Aigues-Mortes to Marsillagues Mountain biking along the banks of the Canal and the Vidourle

A superb, easy and very pleasant mountain bike ride with numerous herds of Camargue horses and bulls.

Details

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  • Mountain biking
    Activity: Mountain biking
  • ↔
    Distance: 39.51 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 2.5 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 8 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 8 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 10 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 0 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Camargue
  • ⚐ District: Aigues-Mortes (30220)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.570059° / E 4.191562°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2843OT, 2943OT

  • ◶
    Type of surface:
  •  
     
     
     33% Road  34% Byway  33% Path
  • ⇧
    Bike carrying: Not specified
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Not specified
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the route

Parking along the canal just before the bridge coming from Nîmes (on the right bank).

(S/E) Take the track towards Gallician along the canal (still on the right bank). Pass under the D58 bridge, continue on this track for another 1 km and pass under a second bridge (D46).
Cross the D46 to go up onto the bridge.

(1) Cross the Rhône Canal at Sète. Turn right and then right again to pass under the bridge (D46) and follow the path along the Rhône Canal at Sète. Follow it for about 3 km, passing under a second bridge (D979) and continuing along the track. Cross another bridge over the Vistre Canal.

(2) Be careful to take the footbridge (PR®) on the right, towards Saint-Laurent d'Aigouze, and continue along this path for about 2 km until you reach the road along the Vidourle.

(3) Continue along this road to the right for about 1.1 km.

(4) At the right-angle bend, continue along the road on the left, leaving the path opposite.

(5) After Mas du Barbut, climb the Vidourle protection mound and continue to the crossroads with Chemin de la Carrière Neuve.

(6) Continue straight ahead towards the tree-top adventure park.

(7) Cross the road (D34) and stay on the same side of the Vidourle. Climb back up the hill and continue along the Vidourle to the metal bridge at the entrance to Marsillargues. Turn left onto Pont Boulet
and continue to the next crossroads.

(8) Turn completely left onto the small path along the bridge parapet (closed metal barrier). Cross to the other side of the bank to return to the bridge at the tree-top adventure park. During this stretch, observe the herds of Camargue horses and bulls, as well as numerous birds.
Turn left onto the bridge to return to the crossroads you passed earlier.

(7) Turn right to return to the path you took on the way there until you reach the crossroads at the Vidourle hill.

(6) Be careful to leave the outward path and descend to the left onto the road, retracing your steps. At the barrier, keep right on the road.

(9) Before the railway line, take the track on the right towards Aigues Mortes (PR®). Continue straight ahead on this path, which gradually turns into a road. You will reach the Chemin de la Carrière Megière crossroads.

(10) Be careful, leave this road and continue to the right on a small road that turns into a path. Continue until you reach the road you took on the way there at the right-angle bend.

(4) Continue along this road, following the same route as on the way out, to reach the bridge you crossed at the start.

(1) Before passing under the D46 bridge again, turn left onto the path along the canal, this time on the left bank. Continue for about 3 km. When you reach the road, continue straight ahead along the canal, passing under the D62 bridge.

(11) Here, take a small path on the right that runs alongside the canal on one side and the future marina construction site on the other. Follow it for 300 m, then turn left to cross the small lift bridge at the marinas. Continue along the canal on a wide white path.
Turn right as close to the canal as possible, going around the houses.

(12) Cross the level crossing on the right and continue straight ahead. Follow the path and continue straight ahead, then pass under the bridge to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 2 m - Car park along the canal.
  2. 1 : km 3.59 - alt. 8 m - Bridge over the - Canal du Rhône à Sète
  3. 2 : km 6.83 - alt. 2 m - PR on the right - Vistre (fleuve)
  4. 3 : km 8.93 - alt. 2 m - Turn right at the road. - Vidourle (fleuve)
  5. 4 : km 10.03 - alt. 2 m - Right-angle turn.
  6. 5 : km 12.41 - alt. 4 m - Mas du Barbut
  7. 6 : km 13.07 - alt. 7 m - Crossroads hillock-road
  8. 7 : km 14.36 - alt. 7 m - Crossing the D34
  9. 8 : km 18.46 - alt. 8 m - Small path on the left
  10. 9 : km 24.12 - alt. 3 m - On the right before the railway line.
  11. 10 : km 26.33 - alt. 3 m - Fork to the right
  12. 11 : km 38.47 - alt. 1 m - Path on the right
  13. 12 : km 39.37 - alt. 2 m - Level crossing
  14. S/E : km 39.51 - alt. 2 m - Car park along the canal.

Notes

No water.

Worth a visit

Many birds to observe.
Entire fields of market gardening.
Herds of Camargue horses and bulls, and above all, the colours of the Vidourle.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.5 / 5
macdidi
macdidi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a varied walk between waterways, reed beds, vineyards, market gardens and cattle pastures, a little long on the left bank of the Vidourle between Saint Laurent d'Aigouze and Marsillargues where there is not much to see

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steph34000
steph34000

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Quite happy with the walk. My friend found it a bit difficult, but she's not very sporty and above all we were in direct sunlight. For the more fragile, think about leaving early enough. We had the sun on our heads half way along.
It's an ideal bike ride for animal and nature lovers. It took us about 3 hours. I would recommend this ride to friends.

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TiB Rochigneux
TiB Rochigneux

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Frankly, it's not interesting in terms of cycling or even in terms of scenery. Very disappointed...
We ended up leaving the route to create our own through...

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Jean-Bernard
Jean-Bernard

Sorry for your disappointment and misfortune, but this hike offers beautiful and diverse landscapes and is not particularly difficult. You were just unlucky, that's all.

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Carole Kaïd
Carole Kaïd

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I don't understand the enthusiastic reviews about this hike, which winds its way through farmland littered with agricultural waste. I dreamed of a hike like the one described, but apart from a few flamingos at the start, there were no herds of horses and bulls, no birds in large numbers.
And to top it all off, after two hours of mountain biking, we found our vehicle with a broken window and my bag with all my papers stolen. Later, we noticed that there were pieces of car window glass everywhere in the car park. We concluded that cars in this car park were regularly vandalised and their contents stolen.
Two hours' drive, a nasty hike, then two hours to get back and an hour and 40 minutes at the police station to report the incident. 😕

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Jean-Bernard
Jean-Bernard

Thank you for these comments. The duration is that of a mountain biker, not a photographer!

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Dominique3032
Dominique3032

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very enjoyable cycle route thanks to its variety: marshes, numerous birds (including flamingos), horses, bulls, canals...
At this time of year, there are few people around, and we were lucky to have good weather.
The explanations were a little vague at the end, but it's easy to find your way back.
The duration is underestimated; you need to allow much more time if you're tourist photographers like us!

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PhilOG
PhilOG

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk at this time of year, as described! Just be careful not to miss the footbridge (point 2 in bold in the description) on the right towards St Laurent. The duration is slightly underestimated, especially if you take your time, in which case allow 3 hours.

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grigri1810
grigri1810

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Completed on 02/05 in good weather from Espiguette by hybrid bike. A beautiful ride that alternates between cycle paths, tracks and trails through fields, allowing you to discover the Camargue countryside (marshes, birds, animals, etc.).

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Baladedujourbonjour
Baladedujourbonjour

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The walk is on cycle paths, tracks or trails in some places... so be careful after it rains... (mud)
We didn't do the whole thing because we started further away... in my opinion, the duration is underestimated...

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