Lioux Gorges via Le Castellas

Date of your route : Feb 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I've done this hike several times, in reverse order to the description, as it's easier to climb up the gorges than to descend them, and the view on the way down is simply magnificent, but there are lots of rocks.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Dec 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An interesting hike on a beautiful December day. The approach may seem long and tedious, but the reward comes with a picnic at the foot of Castellas with a superb view of the gorges. The second part of the gorges is very narrow and may seem long and oppressive for those who are sensitive to this type of terrain, but there are no difficulties to report. This route requires good equipment: hiking boots are strongly recommended.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Nov 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Day hike completed on 29 November 2024 in sunny weather, between approximately 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The route from the starting point to points "(S/E) and (1)" is not very clear to me, so I will indicate it as follows: "From the car park, enter the hamlet on the right (after the war memorial) and take the first small paved road on the right (about 70-80 metres): sign indicating "Bois de Bezaure" = 2.3 km. Go up this small road for about 200 metres, and turn right at a bend onto a stony path between two bushes. Then follow it to point "(3)," as indicated in the description.
The return trip between points 4 and 5 takes no more than half an hour (round trip) and allows you to admire the view or have a picnic in front of the Castellas ruins. The view is also splendid. The descent into the gorges is not dangerous, with a few passages of large stones or rocks where you will need good footing, but nothing complicated if it has not rained the day before. These gorges are narrow and worth exploring, if only for the curiosity of the natural landscape in this area.
At point "(7)," and almost at the end of the gorges, there is a sign and, opposite it, three or four steps carved into the rock on the left, which we climbed to reach a piece of land on the edge of the property, behind a small housing development. Simply head towards it and descend towards the road (D60A), cross it and you will find the car park where you started a little further down.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route, the detour to Castelas is well worth it, with a beautiful view for a picnic break. We did the hike in the direction indicated, which suited us well given the heat that day. It saved us a long descent in the heat of the day. There are a few tricky sections on the descent into the valley that could do with some minor improvements, such as handrails like those in the neighbouring valley (Vaumale), but that's just a suggestion. It's nothing insurmountable, I sometimes slide down on my bottom.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

start at the top of the hill (better light, more technical section to do when you're in good shape...), i.e. in reverse order to the route indicated.
Do not park at the town hall, but at the war memorial, below the village, in the new part - on the edge of a new housing estate... where you will see a boules court, a car park and a nice picnic area facing the cliffs.
Once parked, go up the road to the top of the new housing estate, then turn left, enter the estate and take a small path on the left that seems to lead only to a house (loud big dog!) where you will see yellow markings on the right indicating the path that leads to the gorge. Good shoes are necessary as it is very, very stony.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The PDF said not to follow the GR at one point, but we didn't see it and followed the GR anyway.
We didn't see the path to avoid on the right after the school. The route is well marked with GR signs and there are no particular issues. The hike is done in the opposite direction, but it's nice to climb in the sun in the morning and descend through the gorges in the shade.
In short, a pleasant hike with a rather amusing and magnificent passage through the combe.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

There is no more tape at the end of the gorges. When the GR turns left, there is an information sign about birds of prey
climb the small rocks and then follow a wire fence to rejoin the circuit

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful walk. Well signposted except at the end where it is essential to follow the GR to reach the hamlet of Château. Doing the walk in the opposite direction is fine, but I think the start is harder to find as the GR markings are not easy to spot.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a beautiful, varied walk with a lovely section through the gorges and some great steps. We completed the route in 3 hours

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A real problem at the end of the hike when leaving the gorges: don't try to follow the GPS track, but take the red and yellow markings (GR de pays) on the left, which will take you back to the car park where you started. Similarly, if you choose to do the circuit in the opposite direction to the description, at the start look for the GR country trail that climbs up into the housing estate beyond the D60a and will take you to the start of the gorges. The GPS track should be modified accordingly.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hello
Leaving the village, it's a continuous climb to an altitude of 570 metres, along a wide path with no trees... With the sun beating down, I can't classify this hike as easy!
To get to Castellas, you have to pass the buildings at Escumadou and follow the field. Keep an eye out further on for the cairn marking the path to the castle. Beautiful view.
The route is pleasant until the middle of the valley. It then becomes quite tricky as you pass the rockfalls and is not maintained (lots of branches).
As I approached the end of the valley, I looked for a way out on the right and came to a huge drop of about thirty metres! End of the valley.
I turned my smartphone back on and turned back, being more careful, but still nothing!
Setting the GPS to the indicated location, I found myself surrounded by high walls, and for lack of anything better, I climbed the one on the right and arrived in a field that matched the GPS directions perfectly. When I reached the street, it was blocked by a fence.
In short, I don't have fond memories of this hike, and I think it should be reclassified from easy to moderate.

Machine-translated

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

A very pleasant route, apart from the beginning, the detour via Castellas is worthwhile for a picnic break. To reach Castellas, go behind the house along the wide track bordering a field, then leave it fairly quickly as you enter the wooded area and take a path on the left, which is not very clear at first but climbs gently towards Castellas. The return journey through the valley reveals numerous stone towers and caves. Very pleasant and cool!

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,

This route is very good and varied, but I recommend doing it in reverse. Climb up through the valley, which is easier for the technical sections. The climb is also cooler. The descent down the slope offers beautiful views of the Lioux cliffs.
To do the circuit, we used GPS tracking on a map. To take the combe, you need to go up the normal route and turn right as soon as there are no more houses.
Access to the Castellas ruins is highly recommended for the exceptional view on the south side.
ThierryD

Machine-translated

At the exit of the Lioux valley, turn left and follow the yellow and red markings (GRP). Then cross the housing development under construction and finally turn right to return to the car park at the start.
For your information, the Lioux valley and the passage on the plateau will soon be marked in yellow and red, replacing the white and red markings

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We spent the previous night at the LI POULIDETTO bed and breakfast lodge.
The welcome was perfect, and our host provided us with a gourmet packed lunch as well as advice on hiking.
The detour to Castellas is well worth it.

Be sure to turn left.

Machine-translated