Labastide-de-Virac walks

A beautiful, easy walk that takes you through the shade of the trees in the Ardèche scrubland (very pleasant in the sometimes intense heat) before offering a beautiful view of the Ardèche and the Pont d'Arc.

This beautiful 9 km hike will take you to the banks of the Ardèche, in the heart of the canyon. A hike with handrails and ladders along the route. Swimming is allowed and irresistible. The descent through the Combe des Champs will be long, but you will be amazed when you arrive in the canyon. A significant elevation gain of -500 / + 500 will make this hike difficult, but the trails are well marked and protected. Please note: this hike is currently impassable due to a major rockfall on the Ardèche riverbank on 14 June 2024 Please check with the Vallon-Pont-d'Arc Tourist Office on 04 75 54 54 20 or the Syndicat de Gestion des Gorges de l'Ardèche, which manages the trails in the nature reserve, to find out if access is possible again.

A beautiful hike in the heart of the Ardèche Gorges, during which you will:- descend a valley, follow the river along a path equipped with cables and ladders for a short section. Cirques, cliffs, small caves, rocks, needles, rapids, sandy or pebble beaches follow one after another. Many birds inhabit the cliffs.- climb back up another beautiful valley, offering some stunning views of the gorges and their meanders, to reach the plateau.

Between Vallon-Pont-d'Arc and Saint-Remèze, this hike should be done mid-season before it become too difficult to park in "gorges de l'Ardèche" after Pont-d'Arc.The walk offers beautiful view points over the Ardèche and Tiourre valleys, the Saint-Remèze plateau then Pont-d'Arc on the trip back.

This hike will take you from the heath to the pine forest and back in time as you discover the ruins of the Moulin de la Tiourre.

From the banks of Ardèche, to the balconies of Salavas, but fairly challenging in the bed of Rieussec. There are stringing points. ATTENTION: Some sections can quickly become very dangerous for hikers who are ill-equipped or not trained for this kind of more technical hike. Therefore, please take care.

In the Ardèche Gorges, the Cirque de Gaud is home to a discovery trail dotted with information panels about the region's flora and fauna. At the Gaud campsite, you will find Gaud Castle and the Ardèche River.

A walk amid holm oaks along the capricious Ibie river, whose water doesn’t always flow overground.

This hike takes you along the Montagne de la Serre, whose highest point is La Baume Lardière. To reach this ridge, take the path that leads to the Col de la Cize. At the ridge, you will discover numerous viewpoints over the Cévennes, as well as the Baronnies massif and Mont Ventoux. The return journey is via the Ravin de la Fontaine du Merle.

A very beautiful hike along the Ardèche Gorges, between the Bivouac du Gournier and the Cirque de la Madeleine, over magnificent limestone slabs and at the foot of the imposing cliff face bordering the gorges. Along the route, you’ll discover the huge rock known as the ‘Cathedral’, over 100 metres high, whose jagged shape resembles a cathedral.

From the plateau to the river, this short and fairly easy route will also allow you to discover the vegetation of the gorges, notably the Phoenician juniper. The elevation gain is at the end of the route, and the concrete track from the Gournier bivouac to the starting point is very steep. The route is well shaded. Pay attention to point (3).

The first part of this circular path descends into a forest of tall conifers, in the refreshing Tiourre Stream valley, known for its turquoise pools. The path then takes you along a balcony above the Ardèche Gorges road, offering views of one of the famous river’s meanders and its cliffs. The second section, which is more challenging, climbs above the hamlet of Châmes, mostly through woodland, with a more Mediterranean feel as you approach the Serre de la Desferre. A complete change of scenery guaranteed! Recommendation: in the Tiourre valley, there are numerous unmarked trails and mobile network coverage is patchy. Remember to download the technical sheet or the GPX file before setting off.

