The Aven du Trou du Duc

Date of walk : Sep 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A lovely little hike, with no particular difficulties, completed in 1 hour and 40 minutes, near Valmagne Abbey. I would be curious to know the origin of the name "trou du Duc" (Duke's hole) for the entrance to this karstic cave!

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Apr 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Pleasant and diverse landscapes

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Jan 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Hello

A hearing aid for changing paths would be appreciated

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Dec 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Dangerous! No warning signs, no protective barrier around the hole at ground level.

Automatically translated

A pleasant walk.
It would be interesting to have other walks around this site with different durations. The site offers exceptional views.

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Nov 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

hike to be enjoyed in the sunshine to appreciate the different landscapes

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Jan 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Three comments on this interesting route:
1) SNCF signs are posted along the old railway line. They warn that using this old track is prohibited and punishable by a fine. (They are not visible in the photos in the guidebook.) And this despite the fact that the site is not particularly dangerous. Thank you, SNCF, for covering your back at little cost!!!!!!! ,
Instead of blocking off one of its industrial wastelands, it could showcase it like it does in many other places.
But despite everything, this calls into question the legality of this route for those who are sticklers for the rules.
2) The end of the dangerous route along the road can be avoided. To do this, when you reach the road, cross it, go over the shallow ditch and follow the edge of the vineyard on the left. Cross the small road and go up into the next vineyard. Follow the edge, at the end turn right for 20 metres, a passage in the embankment leads to the path that goes down to the car park.
3) This route can be extended by 1.6km via a place called "L'Escuret":
At the tunnel exit, turn right then left(leaving the route), go down the stony path for 400 metres, ignoring the first path on the right and following the second on the right before the quarry. (coordinate 104 on the map)
Follow this new path to the tarmac road. Turn right towards Mas Nègre. 200m before the farmhouse and at a left-hand bend ( point 119 on the map), climb up to the right along a fallow field. At the right-hand corner, a slightly overgrown path will take you back to the vicinity of the point (3) ( you will rejoin the route)

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Nov 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

The two points of interest, the tunnel and the karstic cave, are well worth seeing and quite unusual.
Bear in mind that the access path is very stony (ballast) and that some sections are quite tricky (steep): take care not to twist your ankles.

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Jul 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

A pleasant little walk early in the morning. Nothing exceptional, but the charm of the garrigue is very much present.
As indicated in the route description, be sure to wear good walking shoes.

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Jul 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lovely walk through the heath. The climb up the railway track is pleasant and takes you back to a time when this line was still in operation....

The GPS tracking is spot on and requires no comment.

A few details about the route. The karstic cave of the Duc is not at point 4 but at point 5. At point 4, you leave the small tarmac road and descend about 50 m along a very narrow path until you reach the intersection with a larger path on the right. Then you start a (moderate) climb and it is at the top of this climb of about 200 m (at point 5) that you will find the karstic cave. There's no point looking for it before then .

In any case, the idea of following the old railway line gives us a new idea for a similar walk.

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Apr 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The directions provided by Visorando are inaccurate or even wrong, and it's easy to get lost. It's impossible to find the Trou du Duc if you follow the description. We had to use GPS to find it (really not easy!). Perhaps it would have been easier with the mobile app, but I wanted to do the hike "the old-fashioned way", just with the description and the map extract, both printed out.

That said, we didn't regret going round in circles because the hike is well worth it, especially at this time of year, with the thyme, rosemary, broom and other plants in bloom.

Automatically translated

Hello jacquespechoux, and thank you for your feedback.

I have removed an offensive passage from your message: insults and abuse have no place on Visorando!

Visorando is in no way responsible for the signage on site, nor for the maintenance of the signposts.

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Apr 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A lack of precision caused us to miss the karstic cave. Point 4 needs to be clarified as there are several paths in the large left-hand bend and we never came across a path signposted to the Duke's Hole
In the Hérault department, signposts and directional signs are rare, making it almost impossible to go hiking without getting lost, whereas in Savoie, Haute Savoie and Isère, everything is carefully checked by those who publish the routes. In short, Visorando Hérault is not a panacea!
All this deserves to be taken into account by those who put the trails on the internet
Best regards
PS: The car park at the start of the route lacks precision (how far before the first houses?)

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Oct 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A hike for two in October. Very easy to follow with the route on the app and the instructions are very clear. The scenery is magnificent at this time of year. The Trou du Duc is at the end of the hike on the right. It's a hole 😅 but be careful as it's quite dangerous because there's nothing protecting it and it looks very deep.
Otherwise, the tunnel is very nice.
Just one recommendation: make sure you wear good walking shoes! It's quite rocky in the tunnel and all over the route.
And perhaps avoid it the day after it rains, as there is quite a lot of mud.

Automatically translated

Date of walk : Jun 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant short hike with a passage through a tunnel. Beautiful views...

Automatically translated