Gorges du Gardon: Vic, Saint-Nicolas, Le Castellas and Grotte de la Trone

The route starts from the car park at the end of Chemin des Cabanes in Russan (Sainte-Anastasie).

(S/E) Take the DFCI track (GR®700) which climbs eastwards. Follow it to a fairly wide junction (former car park) where you will find an information sign and a marker.

(1) Continue straight on, following the GR®, towards Vic, along a path that descends; then, at the bottom of this, turn left into a small valley. At the next junction, at the edge of the woods, turn right, then keep left to reach a small road at the entrance to Vic. Walk down to the village.

(2) Go round the church and pass under the porch at the back. Then go down the steps to the right, this time following a PR® marked in yellow. The path, at the bottom of the steps, joins a track running alongside the vineyards. Take this path down to the right, and reach the signpost marked “Falaises” near Saint-Nicolas-de-Campagnac.

(3) Turn right, following the GR®6 towards Le Castellas. Walk past the priory (dovecote) and reach a promontory overlooking the Gardon. Head down the marked path to the right, then climb gradually up onto the plateau via a path that is sometimes uneven but offers superb views of the Gardon, the Pont Saint-Nicolas and Mont Ventoux in the distance in the background. Once at the top, the path moves away from the gorges and joins a track that descends slightly towards Vic, leading onto a wider DFCI track.

(4) Take the DFCI track which climbs to the left, up to a junction at a right-hand bend.

(5) Leave the track towards Le Castellas, following the GR® on the left. Pass a gate and reach a magnificent viewpoint above a beautiful meander at a small pass. To make the most of it, climb up to Le Castellas via a path heading west through the bushes.

(6) The view over this bend is breathtaking and spectacular. It is best to visit when the Gardon is in flood (avoid the summer).
Head back down towards the previous pass, but before reaching the main path, turn left (north) onto an unmarked path. After a short descent through a wood, the path turns left. A few dozen metres further on, you can see a track leading down to the left.

(7) For the curious, there is the option to descend to the Grotte de la Trone via this steep little path. Take care, as the final section requires some easy down-climbing, but the rock can be slippery, especially in wet weather. Then retrace your steps and, at (7), continue climbing to the left. The path then joins the GR®. Descend to the level of a ravine (Ruisseau du Rocher Rouge), then climb steeply up the opposite side to a flat area at a junction.

(8) Leave the GR® by climbing up to the right along a small path. A few metres further on, stay on the path that branches off to the right and gently leads back to the car park at the start (S/E).

Best visited outside the summer season to enjoy the Gardon when it’s in flood and avoid the heat.

Make sure you have good walking shoes and 1 to 1.5 litres of water per person depending on the temperature (there is little shade).

(6) The view from Le Castellas is well worth the detour.