From Collias to Moulin de la Barque via the Vire des Chèvres du Gardon

Park in Collias, in the small car park near the bridge over the Gardon.

(S/E) With your back to the bridge, walk up Avenue du Pont and turn left, going down the wide steps that lead to the Gardon river. Follow the left bank until you reach a road with a barrier.

(1) Take this road which goes up alongside the houses. Pass two arches and take the path on the left, after the orange grove, the^GR®®6, which is very eroded by rain, for 200 m.

(2) On the right, continue on this^{GR®®, pass} through the housing estate and then climb back up to the plateau via the Chemin du Camp Grec. Beautiful view of Ventoux and the Collias bridge. Continue on the^GR®®6and reach a crossroads. Beautiful view of Uzès and Mont Bouquet on your right.

(3) Continue on the right, staying on the GR®.

(4) About ten metres before the GR® crosses a large copse, look for small cairns on the left that lead you to the edge of the cliff and the start of the ledge marked by a cairn.

(5) Descend 2 metres. The start of the path is marked "VDC, Vire des Chèvres": turn around to see it. From there, it is regularly marked with cairns until you reach the Gardon and the mill. The path branches off to the right and descends into the vegetation, following small natural ledges: keep an eye on the cairns for guidance.

(6) The ledge has disappeared because erosion has carved out a deep valley, but it is clearly visible opposite. Follow the markings that lead to the bottom of the valley on the right: some sections are steep and rocky.

(7) At the bottom of the valley, turn left and follow the clearly visible ledge that climbs up the valley.

(8) Go to the Grotte des Chèvres, which is littered with smelly droppings, evidence of long-term use. Do not attempt to continue along the ledge, which fades into the void. Return to climb some easy small rocks, following the markings.
Follow the cairns that climb up to the plateau near the edge of the cliff: the view of the gorge is always magnificent. Continue until you reach a path coming from the plateau on the right.

(9) Ignore it and take a small path on the left that descends into the vegetation and leads to a wide ledge below the plateau.
You can descend to the fig tree cave and the double cave by following the path (unmarked) that descends to the left towards the Gardon. You will need to climb back up to find the ledges of the route. Follow the cairned path that winds along the edge of the cliff for about 2 km. Join the junction with the PR® (yellow markings) which descends from Sanilhac.

(10) Turn left and follow it for about 50 metres, then turn right onto a wide ledge (yellow cross) that leads to the Moulin de la Barque Renversée.

(11) Turn left and return along the edge of the Gardon on the yellow-marked^PR®® which leads to Collias.

(12) Be careful at this point: if the Gardon is in flood, it is impossible to follow the^PR®® and you should not attempt to do so. In this case, go back a little and climb up an easy sloping slab with plenty of handholds. Then take the path that leads to the right into the vegetation for about a hundred metres. It overlooks the river and then descends to the^PR®® when it is out of the water. Follow the^PR®® to Collias.

(1) Continue straight ahead. Just before the bridge, turn left and then immediately right to climb the stairs leading to Avenue du Pont. Turn right to return to the car park (S/E).

This hike is only permitted from 1 July to 14 January.

The Vire des Chèvres trail is close to the edge, so you need to be sure-footed and sometimes use your hands. Do not attempt this hike if the rock is wet.

After the point (9,), you can descend via a path to the double cave and the Grotte du Figuier on the left side of the cliff.

(11) Turning right, you can easily climb up to the Hermitage of Saint-Vérédème and the cave of the same name.