From the Cèze to the Lerou lake

Starting from Saint-Victor-de-Malcap, this hike consists of two circular loops: the first to the Moulin du Roc Tombé on the banks of the Cèze and the second on the shores of the Lerou lake.
Beautiful passages through a forest of fir and pine trees.

Details

7562177
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.94 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 107 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 113 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 209 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 123 m

Photos

Description of the walk

From Saint-Ambroix or Barjac, take the D51 to Saint-Victor-de-Malcap. At a wayside cross, turn right towards the village and cross it via Rue de la Villarde. At the end of this street, turn left until you reach a small car park.

(S/E) From there, turn right and then immediately left onto Rue de la Coste. At the first fork, turn left onto Rue de la Coste. Continue along this road until you reach Rue de la Villarde, where you should turn right. Continue until you reach a wayside cross at the intersection with the D51.

(1) Cross the D51 and take a small road. At the first fork, turn right. After a left-hand bend, the road becomes a path. Continue along this path, which turns sharply once to the right and once to the left. At the next fork, turn right onto a path that passes in front of a ruin (look out for it!).

(2) Shortly afterwards, follow the path on the left to the Moulin du Roc Tombé. This spot is a popular swimming spot in summer.

(3) From here, retrace your steps for a few dozen metres and take a path on the right. Continue along this path until you reach a fork, where you turn right. Suddenly, the trail disappears, as vegetation has reclaimed its rights. Locate the ruins from the outward journey and head towards them. After a few dozen metres, you will rejoin the path.

(2) Take it on the right and retrace your steps to the calvary and the D51. Continue as on the way there and, in Rue de la Villarde, follow Rue de la Merline on the left. At the top of the latter, continue to the right until you reach the water tower.

(4) Pass to the left of the water tower and turn left onto a road (Chemin des Pins). Continue along this road. On the left, there are views of Saint-Ambroix. This road turns into a path. Stay on the main path until you reach what appears to be a hunting lodge.

(5) Continue along this path, which enters a pine forest, and at a fork, take the right-hand path. The intersection with a path coming from the right.

(6) Turn left. The path climbs and after the second bend, turn right at an intersection. Continue along this path until you reach the Saint-Sauveur road.

(7) Follow it to the left for a few hundred metres. At a left-hand bend, take a path leading off to the right and then thefirst path on the left.

(8) At an intersection (signposted "Lerou"), turn left towards the Lerou lake, which you will reach after a short descent. Continue to the end of the lake, then retrace your steps to the signpost.

(8) Turn left towards Saint-Victor-de-Malcap. At the first intersection, continue to the right and at the next intersection, turn left and immediately take a path on the right. Continue along this path until you reach Chemin des Petites.

(10) Follow this small road to the left until you reach an intersection with another road.

(11) Continue on the left. Beautiful view of Saint-Victor-de-Malcap and its castle. After passing Valat de Truncat, turn left at the fork. You will soon arrive at a calvary. Continue to the right until you reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 153 m - Car park at the end of Rue de la Villarde
  2. 1 : km 0.52 - alt. 132 m - Wayside cross and junction with the D51
  3. 2 : km 1.94 - alt. 126 m - Ruins nearby
  4. 3 : km 2.32 - alt. 123 m - Moulin du Roc Tombé - Cèze (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 4.91 - alt. 160 m - Water tower
  6. 5 : km 6.27 - alt. 179 m - Hunting lodge
  7. 6 : km 6.87 - alt. 180 m - Fork
  8. 7 : km 7.68 - alt. 200 m - Route de Saint-Sauveur
  9. 8 : km 8.76 - alt. 183 m - Lerou
  10. 9 : km 9.07 - alt. 166 m - Lerou lake
  11. 10 : km 10.71 - alt. 185 m - Chemin des Petites
  12. 11 : km 11.92 - alt. 149 m - Fork
  13. S/E : km 12.94 - alt. 153 m - Car park at the end of Rue de la Villarde

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
3.4 / 5
JLC30
JLC30

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy and enjoyable hike done in a group (25 people). The mill is worth the trip. Nice lake for a picnic
Thank you for this hike

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cachoute
cachoute

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Completed on a very hot day in early October. We thought we would find some shade from the pine trees, but unfortunately the tracks and roads we took were very sunny. The road sections are indeed very long, especially the one from the start to number 10, as we chose to do the circular hike in the opposite direction, which was a little more acceptable since we were at the beginning of the hike. Overall, this hike is well suited for getting back into shape after the summer break, with almost no elevation gain and a pleasant picnic break by the Lérou lake. Thank you.

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grenouille07
grenouille07

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant hike through pine forests and a beautiful return trip through the mountains.

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hergé89
hergé89

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

With the exception of the start of the route, which allows you to discover the small dam on the Cèze and the Roc Tombé mill on the opposite bank, followed by a section through a pine forest on the way to the Lerou lake, this trip is not particularly interesting. We modified and extended the route by passing through Les Planas just after marker 10, then Mas Bernard, and returning via the campsite. A total distance of 19.3 km, but too much road for our liking.

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PatPros
PatPros

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Too many kilometres on tarmac and trails that are really just tracks.
Beautiful reservoir.

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84AVI
84AVI

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant walk there and back (1 to 3 km). The latter part is shaded and ends beautifully at the Cèze river with a view of the mill (swimming possible in summer).
On the circular route, I enjoyed the pine-lined trails. I was surprised to see the lake full after three months without rain. The end requires caution as the return journey is along the road back to the village.

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Kevengwen
Kevengwen

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid sections of road, or else the hike would have to be made excessively long, which could be prohibitive for some hikers.

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Doudoume84
Doudoume84

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Far too much track and road for our liking. Very disappointed. Only the access to the Cèze river on the circular loop was quite nice. The end of the hike on tarmac road was endless.

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ajolili
ajolili

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We completed the circular route in 1 hour and 10 minutes, covering points 1 to 3 and returning to the village.
The route is flat, with no elevation gain.
When you reach the banks of the Cèze, you can go for a swim. There are pebble beaches, the water is shallow to deep, and you can jump in.
There is a restaurant called "Moulin du Roc tombé" accessible from point 3, but you have to wade through knee-deep water (when the Cèze is low).

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Kevengwen
Kevengwen

Thank you for your comment.
Kind regards

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giraudet
giraudet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, Great hike, beautiful passages through the pine forest.
Best regards, Jean Paul

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