Loop from Saint-Hippolyte-de-Montaigu to Masmolène

Set off to explore the small villages of the Uzège, the sandstone and quartzite formations classified by André Malraux, the remains of Copper Age huts and a beautiful, well-restored Romanesque chapel.

Details

1806988
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.14 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 189 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 185 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 251 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 133 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the town hall in Saint-Hippolyte-de-Montaigu.

(S/E) From the back of the car park, go down the stairs, turn right, cross the bridge and go up to the left towards the road.

(1) Cross the D 982 and continue straight ahead on the D 125. At the second bend, turn left, follow the vineyard along the yellow lines and join the Couderoux marker.

(2) Turn left towards Terrier and Gilbertes, still following the signs. At the T-junction, turn left.

(3) At the next junction in the woods, turn right, then right again to reach the Terrier and Gilbertes crossroads.

(4) Turn left, pass the cemetery and continue along Chemin de la Croix au Bois, which continues along a pleasant path. At the Archimbelle crossroads, follow the road to the left for a few metres and turn onto the first path on the left, Chemin des Granges.

(5) Cross the D219 and continue straight ahead. At the Lauzières junction (198 m), continue in the same direction.

(6) Turn left (DFCI Y 48), cross the D982 road and continue straight ahead. At Camperjura, turn left, join Peyrequil and continue right towards the castle. At the fork, keep left. Drive alongside the cemetery, follow the D219 on the right and join the intersection (D 219/ D 279).

(7) Turn left onto Rue de la Bastide, pass under the castle, then turn left and pass to the left of the church. Climb up into the village following the yellow signs and join Le Planet. Turn left and continue for a few metres.

(8) Climb up to the right and follow thePR®36trail, which winds its way between blocks of ochre and red sandstone and quartzite. Part of the rocky chaos at La Capelle is equipped for climbing. Let your imagination run wild. The trail leads to a small road opposite the Chapelle Saint-Pierre.

(9) Descend to the left onto the road towards the village, passing in front of the church. At Masmolène, turn right onto Rue de La Font Nouvelle. Cross the D279 and continue opposite on Route de Vallabrix.

(10) Turn left onto Chemin du Plan towards Saint-Victor-des-Oules and pass between the fruit trees. At the bend, continue straight ahead on the path, cross the woods and, just before the road, follow the path on the right.

(11) Cross the road. At the junction, turn left and follow a small pond. Follow the yellow signs. Pass the quarries and you will arrive at some springs.

(12) Turn left and head towards Saint-Hippolyte-de-Montaigu on the DFCI Y 17 to return to the town hall car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 138 m - Town hall car park
  2. 1 : km 0.2 - alt. 140 m - Crossing the D982
  3. 2 : km 0.77 - alt. 142 m - Couderoux landmark
  4. 3 : km 1.71 - alt. 166 m - Fork to the right
  5. 4 : km 2.49 - alt. 157 m - Terrier and Gilbertes
  6. 5 : km 3.3 - alt. 197 m - Crossing the D219
  7. 6 : km 4.56 - alt. 196 m - Combe de Préras on the left
  8. 7 : km 7.34 - alt. 189 m - The castle
  9. 8 : km 7.69 - alt. 216 m - Under the boulders on the right
  10. 9 : km 8.58 - alt. 251 m - Chapelle romane du 12 ième siècle, Masmolène 30700
  11. 10 : km 9.26 - alt. 212 m - Chemin du Plan on the left
  12. 11 : km 10.5 - alt. 234 m - Crossing the road
  13. 12 : km 12.04 - alt. 168 m - Captured springs
  14. S/E : km 13.14 - alt. 138 m - Town hall car park

Notes

Part of the rocky chaos of La Capelle is on private property (marked with yellow signs with a black dot). Please respect the site (signs at the entrance and exit).

Worth a visit

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

4.6 / 5
Based on 45 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
rando843063
rando843063

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We found this walk very pleasant, with very little road walking. We’d recommend using the Visorando app. If you rely solely on the written directions, it might be a bit tricky to follow. It’s an easy walk, as there’s very little elevation gain. We’d highly recommend this walk.

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Eric Lheritier
Eric Lheritier

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A walk with little to offer in the way of ‘tourist’ attractions, apart from the Capelle Masmolène area. However, if you’re looking to cover some ground and clear your head, it’s a thoroughly pleasant walk with no difficulty at all. The second half is more enjoyable than the start. Once I reached Saint Hippolyte, I followed the path to the right which climbs up to Mont Aigu. If you’ve still got a bit of energy left, it’s a worthwhile detour. You can then reach the village by heading straight down just after the wayside shrine (see map).

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Ignace Gérard
Ignace Gérard

A very pleasant walk with no difficulty

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User 28021590

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

Very beautiful hike, very pleasant, with stunning views.

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Ignace Gérard
Ignace Gérard

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant walk

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User 20092050
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Problems with signposting right from the start and the intense heat meant that this hike will not leave us with great memories.

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ALEX84100
ALEX84100

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice hike, a little tricky at first to find the path through the vineyards, point 2
and also at the quartz rocks, but the rest was very well signposted
no mosquitoes on that day

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dougere
dougere
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Point 2 deserves a description because even with the app, the passage is unclear.
I didn't find the walk particularly disappointing because the passage through the rock formations between 8 and 9 is very nice. The rest of the route is uninspiring. Bring mosquito repellent between 6 and 12, as I have never seen so many mosquitoes in one place. It was impossible to stop. The area is marked as a natural area of ecological and wildlife interest. The mosquitoes are therefore well protected. It was impossible to even think about going to see the pond. Run for your lives!

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mouchonnet
mouchonnet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful and varied hike.

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Fremel57
Fremel57

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Well, it's not always easy to say, but this route is uninteresting. There is one exception, however: the rocky chaos after La Capelle, which is somewhat reminiscent of the Cirque de Mourèze (in relative terms). A real disappointment.

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vero4030
vero4030

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Spring hike, with all the flowers of the heath and hedgerows. The start was a little too sunny for our liking (it was 29°C!), but then as soon as we reached La Capelle Masmolène, it was a real pleasure to walk among these strange rocks and discover the prehistoric remains and the Saint Michel chapel. We would have liked to have made a detour to the lake, but the mosquitoes that were already present on the route, following the puddles and streams fed by the recent rains, dissuaded us.

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Diddan
Diddan

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A varied hike using the Visorando GPS. Very interesting. The markings are helpful when you're unsure.

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pescalune
pescalune

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

pleasant route, lots to see

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dr34
dr34

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

This route is ideal for travelling between La Capelle and Masmolene. The rock formations, villages, chapel... wow!
The description does not always follow the signposts, which are not always easy to see. But with the map on Visorando, it's fine. Perhaps needs reviewing.
I really enjoyed this hike, which was quiet in the morning. It allows you to walk at a good pace.

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Sidonie
Sidonie

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a beautiful hike: fruit trees in bloom, two charming villages, impressive rock formations between Capelle and Masmolène, the St Pons mill (off the trail but worth a few extra metres), the prehistoric site, a visit to the Saint Pierre chapel... A feast for the eyes!

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