La Garde-Guérin loop

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A beautiful loop from the wonderful 12th-century village of La Garde-Guérin to the Cévennes plateau. Pass through the Chassezac, where you can take a dip if you wish.

Details

n°4057558
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.81 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 583 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 583 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 872 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 465 m
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Photos

On the plateau facing the Garde-Guérin
Chassezac Gorges from the footbridge
Chassezac Gorges point 3 (swimming spot)
Village of La Garde-Guérin

Description of the walk

Park in the car park in the village of La Garde-Guérin. Limited access by public transport.

(S/E) Leave the village on your right and head north on the GR® trail.

(1) Continue straight ahead, leaving the GR® trail on your left.

(2) At this junction, go down to the right.

(3) Cross the river over large rocks. Swimming is possible. Climb up the other bank and rejoin the GRP® at Le Roure.

(4) Turn right and cross this beautiful Cévennes hamlet. Continue to La Chalmette.

(5) Leave the GRP® and turn right. Drinking water available. Descend to Chassezac.

(6) Cross the Nepalese suspension bridge and follow the marked path overlooking the river. You will reach a fork in the road.

(7) Take the hairpin bend to the right towards La Garde-Guérin and climb back up to the plateau.

(8) Once at the top, turn right. Cross the village via the small central street and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 868 m - Medieval village of La Garde-Guérin
  2. 1 : km 0.66 - alt. 856 m - Leave the GR® and continue straight ahead
  3. 2 : km 1.54 - alt. 855 m - Fork to the right
  4. 3 : km 2.46 - alt. 736 m - Crossing the - Chassezac (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 3.03 - alt. 858 m - GRP® junction, on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.21 - alt. 870 m - Leave the GR trail on the right
  7. 6 : km 5.65 - alt. 486 m - Follow the marked path overlooking the river.
  8. 7 : km 6.05 - alt. 492 m - On the right, head towards La Garde-Guérin
  9. 8 : km 7.68 - alt. 859 m - Crossroads, on the right
  10. S/E : km 8.81 - alt. 868 m - Medieval village of La Garde-Guérin

Notes

- This route from La Garde-Guérin can be completed in half a day.

- In La Garde-Guérin, accommodation is available at the only hotel: La Régordane (open from May to October). Alternatively, there are hotels and guesthouses in Villefort. The beautiful Hôtel du Lac appears to have closed permanently.

- Supplies: grocery stores and supermarkets in Villefort. Some local products are on sale in La Garde-Guérin.

- There is a water source in the middle of the loop.

- Recommendations: do not venture onto the access paths to the canyoning descents. They are usually marked with a triangle of different colours.

- Check the weather forecast beforehand and avoid approaching the Chassezac if a storm is forecast.

- After La Chalmette (5), the GPS track of the beautiful mule track that descends towards the river does not correspond exactly to that of the IGN map.

- After crossing the suspension bridge (6), follow the yellow-marked trail on the left overlooking the river. The path that goes straight up according to the IGN map does not exist.

Worth a visit

The splendid Cévennes plateau (broom, dry stone walls) and the lush vegetation of the Chassezac Gorges follow one another along beautiful, well-marked paths.

There are two pleasant swimming spots in the natural pools of the Chassezac. The rocks are not slippery in dry weather, except when there is algae. As with any water, keep an eye on children.

Cross a pretty suspension bridge over the river. Pass through a small traditional irrigation canal. Superb rocks and breathtaking views.

A visit to the village of La Garde-Guérin is a must. You can climb to the top of its tower, but the last part is quite challenging: handrail and footholds in the stones! Not recommended for small children.

Nearby: Lake Villefort and its very pleasant beach.

 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.

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Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 17 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
jldequin
jldequin

It hasn't changed in a month...

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User 11016457

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Passage impossible at the Chassezac river!

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jldequin
jldequin
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As a group, we descended into the canyon. The descent was difficult for some (those in their seventies) and crossing the rocks was impossible, even with wet feet.
We had a picnic and returned to the beautiful village, climbing up to the tower for a magnificent view
Do not attempt this route without good shoes and a good level of fitness

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User 24861617

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike and are used to walking, but we found it difficult rather than moderate. The main difficulty is the length: it took us over five hours, not including a lunch break, and we walked at a good pace (we had to run to catch our bus back). Also, the second descent is endless (watch your knees) and becomes quite technical towards the footbridge (where it is not possible to swim).
Apart from these very disappointing aspects, which come as a surprise, the scenery is magnificent.

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monteilpat
monteilpat

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The first crossing of the Chassezac is not easy, due to a lack of signposting and poor visibility, even at low water levels. The route is interesting and straightforward thereafter. The descent from the plateau can be tricky in places.

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lala12
lala12

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike.
Magnificent scenery with the opportunity to swim in two places.
A rather tricky section just before the footbridge.
Thank you for this beautiful route!

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Fan79
Fan79

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, pleasant and enjoyable with places to swim.

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Laurent elbtz
Laurent elbtz

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied route with stunning scenery: gorges and canyons, and views of Lagarde-Guerin from every angle.
Even in hot weather, the route remains shaded and the heat tolerable.
There is a small acrobatic section to note when arriving at the footbridge in the direction of the circuit

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maxcaviso
maxcaviso

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike.

We did this hike four days after a storm and the Chassezac was still quite full.
However, we crossed the ford without any problems, but just before the footbridge, the Pouzadoux stream had flooded the path, which was a bit tricky!

Thanks to the author

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Original
Original

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A fantastic hike with lots of different landscapes, water sources for swimming, drinking water halfway through the circuit, panoramic views.

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Eric63
Eric63

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike, be careful on the first crossing over the rocks.

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marco3031
marco3031

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Hello everyone
A magnificent hike, but be careful when crossing at point 3 to the other side of the Chassezac if the water level is a little high. The views from the plateau are splendid. Swimming at the footbridge is very welcome at this time of year. Do the hike in the direction described to enjoy the shaded paths during the hike.
Enjoy your hike.

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annecoppen
annecoppen

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Wonderful hike! Thank you

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bececoste
bececoste

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had done this route before, but in a slightly longer version that I published in 2018 https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-de-l... and in an anti-clockwise direction.
At the time, it didn't present any particular difficulties (except for the elevation gain and length, which could put off some hikers, leading me to change the difficulty level)
However, we did this hike again yesterday and it turned out that work had been carried out on the irrigation channel to restore it, but as this work had not been completed, the trail had become much more difficult. In fact, at times it had disappeared and was very slippery in many places because you had to walk in the water from the irrigation channel to the footbridge.
Photos taken from the other side of the rope bridge show a dry surface, whereas currently water is flowing everywhere, which makes no sense at all.

It should also be noted that the Chassezac ford may not be passable if the water level is higher (as there is no footbridge at this point).

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BB26
BB26
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful and quite fun loop. I would say the difficulty level is more "difficult" than "moderate" if we consider that this is not an alpine hike... Access to the river can be slippery and crossing the Nepalese bridge can be daunting.
Be careful at the start not to follow a canyon access route (often busier and therefore better marked). Follow the yellow markings.
Be sure to climb to the top of the tower in the village of La Garde Guérin (very steep and narrow stairs but with a beautiful view) and also the belvedere (well marked) overlooking the gorges at the climbing and canyon car park (point 1). It is located slightly below and to the right of the car park.
It is best to follow the route in the direction indicated so that you climb in the shade (facing west in the morning and north in the afternoon).

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