Large circular loop around the Luech

Park in the town hall car park.

(S/E) Take the Route des Drystone Shelters, which climbs up to the left of the school: red and yellow markings for the GRP® of the Luech valley, which will accompany hikers almost all the way. Follow this road, which climbs up to Les Drystone Shelters, ignoring the various crossroads.

(1) At this point, leave the road and take the path opposite: DFCI A80 sign, red and yellow markings. Various paths branch off from this path, but continue to follow the red and yellow markings, which are clearly visible.

(2) Leave the path on the left and head right. Negotiate the hairpin bend and continue to the next three-way junction, where you should keep to the right while following the markings. You will reach an intersection at the "le Bès" signpost.

(3) Continue straight ahead on the same path towards Pic de la Tourette. You will reach the signpost marked "Le Ronc de Donavelle".

(4) Take the path opposite, between two paths, continuing to follow the direction of Pic de la Tourette. The path on the left joins the D52, which you will follow for a short distance. Pass the Baraque farm and join the D52 at a crossroads. Cross carefully towards the signpost marked "La Jongle".

(5) Head towards Pic de la Tourette, following a path that climbs parallel to the road you have just crossed: red and yellow markings are still present. Return to the road at the "Le refuge" signpost.

(6) Cross the road, taking the same care, and head towards the ancient ruins of Verfeuil Castle. From this point, you will be skirting between Lozère and Gard, until you reach the signpost below Pic de la Tourette. Reach the "Ruines du Château de Verfeuil" signpost.

(7) Take the path that climbs to the left and arrive at the castle. This is not so much for the ruins, which are of little interest, but for the view from this platform. It is simply superb, from the south of Mont Lozère to Mont Ventoux, passing by the castles of Col de Portes and Aujac and the Chamborigaud viaduct.

(8) From the castle ruins, do not look for other paths to rejoin the route further on. They are marked on the IGN map but no longer seem to exist on the ground. Therefore, return to the fork.

(7) Take the route on the left and follow the signs for Coudoulous. You will reach the marker of the same name.

(9) Turn left at the hairpin bend, keeping towards Pic de la Tourette, and rejoin the D52. Follow it to the right towards the hamlet, keeping to the red and yellow markings that you have been following since the start.

(10) Take the path that climbs to the right at the exit of the hamlet. This leads to a wider path at a hairpin bend.

(11) Continue straight ahead until you reach the signpost marked "Sous le Pic de la Tourette".

(12) Take the path that climbs to the left of the signpost, quickly find a second identical signpost, and then follow the path that descends to the left: red and yellow markings. Join the Route des Crêtes, now the D35, and follow it to the right for a short distance, crossing the hamlet of Clerguemort to reach the signpost of the same name.

(13) Leave the road and take the path that starts above it on the right, following the direction "Vialas 9.5 km". Reach the Col de Clerguemort.

(14) Continue along this path, taking care not to get distracted by the magnificent view on your right, because at one point there is a fork with a rocky path leading slightly to the left, which leaves the path you are on, running alongside it on a ledge. The red and yellow markings are still there, although less prominent, leading to the Col de Banette: the views on this section are also superb.

(15) There is a marker on the other side of the road. Take the tarmac road on the right, towards "Vialas 7.6 km" and, about thirty metres further on, follow the path that starts on the left, slightly above: red and yellow markings. Continue to the "Le Pradet" marker.

(16) Continue straight ahead, ignoring the path that descends to the right. Continue, almost on the contour line, until you reach a fork.

(17) Take the path that branches off to the right, reach the "Castagnols" signpost junction, and follow the road to the right towards the hamlet. Walk past a few stone houses. At this point, the markings are yellow, and you leave the GRP® de la Vallée du Luech to rejoin it at Vialas.

(18) Take the path called Traverse de la Fontaine, which descends to the right: yellow markings. Join the tarmac road at a sharp bend and follow it straight ahead, downhill.

(19) Follow the path that descends to the right with a small wooden sign indicating Vialas. Cross a sloping meadow with donkeys, which you may have encountered or may encounter along the way. They are very peaceful. Continue to follow the yellow markings to descend towards Vialas. Ignore a path on the left, cross the Route de Castagnols to rejoin the path that continues downhill on the other side and leads to the "Plage" signpost.

