Caroux, Espinouse, Heric

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with breathtaking scenery and stunning nature!

I had planned to camp near the little chapel at crossing point 14, but it turned out that camping was strictly prohibited everywhere, with signs every 50 metres...
So I decided to finish the hike in the afternoon, which was quite challenging!
With a 15kg rucksack, I set off at 8am and arrived at the car at 8.30pm in the rain, using my head torch. I would strongly advise against crossing the small pass and waterfall at points 20 and 21 at night, as it becomes very difficult to see the markings (small blue dots)... I ended up in the middle of a (small) cliff, which I had to climb down to get under the waterfall and find the path again 😅
Apart from that, it's a very challenging hike if done in a day, but the descent is very gradual, which allows you to move forward fairly quickly without any problems! An added bonus is the presence of numerous mouflons around the Heric Gorges 😁

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Date of your route : Feb 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A quiet, uncrowded route. Fairly well signposted, although at times the trail marker is very useful. You will discover a VERY parish-specific to Brittany landscape, including dry high plateaus, peat bogs, valley floors, gorges and steep mountain slopes.

There is water everywhere in February, with streams along the entire route and taps in the villages you pass through, so there is no need to worry about refilling your water bottles.

One small downside: the suggested bivouac spot is not very interesting, next to the main road and with no view. If you have the energy to do it on the first day, I recommend continuing to km 26 before the big descent and sleeping at the Saint-Martin du Froid chapel in the Espinouse park. The view (facing west, so you can watch the sunset) is spectacular and well worth the effort of a long day's cycling.

Be careful, the pass indicated at the very end of the route does not climb from 200 to 500 metres but up to 800 metres, so add 300 metres of elevation gain at the end when you are very tired. It was a bit of a surprise to discover this when I got there.

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Date of your route : Oct 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb trek offering varied and absolutely magnificent landscapes as well as beautiful hamlets.
Most of the route is in the shade and on beautiful trails. There are a few forest paths and small concrete roads, but nothing that spoils the fun.

Please note: most of the trek is on rocks, stones and vegetation, so it should only be done in dry weather (especially in autumn when there are lots of leaves on the ground).
You must be in good physical condition and follow a GPS as there are not enough instructions and signposts in many places.
You will also need a water filter because apart from the water tap in Douche (a well-named hamlet), there is no drinking water.
Passing through the hamlet of Héric, I asked an elderly woman for water, but she refused to give me any. I met another hiker who was refused as well, and the refreshment bar was closed.
There aren't many water sources on the first day, so make sure you fill up in Douche and then at the Vialais bridge.
On the second day, there is water in the Héric and Colombières gorges.

On the first day, to pitch your tent, it's best to continue for 1 km to reach the cistern (first left turn on route no. 2). A little further on, there is a large flat area, away from the road, behind some bushes where it is easy to camp.
Over the two days, there are a few places where it can be difficult to follow the trail. Be careful on the second day, at stage 9, as mobile phones have poor GPS reception and you really need to locate the numerous blue dots to follow this "off-trail" route. Once at the waterfall, climb up to the right (it's a steep climb!) and follow the blue dots that are still visible.

It's a really physical trek, and I suffered from the heat at the beginning of October (30°C!), but what a joy to be in the middle of these landscapes.
The hike took 15.5 hours of actual walking, plus numerous photo breaks, with 12 kg on my back, 3 litres of water and 500 ml in my water bottle.

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Date of your route : Jun 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike with a friend, camping and using a water filter, over two days. 11 kg per backpack. 1.5 litres of water per person in addition to the water filter. Departure at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Superb hike with stunning scenery. The gorges are idyllic. Very good memories. A good level of fitness is required.
The water filter was really necessary in the heat. There was water at all the indicated water points.

WARNING! We arrived at the Pont du Vialais to eat in the evening (as there is water there) and left at 9pm with the idea of getting some sleep before the Col de l'Espinouse (the location indicated on the GPS track). Night fell quickly, we lost all mobile phone reception and got lost, so we had to continue with our headlamps. This section is dangerous in that it is easy to get lost in the forest and the mountain is very steep. We found the perfect place to sleep, with grass and flat ground.

SO, if you arrive late at the Pont du Vialais, sleep there. Or leave earlier in the morning to be sure you can climb from the Pont du Vialais to the Col de l'Espinouse safely.

