see the curious Grotte des Baumes. The path, which is steep in places, will take you to Besou, or you can easily reach the car park via the road.

A very beautiful walk from the charming village of Naves. This walk can be combined with the Malarce cirque.

Short circular loop in a cirque near the charming village of Naves, next to Les Vans. You can combine this outing with the Cirque du Bourdaric. A great outing for geology enthusiasts.

A circular with varied landscapes that uses the beautiful paths created and maintained by the municipality of Gravières.This route is impossible in heavy rain as the Chassezac river can cover La Pontière. On 29 May 2024, there was quite a lot of water at La Pontière, but it was still possible to cross (I preferred to take my shoes off anyway). The weather forecast is looking better, so conditions should improve.

A short walk for a winter’s afternoon in the land of Jean-Pierre Chabrol. You pass under the magnificent Luech viaduct before climbing gently for a circular route through the Cévennes forests and returning to Chamborigaud. Please note: On Monday 18 March 2024, the stone bridge spanning the Luech at the edge of the village collapsed. The start of the walk can be moved to Le Martinet: Chemin Jean-Pierre Chabrol.

A very pretty walk, through trees at the bottom and broom at the top. Allow a good half day to a full day to complete the circuit. I recommend this walk to experienced walkers who are used to walking in the mountains.

This is a challenging circular route with an elevation gain of over 1,000 metres, starting from Chamborigaud and climbing up to the Route des Crêtes, with superb views of the surrounding mountains, including the ruins of the old castle of Verfeuil, from the south of Mont Lozère to Mont Ventoux. There are various places between the points (7) and (15) that also offer beautiful views. From Vialas to Chamborigaud, you will come across numerous streams that flow into the Luech, which you will follow, with a superb spot that is ideal for a break or a swim, even if there are still 6 km to go to reach the starting point, with a steep hill to leave the Luech. But overall, it is a very beautiful route for lovers of good, challenging hikes.

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.

La Vernarède is a small mining village between Portes and Chamborigaud. It's a lovely, easy walk with plenty of water points for our furry friends to drink from, at least in spring (in summer this may not be the case). The trail stretches under the pine trees and a few chestnut trees and runs alongside the Broussous stream. Numerous flowers dot the water sources, such as magnificent columbines and daisies.

A long walk where you head up the Paillère valley through the woods before fording the stream. An easy climb then to reach the ridge at Col de Rabusat and return via the GR® trail, which offers beautiful views of the Paillère valley to the west and the Cèze valley to the east.Use of the app is strongly recommended.

This is a must-see pass in the Cévennes, reached by a 15 km climb with an average gradient of 7%, followed by a beautiful descent to Génolhac. The return journey involves a short climb towards Concoules, followed by a much easier section to Villefort.

A challenging hike along the steepest section of Lake Villefort.

A stone's throw from the Gorges du Chassezac, this is an interesting short hike with the option of swimming at the end.