Cirque de Mourèze from Liausson

This hike will offer you a panoramic view of Lac du Salagou and take you into the heart of the Cirque de Mourèze

This hike may be closed depending on the fire risk level. Remember to check the map.

Details

860352
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.16 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,142 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,146 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,752 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 709 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Liausson Hikers’ Car Park.

(S/E) Head west along the road leading to Château de la Marguerite. Reach the junction with the Col de Portes path.

(1) Take this path on the left and head through the forest to the pass.

(2) Turn right towards the Col de Lousses. Continue through the forest to a junction marked by a cairn; stay on the left-hand path. Leave the forest briefly into the Combe de Lousses and continue left along the track to reach the Col des Lousses.

(3) Take the track on the left to descend towards Mourèze; at the junction, ignore the path that cuts across the descent route at right angles.

(4) Before reaching Mourèze, take the track on the left and climb slightly towards the Col de Portes. Ignore the paths branching off to the left and continue to a junction with a path branching off to the right.

(5) Turn right onto the yellow-marked route (PR®®) towards the Cirque de Mourèze. Reach the entrance to the village.

(6) Turn left. Enjoy the view of the cirque and take the opportunity to visit the village of Mourèze. Resume the route by crossing the Cirque de Mourèze between the dolomites, then reach a new junction.

(7) Follow thePR®® (marked in yellow) to the left and join the Chemin des Charbonniers.

(8) Continue to the right towards the Montagne de Liausson.

(9) Continue the climb to the left (steep slope) to reach the summit. Once at the summit, enjoy the scenery and the view overlooking the Cirque de Mourèze on one side and the panoramic view of Lac du Salagou on the other. Below, you can see the village of Liausson.

(10) Begin the descent towards Liausson, heading for the Col des Portes.

(2) Follow the same route back to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 738 ft - Liausson hikers’ car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.26 - alt. 728 ft - Col de Portes trail, on the left
  3. 2 : mi 0.98 - alt. 1,250 ft - Col de Portes; turn right towards the Col de Lousse
  4. 3 : mi 2.23 - alt. 1,145 ft - Col des Lousses, on the left
  5. 4 : mi 3.25 - alt. 784 ft - Crossroads, turn left
  6. 5 : mi 3.91 - alt. 938 ft - Turn right towards Mourèze
  7. 6 : mi 4.62 - alt. 748 ft - Village of Mourèze
  8. 7 : mi 4.98 - alt. 892 ft - Follow the PR to the left – Cirque de Mourèze
  9. 8 : mi 5.28 - alt. 873 ft - Turn right towards the Montagne de Liausson
  10. 9 : mi 5.86 - alt. 1,109 ft - Start of the ascent to Montagne Liausson
  11. 10 : mi 6.73 - alt. 1,752 ft - Mont Liausson
  12. S/E : mi 8.16 - alt. 745 ft - Liausson hikers’ car park

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 47 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
La Godasse Folle
La Godasse Folle

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent hike with breathtaking scenery. It’s quite a strenuous walk, but the effort is well worth it. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. There were quite a few people on the route. It was the second time we’d walked in the Cirque de Moureze, but we never tire of it. Well worth doing again and again! Thanks to the person who created this route,

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Domi de Saint-Cirq
Domi de Saint-Cirq

The village of Mourèze is well worth a visit (with places to eat), but it’s likely to be very busy in high season. The path through the cirque is hard to spot, but there’s very little chance of getting lost.The exit from the cirque and the climb up to Mount Liausson is very steep, but the view from the top is splendid (the Salagou on one side, the Mourèze cirque on the other). A very beautiful hike. Watch out for the heat, but there is a lovely fountain near the Liausson car park where you can cool off.

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User 29156153

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very interesting route with a stunning view of Lake Salagou from the top of Liausson. Quite a few people on the Mourèze side (we went on a public holiday).