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Date of your route : Jul 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike overall, but be careful, it is quite demanding (especially in summer).
The first day went very well: we passed through the Colombières Gorges (an idyllic spot), then Mount Caroux and the Font Salesse refuge (I recommend taking a break here). The second part is just as pleasant but demanding, and you really feel the kilometres at the end of the day. There's nowhere to camp at the Col de l'Espinouse (protected area), so I had to go deep into the forest to "hide"...
The second day began with some very pleasant trails until we reached the chapel of St Martin du Froid, where the view is incredible. From there, it was a never-ending descent to Heric, which was the part of the hike I enjoyed the least, even though the landscape is magnificent. The kilometres covered really take their toll and your knees suffer: it's about an hour and a half to two hours of continuous descent... When I arrived in Heric, a swim in the gorges was essential. It was very enjoyable, even though the place is very busy in summer.
When I arrived in Saint Martin de l'Arçon, I decided to take the road to La Pomarède: despite being in fairly good shape, I was feeling very tired.
I recommend taking 3 litres of water per person, with a filter bottle/tablets to refill in Douch, Le Vialais and the next day in Heric.
Overall, a hike with stunning scenery, but very demanding in summer. Good physical condition is necessary and, above all, make sure you bring plenty of water.

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Date of your route : Sep 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with a pleasant variety of landscapes.
Be careful after crossing the small bridge at Vialais, heading towards the Col de Lauze (hike completed after heavy rain). There are lots of fallen branches and trees, and the path is only marked on the ground for a few hundred metres before disappearing. Follow the stream, then turn right at some point. It's really not easy to find. The area west of the stream is off-limits, where mouflons find peace and quiet.
Thank you for this route, which combines the best parts of several hikes.

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Date of your route : Jul 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, the landscapes are magnificent and varied (gorges, forests, peat bogs, etc.).

We did it over two days but didn't complete the whole route as it was too long for us with our backpacks, so we cut across at the Col du Salis point 8 to go directly to Heric (there is a sign indicating the path).
We camped just before the Font Salesse refuge in the middle of the forest, heading towards the orientation table.
There are places to refill your water bottles at various points (streams and villages).

The description of the hike is perfect and the route is accurate.

We were alone the whole time except in the Heric Gorges, which is the most touristy and accessible place.

Be careful on the last section, which passes through the Col de la Pomarède (point 12) and the Albine stream waterfall (point 13, between the village of St-Martin-de-l'Arçon (point 11) and the fork with the GR trail) the climb is difficult and technical with heavy hiking bags (you have to use your hands to get past the waterfall), and it is sometimes difficult to find your way. Fortunately, there are blue markers indicating the path.

Thank you for this perfect route.

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Date of your route : Jun 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I agree with the previous comments about the beauty of this route. There are many different landscapes that are well worth the effort of the first climb. Once you reach the plateau, the route is very easy.

The circuit is quite busy around the Fage refuse and in the Héric gorges. Apart from that, you are mostly alone in the wide open spaces.

I decided to sleep at the Vialais bridge, which is an ideal spot for camping with its pools, flat green fields and facilities set up by previous hikers. It was an excellent choice because the second part of the hike, although longer (26 km if you stop at Vialais), is much easier than the first.

Water is not a problem on the route, as there are many streams where you can drink and even bathe. However, I would definitely recommend 3 litres per person per day. This should be adjusted according to the season, of course.
It took me 12 hours to walk the entire route (including breaks).

Many thanks to the author for making such a gem accessible.

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Date of your route : Jun 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike was really great. We saw different ecosystems: forest, heath, peaks, mountains with mouflons, gorges... I didn't really like the section through the pine trees planted at the top of the Espinouse, but the descent afterwards was really beautiful, so it was worth the detour.
We met two couples who were doing the same hike over the weekend, but no one else.
We chose to do it in three days so we could have two nights and be more relaxed, which was great.
There is water pretty much everywhere except at the summit. We slept between the Bois d'Arêt and the Pas de la Lauze, which I preferred to the summit (less wind, prettier, and water for herbal tea!). It wasn't too much walking the next day, which was fine.
Thank you very much, without this route we wouldn't have been able to do such a varied tour.

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Date of your route : May 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike completed at the end of May 2020. Very varied, the landscapes change constantly between gorges, the Caroux plateau and the Espinousse forest. At the end of May, there is water almost everywhere in the streams (filtration required) except on the Espinouse.

