Cassagnas - Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française (Lébou)

This trail starts in the heart of the village of Cassagnas, at the washing place on the D62, which runs through the village.

(S) When your back is to the washing place, turn left towards the small war memorial. Continue along the D62 in this direction. The D62 twists and turns twice, each time crossing a bridge over a small stream. After the second Y-shaped bend, the D62 takes the right-hand branch and heads downhill towards the N106. Follow this road (ignoring the signs for "Les Felges - Touron"). When you reach the N106, cross it and turn right (at an acute angle to the D623 you've just left). 50m farther on, you'll find a track on your left, which you take down to the river (the Mimente). After a downward bend to the left, the path twists and turns back to the N106, which it skirts, then descends again towards the river to reach a bridge under the trees.

(1) Turn right to cross the bridge. Immediately after crossing the Mimente, you come to a path which you take to the left to start climbing through the forest towards the Col des Laupies. You're on the GR^®72 (attention: this is an alternative route to the GR^®70). The path initially heads east, overhanging the river, before veering more sharply to the right and climbing the mountain in a southerly direction. After 2.4km of ascent from the river, you reach the summit in an open space with a stele indicating that you are at the Col des Laupies (1,001m). Five paths cross here.

(2) You're about to leave the GR^®72. In relation to the path you came by, you have a path to the left, another in front of you and two paths to the right. Don't take the one farthest to your right (signposted GR^®7), but the second on the right, which runs southwards past a water retention basin. You remain at the same altitude (neither going up nor down). The path follows the contour line between the trees. You'll continue along this path for 3.5km, staying on the trail, which loses only a hundred metres or so in altitude. You'll get some great views of the Cévennes at various points. After that, you come to a crossroads near a water catchment reservoir.

(3) You're at the Col de la Pierre Plantée. This is where you find the GR^®70. This continues not on the main track to your left, but on a smaller path that descends more steeply to the left. Take this path. Here you descend more steeply, really losing altitude for 2km. On this stretch, you have left a path that was coming towards you on your right. You come to a crossroads with a water catchment reservoir. Turn left, then right very quickly afterwards. After a right-hand bend, you'll see the buildings of the Serre de la Can vacation village/stage gite on your left.

(4) Leave this complex on your left and continue downhill. A little farther on, at a Y-intersection, take the main path down to your left. You continue on the GR^®70 and a little farther on, you ignore a path that descends more sharply to the left. Yours also soon bends to the left. You then ignore a path that joins yours on the right. After winding downhill, the path joins a small road (Route de Serre de la Can) which you turn right onto, continuing downhill towards the village of Saint-Germain-de-Calberte. On your left, you can see the Château de Saint-Pierre on a rocky outcrop.

(5) You enter the village of Saint-Germain-de-Calberte and continue along the street until you reach the village church. You're now at Place de l'Église. Take the main village road (D984) to the right, around the church, and drive through the village on the main road, passing the post office and the café "Le Recantou". A little farther on at the Y-junction, take the right-hand branch (direction Saint-Etienne-Vallée-Française / Saint-Jean-du-Gard), staying on the D984. You gradually leave the village and pass the gas station. Shortly afterwards, there's a first road on the right, which you ignore. You'll then come across a sign saying "ne jetez plus" (don't throw away any more) and then a waste sorting station. Just after this, take the track on the right (direction "Les Faisses / Les Bancels / Les Moles / Le Rouvier ...."). Follow this track up the hillside under the trees, ignoring the paths leading up to the right.

(6) After just under 1km, you come to a small secondary road (D13) which you cross, continuing on the track in front of you. This remains on a hillside, and you always ignore the paths that go up to the right or down to the left. You'll then cover almost 4km, passing over the hamlets of la Liquière and la Liquiérolle to join the D984.

(7) You take this road to the right, following it carefully on the clearest side. 600m farther on, you leave the small road which bends to the left. Farther on, you see the bridge over the Gardon de Saint-Martin that the D984 crosses. Do the same and continue on the main road. 500m farther on, you've reached Lébou, the finishing point of this route (E).

Apart from the gîte d'étape, which is off the route, you won't find any shops at (S) Cassagnas. It's only at (5) St-Germain-de-Calberte that you'll find various shops and better accommodation. Accommodation and meals are available at the (4) Village de vacances du Serre de la Can.

Above all, the views of the Cévennes.
(5) Saint-Germain-de-Calberte: typical Cévennes village, Château Saint-Pierre.