The Rhône Canal and the Château d'Espeyran in Saint-Gilles.

A short, peaceful walk along the Rhône Canal in Sète, from the port and back through the meadows.

Details

19365810
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.51 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 9 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 9 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 11 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 0 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Saint-Gilles (30800)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.673308° / E 4.430889°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2943ET, 2943OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the large car park near Rue Neuve.

(S/E) From the car park, walk down Rue Neuve to the main road (Boulevard Chanzy) and turn right towards the bridge.

(1) Do not take the bridge, but turn right into the small street that runs alongside it (Quai du Canal) and, at the canal, turn right. Continue straight ahead along the canal to the Pont d'Espeyran bridge.

GR®42: white and red markings

(2) At the bridge, turn right onto the road and walk past the Château d'Espeyran.

(3) Take the path to the right of the château and continue straight ahead.
Pass the entrance to La Baume on your right.

(4) Turn right, then take the path on the left which runs alongside several horse paddocks on one side and a herd of bulls on the other. Notice the end of the Costières on your left, which drops away like a cliff. Pass in front of the state-of-the-art water treatment plant.

(5) Before the bridge, go up the road on the right which joins the circular boulevard, which you cross on the left at the roundabout. Go down the street to reach the car park on the right (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 2 m - Car park near Rue Neuve.
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 3 m - Quay of - Canal du Rhône à Sète
  3. 2 : km 5.43 - alt. 4 m - Espeyran Bridge
  4. 3 : km 6.36 - alt. 6 m - Château d'Espeyran
  5. 4 : km 8.63 - alt. 11 m - Before the bridge on the right, take the street that goes uphill.
  6. 5 : km 10.2 - alt. 3 m - Before the bridge on the right
  7. S/E : km 10.51 - alt. 2 m - Car park near Rue Neuve.

Worth a visit

Espeyran Castle, the largest national archive site for microfilms and digital images and an important equestrian heritage site (open to visitors on occasion, information available from the Saint-Gilles tourist office).
Abbey Church of Saint-Gilles (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with a pediment dating back to the 1200s. An important stop on the Way of St James (Chemin d'Arles-Via Tolosana).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.1 / 5
JeffK
JeffK
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

This short walk (it's not a hike) isn't really that interesting. First, you walk along the canal (a very long straight line) hoping to see Espeyran Castle, even if you can't visit it. You can barely see it through the bushes. The return trip is along an even more boring little road parallel to the way there.
On our return (it was a Sunday), we arrived in the village to be greeted by a very loud sound system, even though there were no revellers around.
So, definitely not.

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Claude 2 Nîmes
Claude 2 Nîmes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely stroll rather than a hike.
Very pleasant in good weather and for a brisk walk, as it is completely flat.
Lovely stretches along the canal and then along comfortable paths.

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schwalbe
schwalbe

The first part of the trail will be closed for two months (from 8 March 2024) for litter clean-up. It should be even more beautiful for this summer!

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Levant
Levant

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

The first part is still quite pretty if you ignore the asbestos warning sign and the various bits of rubbish scattered along the canal embankment, but the second part is frankly boring.

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Jean-Bernard
Jean-Bernard

I am unable to answer that, but when I created it, people were walking on the side despite the rubble.

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papy.g
papy.g

Has the ASBESTOS HAZARD been removed and is it possible to pass through? Thank you.

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manondel
manondel

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An up-and-down hike. The start isn't particularly interesting as we walk along a path with some fly-tipping on either side (scrap metal, rubbish, etc.), which explains the sign. We quickly return to the path along the canal, which is very pleasant but not recommended in summer. From point 2 to 3, the route is on a road but it is very quiet and pleasantly shaded. From point 3, we take a path that runs alongside vineyards. I was lucky enough to do this hike when the vineyards were covered with poppies (photo) and to come across a flock of sheep heading for a meadow, which added a little excitement to this flat route.

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Jean-Bernard
Jean-Bernard

Thank you for reporting this problem. I haven't been back there since. I'll try to see if it's possible to get through or if I can turn around and come back another way.

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jpvoyageur
jpvoyageur

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Please note: shortly after setting off along the canal, the path is blocked by a sign reading "Danger: Asbestos. No Entry" and there does not appear to be any way around it.

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CécileDu30
CécileDu30

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk along the canal and then through the meadows, thank you!
Be careful not to turn too early after the Baume water treatment plant, but rather after the two farmhouses just after it.
A large part of the route is not shaded.

I see in the previous comments that part of it was burned by a fire, but I didn't see it.

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Randonner
Randonner

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, but not to be done during the summer, as it can be quite shady.

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Jean-Bernard
Jean-Bernard

Thanks for this information. It's true that there is a small burnt section, but it will soon be cleared to connect Saint Gilles and Franquevaux. At the end, you don't cross the town, you just walk past some very nice little houses.

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viaplata
viaplata

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 05, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

After 1 km, the trail no longer follows the canal and crosses an area devastated by fire where the remains of allotments can still be seen. Fortunately, the trail resumes along the canal until it reaches the bridge, which is the turning point for this circular route.
There is no need to go through the town. At the waste collection centre, turn right to complete a circular walk.

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