La Ramasse and Roc du Cayla around Nébian

Depart from the school car park, which is less crowded than the car park in the town centre.

(S/E) Cross the avenue behind the car park via a protected crossing and follow it on the right until you reach the junction with Avenue Jean Jaurès. Cross carefully and walk up to the left until you reach the fork with Avenue Pasteur.

(1) Turn right to follow this road and go up to the Commanderie. Pass the Commanderie and Saint-Julien Church, go around it and go up Avenue de l'Égalité on the right: be careful, this road is busy. Go to the crossroads where there is a cross.

(2) Take the yellow PR® marked path on the left, heading north-west. Continue to the crossroads located directly below a power line.

(3) Leave the marked trail and take the path slightly to the right, which climbs steeply. You will reach a track suitable for vehicles. Take it to the right, following numerous hairpin bends for about 3 km along numerous stone walls to arrive at the Ramasse viewpoint overlooking Clermont-L'Hérault.

(4) Continue along the wide track to the left after the pylon, alongside the remains of the stone oppidum. Continue to a Y-junction.

(5) Leave the track on the right that returns to Clermont and follow the one that heads south, winding its way to a new junction located near a group of water tanks.

(6) Follow the track on the right to go around them. Reach a crossroads at the corner of a small vineyard, turn right onto an uphill track which becomes narrower and continues through more wooded terrain: yellow PR® markings on this section. The path comes into view of Roc du Cayla on the left, passes a picnic area with a table and slopes down to the left to descend to the saddle before climbing back up to the rock. Look for a barrier and a marker post on the right.

(7) Turn right to pass under the cliff. Descend the wooden steps of the path and walk through a burnt area that is beginning to grow back vigorously (fire in the summer of 2021). The trail is rocky but easy to follow thanks to the yellow markings. It runs along the base of Roc du Cayla and eventually climbs up to a small crossroads of marked trails.

(8) Take the path marked with a yellow cross, which descends to the right via wooden steps until it reaches an area of stone ruins known as "la Tourelle". An information panel marks the location of the ruins of this castrum. Walk along it and continue on the stony path that descends towards the Dourbie, carefully following the yellow markings. You will come to a well-marked track, which you take to the right for about 150 metres to admirethe site of the Chapelle Saint-Jean, which has a picnic area.

(9) Retrace your steps and follow the track that climbs back up towards Nebian, where it becomes a concrete track. The first houses appear; pass in front of the Caprices farm and the olive grove, cross the Ruisseau de la Combe stream via a footbridge and turn right towards the village until you reach the junction marked by directional posts.

(10) Continue straight on Chemin des Navis to visit the old village. Cross the Ruisseau de la Carrierasse stream, continue along Rue George Sand, then turn right to arrive shortly afterwards at Place de la Liberté.

(11) Pass the fountain and the entrance tower of the medieval castle, then turn right at the small roundabout to return to Avenue Molière.

(1) Continue straight on Rue Jean Jaurès, then take the avenue on the right to return to the car park (S/E).

There is no fountain along the route, but there are picnic tables before point (7) and in front of the Saint-Jean Chapel at (9).

Commanderie of the Hospitallers of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (1147-1392), and Saint-Jean Chapel containing a marble sarcophagus from the Visigoth period (5th century).
(4) Oppidum de la Ramasse with stone ruins of dwellings dating from 450 BC along the trail. Panoramic view of the town of Clermont-l'Hérault and its old town centre and medieval castle.

From (3) to (4) Hérault valley, the Tanes-Basses commercial zone, Clermont-l'Hérault.
From (4) to (6) vast panoramic view stretching from Clermont to Villeneuvette, and from Mont Saint-Baudille to Pic de Vissou.
From (7) to (9) Panorama of Roc du Cayla, the Dourbie valley from Mas Roujou to Lieuran-Cabrières.
The ancient Castrum of Nébian, dating from the 9th-10th century, of which only the turret remains.
(9) Saint-Jean de Restinglière Chapel: pre-Romanesque, remodelled.
(11) The medieval centre, the gate tower adjoining the rest of the walls, the round tower, the fountain, the narrow streets and the stairways.