The Marcou Cross and the Portail de Roquandouire

The entire circular route follows various marked and maintained trails. You will therefore have no difficulty finding your way. However, be sure to follow the directions below as the route follows several sections of^PR® (marked in yellow),^GR® (marked in white and red) and^GRP® (marked in yellow and red) trails.

Park in the car park of the Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare cemetery, located in front of the Chapel of Saint-Barthélémy.

(S/E) Head north towards the town centre. Follow the^GR®653signs. Take Rue de Castres and pass in front of the town hall, then cross Avenue des Treilles. You will arrive at the banks of the Mare.

(1) Cross the stone bridge and start climbing the Serre de Neyran. After 500 m, you will reach the ruins of the Château de Saint-Gervais. Continue on the^GR®653towards Mècle.

(2) 200 metres before reaching Mècle, leave the^GR® on your right and take the DFCI track on the left.

(3) Pass the Col de Mècle and follow the yellow markings of^{the PR® trail}, which makes two large hairpin bends. Shortly before the Col de Sals, take a road for 200 metres, which you will leave when you reach the pass.

(4) Then take the dirt track on your right and climb towards the antennas.
After 500 m, leave the dirt track and turn left, then immediately right onto the^PR® (yellow markings). The slope will start to get steeper and you will have to use your hands to climb several steep sections.

(5) Reach the antennas. Continue your hike on the^{PR® trail}, passing a second set of antennas and then skirting the Combe Cave. You will come across a track that leads to a place called Marcounet. Go straight ahead and climb towards the Col de Marcou.

(6) At Col de Marcou, turn left and climb straight up towards Croix de Marcou.

(7) At the Croix de Marcou, begin the descent by following the^GRP® "Haut Languedoc et Vignobles" markings to reach Saint-Geniès-de-Varensal.

(8) Cross the village^, still following the^GRP® markings^. Pass in front of the cemetery and then reach Plaisance.

(9) Cross the Le Bouissou stream via the D22E14 and continue along this road.

(10) Cross the main D922 road with caution and continue straight ahead. Follow this road to reach Andabre, then cross the bridge.

(11) At this point, you will find signposts for several hikes. Leave the^GR®653, which branches off to the left, and continue along the small road towards the Portail de Roquandouire.

(12) After about 800 metres, leave the small road and take the path that climbs slightly to your left. The path climbs through a chestnut forest and will take you to the Portail de Roquandouire.

(13) At the Portail de Roquandouire, take the second path on the left to complete the circular route and return to Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare, following the yellow markings. The route follows the Serre de More ridge and you will pass a large cairn.

(14) Pass the cairn and descend to Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare through a beautiful chestnut forest.

(15) When you reach the hamlet of Compeyre, turn left onto the D22E10 to reach the Saint-Barthélémy Chapel and the car park (S/E).

If you are tired, there is an alternative route at (11) where you can follow the^GR®653to return directly to Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare without passing through the Portail de Roquandouire. This will reduce the route by 1.5 km and 300 m of elevation gain.