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Domi de Saint-Cirq
Domi de Saint-Cirq

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The village of Mourèze is well worth a visit (with places to eat), but it’s likely to be very busy in high season. The path through the cirque is hard to spot, but there’s very little chance of getting lost.The exit from the cirque and the climb up to Mount Liausson is very steep, but the view from the top is splendid (the Salagou on one side, the Mourèze cirque on the other). A very beautiful hike. Watch out for the heat, but there is a lovely fountain near the Liausson car park where you can cool off.

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Fernandez Benjamin
Fernandez Benjamin

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this route starting from Mourèze. We had a bit of trouble finding the charcoal burners’ path and getting back onto the PR trail. Don’t forget to bring water – it gets hot in the cirque. The views are magnificent. It’s a 13 km hike with some steep climbs and quite a few stony sections. Thanks, and happy hiking to everyone.

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User 26762537
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Done in April; there aren’t many people around at this time of year. Take care on the descent between the Col de Portes and the Col de Lousses; follow the red dots marked with spray paint to find your way along the route, particularly around the Cirque de Mourèze, which can be a bit of a maze at times. Otherwise, it’s straightforward all the way to Mont Liausson. expect a steep 100-metre climb before reaching the summit; it’s best to be in good shape for this section, but the reward is a magnificent panoramic view of the region once you’re at the top. It is possible to avoid this section by returning to point 5 and climbing back up to point 2. The descent from Mont Liausson to the Col de Portes should also be tackled with caution, otherwise you risk twisting an ankle.

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AGNES MR
AGNES MR

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

If you follow the GPS directions carefully, you’re in for a real treat on this hike, which is certainly challenging. I loved the variety of vegetation and all the flowers in bloom at this time of year. I discovered a whole new side to the Cirque de Mourèze. The views are lovely too. Thank you very much for this hike

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gweg73
gweg73

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike with varied scenery and stunning views from the summit of Mont Liausson. It’s a hike that’s quite demanding physically, with a climb right from the start and some beautiful but fairly technical descents. Make sure you follow the GPS on your phone so you don’t take a wrong turn.

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Juliusk9
Juliusk9

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The route is very beautiful and varied, offering exceptional panoramic views, including a 360° view from Liausson Mountain and superb views of Lake Salagou. The path through the Mourèze cirque is particularly remarkable, with a recommended stop at the village church.
The hike is generally accessible, but includes climbs, descents and more technical sections, especially towards Liausson Mountain and the Portes Pass. Be careful in wet weather as it can quickly become slippery.
I made a short detour via Mont Mars, which involved a steep climb, and lost my way a little at the end of the route before finding my way back to the original trail.

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User 7856875

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route is not very busy during the week, but avoid it at weekends. It is a very beautiful route with magnificent views. Be sure to visit the church in the village of Mourèze, as it is very beautiful.

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Domicha
Domicha

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, a little challenging in the cirque with high steps and many opportunities to get lost (never far away), but magnificent views both in the cirque and on the ridge above Lake Salagou

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User 13551003

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very interesting and varied route – superb views of Lake Salagou from the summit ridge of Mount Liausson, a magnificent trail through the chaotic landscape of the Mourèze cirque. Although fairly easy overall, the route does have some more "tricky" sections where it is advisable to wear suitable footwear and use walking sticks. Best avoided in wet weather.

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User 25005764

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Quite a difficult route for inexperienced hikers, with an ascent to Liausson Mountain and descent to Portes Pass. Superb 360° panoramic views from Liausson Mountain. Very popular route on Sundays.

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Daurad
Daurad

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant route, shame that the car parks are pay-and-display

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Fernandez Benjamin
Fernandez Benjamin

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We didn't really follow the route as described. We know the PR version well, having done it several times. So we opted for the "Mont Mars chapelle ST Scholatique" version. No regrets, just pure enjoyment. Quite easy to follow with sufficient blue and red markings. Thanks for the suggestion. It's winter and during the week we didn't meet anyone. I think that outside the tourist season, the departure point from the car park for hikers is perfect. Enjoy your walks.

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