I chose to end the second day with a very interesting alternative route. At the bottom of the Heric gorges, climb back up via the Saut de l'Âne and the Portail des Cades. Be warned, this is an additional 700 metres of elevation gain and a technical and wild route, which takes a long time just for this short section. However, it's a great way to end the two days. Avoid in rainy or stormy weather!

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Date of your route : May 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb route with changes in biotope every 10 km.
I completed the entire loop in one day (8 hours) with my dog.
Plenty of water for her and partial water refills in Douch and then towards the end in La Coste for me. We came across a few horses roaming free on the Caroux, shrouded in mist.
The view at Saint Martin de Froid is splendid (it makes you want to come back and pitch a tent)
Apart from the Gorges d'Héric, which were still busy, there was hardly anyone on the circuit, perhaps because the weather was a little cloudy.
The final stretch above Saint Martin d'Alaçon to climb up to the Cascade de l'Albine is indeed quite technical and tough on the legs. You have to keep your footing to scramble through the tracks following the blue markings, or else go around the bottom as indicated. Note that you cross the waterfall by passing to the left above the stone commemorating a death. After that, all that remains is to descend via the Chemin de Garel, which has some very steep steps.
Thanks to the author.

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Date of your route : Mar 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Overall, a very nice hike! The landscapes are varied and beautiful.
For the first part of the hike, the descriptions and route were reliable, and we found our way easily.
However, there was a slight downside during the second part, where we had more trouble finding our way. After camping, we had difficulty finding the path for the first stage.

In terms of difficulty, it's still pretty accessible! We're fairly fit but amateur hikers, and the hike went very well.

It was an excellent weekend and I would recommend this route!

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Hello,

Thank you for the information you have provided about this hike.

See you soon!

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Date of your route : Aug 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Read before you go!! (because we didn't do it enough )

Great hike!!! Magnificent views, changing landscapes, all equally surprising and beautiful.
The descriptions and maps are generally very good, but here are a few tips:
- doing the trip over two days seemed like a lot and very strenuous to us. We are not experienced hikers and if we do it again, we will plan for three days so that we can enjoy the scenery and swimming without being rushed.
- day 1: at the very start after the church, follow the blue markings which then join the yellow markings. The climb is tough, but the view at the top is magnificent and you can swim at La Fage and have a coffee. We were able to fill our water bottles there.
We were also able to fill our bottles in Douch (so we could have avoided carrying too much water).
We got lost at the Pont du Vialais. Once there, follow the path signposted for Pas de la Lauze, directly to the right before the small stone house. Then follow the green mouflons, but there aren't many of them. In fact, follow the stream until you reach a fork with two streams, then take the path on the right surrounded by stones. Keep going until you reach the climb, where you will find the mouflons again. There has been a fire (in August 2019) and the path is a little damaged. If you are tired at Pont du Vialais and night is falling, it might be better to camp here.
You will (finally!) arrive at the road and the pass. But!!! You haven't reached the bivouac site yet. You need to continue for at least another 30 minutes along the road to find a grassy spot without too much forest. We stopped at the entrance to the Espinouse estate, with a magnificent view under a starry sky that was truly breathtaking.
In total, it took us about 10.5 hours, including breaks. We passed through lots of beautiful, varied landscapes and had plenty of shade.
- day 2: we had no trouble finding our way. However, the distances indicated on the route map sometimes surprised us! Perhaps it was because we were tired It took us a while to reach the hamlet of Héric (about 5 hours with short breaks).
On the way, the view at Saint-Martin is breathtaking. Then the path is all downhill and in full sun. Once you reach the Héric bridge, you have to make a little more effort to get to the hamlet. Bring some change! We didn't have any, but we were really looking forward to a coffee break!
We had lunch further down by the Heric gorges and enjoyed a refreshing swim. There, we decided to stop at the end of the gorge path, where we arrived around 4pm. In total, the day took us about seven hours, including breaks. We hitchhiked back to the car and got a lift without any problems. Our feet were very grateful!
We'll do the last part again next time! We might even do the whole hike in three days, with the following schedule: Day 1 - Colombières-Douch, Day 2: Douch-Saint-Martin du Froid, Day 3: Saint-Martin du Froid-Colombières.
PS: we didn't see any mouflons, but we did see cows, deer and a hare!
Enjoy your hike and make sure you're well equipped!

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Date of your route : Jun 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike with varied landscapes and an ideal route. However, you need to be a little careful as the markers are sometimes difficult to see. Thank you very much, everyone loved it!
PS: Moderate difficulty except for the uphill start, which is really physical

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