A very beautiful walk, partly along the river, leading to the exceptional site of La Maladrerie, situated opposite the Cirque de la Madeleine. Ruins of an ancient monastery, probably dating from the 12th century, with an uncertain origin. Fact or myth of the Knights Templar? Follow the yellow markings on the ground carefully between (6) and (7), and avoid this route during periods of high water in the Ardèche. As the riverbed is subject to change, some sections of the route may be difficult to access (water, branches, mud, etc.).To check water levels and flow rates: https://www.rdbrmc.com/hydroreel2/statio...

Discover an old hermitage on the banks of the Céze where you can swim. As a bonus, you will pass by the Château de Fereyrolles.

An easy hike to discover the landscapes of the Ardèche and Gard regions at the Carabasse rocks and, a little further on, the archaeological remains.

From the Ibie Valley, make your way to and explore the little village of Lagorce by a route other than the road, setting foot on the land that nourishes the vineyards and, further on, the fields and meadows. At the end of the day or early in the morning, startle a wild boar rooting around in a field and approach the village gently, making your way up to the church from below and winding your way up the narrow cobbled streets before returning via an old path between the houses.

Sampzon, a small village perched on a promontory overlooking the Rocher and encircled by a loop of the Ardèche, (you have to see it from the top of the car park). A veritable natural belvedere, it offers a unique panorama of the meandering Ardèche. The old village has preserved its traditional houses. The route is very well signposted.

A beautiful hike typical of southern Ardèche, alternating between stony paths, sharp limestone pavement, rocks, trails, tracks and small roads, starting from the charming little village of Saint-Remèze, which was once fortified. The "castle", the Romanesque church, a few fountains and a wash house are some of the highlights of the visit. Beautiful views of the Rocher de Sampzon, Mont Lozère, the Baronnies, Ventoux and Vercors.

Lavender and vine crops. Heaths and dry stone walls. Ruins of a former German military camp. An extremely easy walk, with no elevation gain, on good paths and small roads with no traffic.

An easy walk along small roads, exploring the lavender fields and vineyards against the backdrop of the Dent de Rez.

The Ibie Valley and its cliffs are full of geological curiosities. The Ranc de l'Arche is the best known, with the Trou de la Lune rock. It is easily accessible via this route. The second part takes you along a section of the botanical trail, and the third part takes you to the Salastre stream canyon and its famous gour, where you will be alone in the world. Allow 3 to 3½ hours to take your time and enjoy the scenery.

Following small roads and tracks through the Ardèche countryside, at the foot of the village of Lagorce, we join a path that goes deep into the trees to climb to the summit of Sigaud. We then continue to link the various summits of the Ranc, sometimes on footpaths, sometimes on forest tracks. The view of this superb region of the Ardèche opens up regularly from one side to the other. After a steep, stony descent of around 200 m, we return to small roads and country lanes. In spring, all this is amply covered with a multitude of varied flowers.

A medieval gem offering beautiful views of the meanders of the Cèze river on a walk that is shorter than its namesake, the 'Circuit de la Dent du Serret'.

Hike starting from the Cèze valley, climbing through oak trees, arbutus trees and boxwood. Discover the karstic cave de La Peyre Haute. La Baume des Fades (or Grotte des Fées) discovery trail, don't miss the dolmens and the viewpoint. View of the Rocher de l'Aigle. Superb panorama from the top of the Dent du Serret. Depending on the time of day, you can eat by the Cèze river.

A short half-day tour to discover the Cèze and the medieval village of Montclus.

Quick alternative route to one of the most beautiful viewpoints over the Cèze Gorges.

The easiest and authorised route to reach the ruins of "Chastelas" and the Font Vive resurgence is via a superb ridge line above the village.

This hike allows you to discover the Combe Fille Dolmen, then the Sous-Planas Dolmen, different views of the Ardèche foothills to the Lozère Mountains, a small drystone shelter in a magnificent holm oak undergrowth, the Chapel of Notre-Dame des Songes, the ruins of the "Chastelas" and finally the Font Vive Resurgence.

From Lagorce, the route climbs to the Notre-Dame d'Ajude chapel, through holm oak woods to the Ibie cliffs, past the Gour de la Sompe (waterfall and plunge pool), and returns to the village through more open farmland. This hike requires a good awareness of the environment, reading IGN maps and/or GPS indications.