(20) Follow the signs for "Vialas 1.4 km". When you reach the road, cross the bridge on the left, then the hamlet of La Planche. At the last houses, take the path that climbs to the left: yellow markings. Pass a few houses, join the Chemin de la Vigne, and continue in the same direction along the cemetery, then arrive at the junction with the D998 (Route du Pont de Montvert).

(21) Cross it and head towards the centre of the village, continuing until you reach the signpost for "Place de l'ancienne gendarmerie de Vialas". For your information, 50 m after this signpost, continuing along the road, you will find the church with a water point.

(22) Head towards Chamborigaud, following the road that descends behind the school: return to the red and yellow GRP® markings. When you arrive near the town hall, turn left, pass the post office and take the street on the right, called Route de la Planche. Walk along the cemetery, then continue straight ahead at the next junction, marked with a dead end sign. Follow Route des Lodges to the bottom, where it ends at the water treatment plant.

(23) Cross over the Ruisseau du Pontil stream and follow the red and yellow markings to reach the "Le Crépon" marker.

(24) Continue straight ahead towards Chamborigaud, still following the red and yellow markings.

(25) Continue straight ahead at the small wooden sign for "Trémiéjols". Walk along a tarmac road for about 3.5 km, but it's not unpleasant, with little traffic and plenty of shade; it's an old mountain road, and this is a rather relaxing stretch before you rejoin the trails. Cross the Luech and you will immediately come to the signpost of the same name.

(26) Ignore the path on the right that returns to Pic de la Tourette and continue along the road. It climbs a little, but rather gently, and offers views of the river.

(27) Leave the road and take the path on the left, which winds its way up several hairpin bends.

(28) Ignore the path that continues straight ahead and turn left, continuing to follow the markings. Shortly afterwards, the path becomes rocky and runs alongside the Roubescu stream, which you will cross to find yourself in a beautiful spot on the banks of the Luech, below the La Grave farm. You will arrive at the "La Grave" marker.

(29) Continue straight ahead towards Chamborigaud, along the river, before the path branches off to the right for a steep climb. Follow the red and yellow markings, which are offset from the indications on the IGN map.

(30) At the fork that appears when you leave the woods, take the path on the right, which climbs and leads to the "La Clédasse" signpost.

(31) Continue straight ahead towards Chamborigaud, making sure you are not tempted by the DFCI path that branches off to the left: see § Practical information. Pass behind the Clédasse building and continue to the "Mas Légal" signpost.

(32) Continue on the left towards Chamborigaud: red and yellow markings. You will walk under a beautiful forest of tall pine trees, and there will be eight hairpin bends leading to the bridge over the Luech, at Pont du Rastel, a small peaceful hamlet on the banks of the Luech, when the Luech is calm, at least. Once you have crossed the bridge, turn right onto Rue Aimé Crégut, along the river.

(33) At the crossroads, cross the stone bridge on the right: there is a lovely view to the north. Follow Chemin du Rieu: there are information panels telling the story of sericulture (silkworm breeding) at Pont du Rastel. Cross the Ruisseau de Valmale and reach the banks of the Luech.

(34) Walk along the river for a short distance and take the path at the bamboo hedge, below Château Montjoie. Continue straight ahead to reach Route du Stade: red and yellow + red and white markers.

(35) At the junction with the D906, follow it to the right until you reach the town hall and school. Return to the car park (S/E).

(S/E) In Chamborigaud, there are various services where you can stock up on supplies if necessary. There is also a café opposite the town hall car park, where this hike starts, and a bakery on the same square.

(21) In Vialas, behind the church, there is a water point, as there are in various places around the village. There is also a café-bar and a restaurant, depending on opening hours.

Although it does not present any major difficulties other than its length and elevation gain, this hike is still reserved for hikers who are used to long walks, well-equipped and with good stamina.

As is often the case in the Cévennes, there are technical descents due to the stones and slates that litter the path, which means you need to pay close attention to where you are going. The ascents are not always the most difficult.

(31) Be careful at this junction, as it would be very easy to follow the DFCI path that branches off to the left. That's the mistake I made. There is a cairn on the right at the very beginning of this path that branches off to the left, with a yellow mark. The red and yellow markings are only visible once you reach it. Behind this cairn is the stone path that descends.

(8) The ruins of Verfeuil Castle, which offers a superb view of the mountains.

(21) The village of Vialas.

(29) Le Luech.

(33) The Rastel Bridge.