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In Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare, walk through the village to a crossroads and turn left onto the D 922 E1. Cross the bridge and head straight on to park in the car park under the plane trees.
(S/E) Take Rue du Quai southwards, following theGR® markings. After 50 m, turn right onto theGR®653towards Castanet.
Walk along a concrete path between low walls. At the end of the concrete section, join a good footpath which leads onto a track. Continue along the footpath opposite, following the yellow markings. Cross horizontally along a very pretty path. Then the climb resumes; the path is less pleasant from here. Further up, in the chestnut grove, another path joins from the right shortly afterwards. You’ll come out onto a track; take it to the left.
(1) At a fork, stay firmly on the track whilst theGR® andGRP® head off to the right.
Continue along the track through the forest for about ten minutes, then emerge into an open area, where you can enjoy lovely views towards Le Marcou and the valley below. Then head back into the forest for a few minutes.
(2) The track then takes a sharp left-hand bend and, a hundred metres further on, you must leave it to take a path that curves sharply to the right.
First, climb through the chestnut trees, then emerge from the forest. Turn left and the landscape becomes magnificent.
You can see our path, running horizontally along a ridge and perfectly marked out, crossing the entire north-western flank of the Serre de Majous, across a gentle slope of broom. In the distance, the Portail de Roquandouïre comes into view. In the background, the Espinouse massif, with the sloping sections of the north face particularly prominent. To the right, the deep valley and, on the other side, the Marcou.
(3) A few metres before the Portail de Roquandouïre (an astonishing natural rock wall pierced right through the middle just to allow the path to pass), turn left (feel free to take a look at the gate) onto a blue-marked path heading towards the ridge of the Serre de Majous. Don’t forget to turn around to admire the Portail de Roquandouïre and the Espinouse behind it.
From here on, you’ll need to take care not to lose the trail. If you manage that, the route is easy; simply follow the rounded ridge to the summit.
Enjoy the gentle descent with sweeping 180° views, as ridge walks on the way down are so good at providing.
(4) Finally, at the bottom, reach the end of a track. Then take a yellow-marked path to the right. You are now on thePR® des Banissous; follow the balcony path. Descend along the ridge.
(5) On the gneiss slabs, cross the Casselouvre and climb up the path opposite. It winds its way beneath the holm oaks and reaches a pass. Leave the ruined castle of Nébuzon on your left, visible on the rocky outcrop, and hurtle down the stony path. Cross the stream, then head towards the corner of the first house in Cours-le-Haut
(6) Here, those who have had enough can take the access road to the village and head straight back down to Saint-Gervais.
For the rest, once past the first house in the village, turn right into a narrow lane, following the yellow markings. Pass through the few houses in the hamlet, then follow a stream. You’ll soon leave it behind to begin a climb through the chestnut trees.
The climb is pleasant and shaded along a lovely path between two dry stone walls; you cross a beautiful stream, the Banissou, which has superb waterfalls when the water is high. A few minutes later, you cross a second, less spectacular stream.
Next comes the second part of the climb, steeper, still through the chestnut trees.
(7) Finally, you emerge onto a track at a hairpin bend. Take the left-hand branch, which runs horizontally.
The track begins to descend, then climbs again, before emerging from the forest cover into an area of heather near the Col de Vente Vieille. The views are impressive.
(8) The track then takes a right-hand bend and, at this bend, the yellow markings leave us; continue straight on. Continue along the track, which descends gradually and eventually reaches the road at the Col de la Pierre Plantée.
(9) To finish the route, take the road to the left (as if heading down towards St Gervais) then leave the road after about fifty metres onto a blue-marked path on the left. You’ll find yourself between two dry stone walls, which means you’re approaching the village. This is confirmed by the fact that the path becomes paved, and indeed, you emerge onto the road near a few houses.
(10) Take the road to the right for barely 100 metres, then leave it for a path sloping down to the left. This path is truly delightful. Under a beautiful canopy of trees, it runs alongside the river, a few metres above it.
(11) This lasts a good five minutes before you reach the road, which you follow to the left.
All that remains is to let yourself descend to St Gervais (you’ll pass a pretty little chapel, but it’s closed). In the village, don’t forget to turn left into Rue du Pont, cross the bridge in question and head towards the car park (S/E).
We were on a track, and at first we hadn’t spotted the little path veering off to the right. You need to be careful at this spot!
Visorando Member
Very difficult 
Difficult 