A somewhat long route with the advantage of bringing together several must-see spots in the area, which are also offered separately as shorter circular routes on Visorando: Le Gour de l’Oule, Le Ranc de l’Arc, Pertus de Fabria, panoramic views of the Ibie Valley and the Ardèche mountains, and of course, Le Gour de la Sompe. For those who aren’t afraid of getting their feet wet now and then (there are numerous fords), this walk along the water’s edge is best undertaken outside the summer dry season, when the rains feed the Ibie and the streams of the Sompe and Salastre.  

Leaving from the centre of the small village of Lagorce (Ardèche), we set off along the usual roads to the entrance to Vallon Pont d'Arc. The return journey is a pleasant one, through the countryside of the Ardèche, on a small road with no (or almost no) vehicles, along farm tracks, stony or slightly rocky, to arrive on the other side of the village.

An easy walk on the ridges between Ruoms and Pradons. Beautiful views over the Ardèche valley and the cliffs of the cirque de Gens in the second part. Avoid hot weather, as shade is scarce and there's no water.

In this part of the Plateau des Gras, the Bourbouillet resurgence and the Aven du Reméjadou are among the classic routes often described. This hike will take you along some lesser-known and therefore less-frequented trails in the surrounding area. A word of advice, however: forget the IGN map, which is very incomplete in this area. Instead, use the OpenStreetMap hiking base map with the Visorando app; the built-in GPS may come in handy.

A very pleasant, easy walk through the heath between dry stone walls, with the option to explore the Neolithic necropolis and the Bourbouillet resurgence cave if you wish. Magnificent in spring when white yarrow blankets the landscape, dotted with pink, yellow or blue from other flowers. The wetland vegetation near the Reméjadou karstic cave is surprising, featuring mosses, lichens, ferns, etc. 15/05/2024: Starting car park changed.

From Ruoms to Labeaume, the hike alternates between ancient villages and nature. This itinerary passes the Ardèche river, the heights of the Baume river gorge, the pretty village of Labeaume and the old town of Ruoms. Alternating between shady and sunny stretches. Several possibilities for swimming along the way.

This path, much less travelled than the classic route, allows you to bypass the massif to the north with magnificent views of the Ardèche mountains and the immense wild forest, which is aptly named because it is very, very wild... It is also the most accessible route for vehicles to reach the summit, but it is of course prohibited to vehicles and reserved for site management personnel; barriers prevent vehicles from crossing.

Shortly before flowing into the Ardèche, the Beaume (or Baume) has carved out meandering gorges in the limestone plateau west of Ruoms. Two routes along paths, paved slanting streets and tracks, but also tarmac, run along one bank of the river and then the other between Labeaume and Ruoms. Here you will find the typical landscapes and vegetation of karst areas, between abandoned farmland and new developments, and the unspoilt charm of the old village of Labeaume.

This pleasant circuit explores picturesque trails and places north of Labeaume.

This circular loop starts in Saint-Jean-de-Maruéjols and heads into the heath via Avéjan, Cabiac, then Serre du Barri and the Ermitage Saint-Ferréol on the banks of the Cèze. It then climbs back up towards Barjac, passing through several charming hamlets. After Barjac, you walk through fields on the plain, along the border of the nearby Ardèche region, through meadows and farmhouses, before returning to the starting point. This circular route is nothing exceptional, but it allows you to discover the heath and the plain with its agricultural activity. Its appeal lies in combining a challenging hike with very clear and easy-to-follow signage, except for the short passages indicated in the description where you move from one signpost to another.

Behind the Dent de Rez, in Ardèche, lies a maze of valleys and hills stretching to the Ibie valley. Now practically deserted, the area was inhabited and cultivated until the early 20th century. I invite you to discover the ruined farms of Chambonnet, the ruined hamlet of Pallières and its spring, and above all the hundreds of terraces built on the hillside to make the land cultivable.