Le Cayroux and its ruffes

At the gateway to Lodève and Lake Salagou, on the Cayroux plateau, discover dolmens, drystone shelters and stone enclosures as you cross a landscape of "ruffes", an astonishing red earth.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.99 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,214 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,211 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,220 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 410 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the Puech car park, located to the east of the village, head towards the centre. At the War Memorial, follow the road to the right, cross the village and, at the town hall, go down the road to the right for 200 m.

(1) Before the small bridge, take the path on the left which climbs for 1.5 km towards the top of Cayroux and leads onto the plateau. Continue to the right along the edge of the plateau.

(2) At the dolmen, continue along the path to the left to reach the upper part of the plateau. Cross the stone enclosure, exit to the right, cut across another enclosure and reach a drystone shelter.

(3) Continue towards the oak grove and descend along the ridge via the marked path.

(4) Take the D148e road to the left for 900 m.

(5) At the bend, take the track to the right. At the Fork in the road, continue straight ahead, then turn right onto the path leading to another drystone shelter. Cross the stream, weave between two vineyards towards a house, continue along the track for 20 m then go straight on between two low walls.

(6) Just before the ford over the Roubieu, turn left and follow the stream for 100 m. At the end of the olive grove, cross the plot on the left, then follow the track to the right for 900 m.

(7) Cross the D148 road and head towards Rabejac via the D140E12 on the left. Cross the hamlet then head left towards the sports grounds (water point and picnic area).

(8) Go round the sports grounds on the right. Cross the stream and climb the path leading up to the ridge.

(9) Take the track on the left then turn right to reach the hamlet of Les Hémies. Walk through the hamlet and pass under a porch on the right. Take the path on the left. Cross the D148 road and climb up the path opposite to join a track.

(10) Follow the track to the right to reach the Chapelle Saint-Agricol; walk past it to reach a pylon.

(11) Head downhill then follow the road to the right for 350 m.

(12) Take the path on the right, then the D157e5 road on the right for 200 m to reach the car park (start/end).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 591 ft - Puech car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.32 - alt. 633 ft - Path on the left
  3. 2 : mi 1.39 - alt. 1,129 ft - Lodévois Dolmen
  4. 3 : mi 1.85 - alt. 1,204 ft - Towards the oak grove
  5. 4 : mi 2.35 - alt. 712 ft - Turn left
  6. 5 : mi 2.91 - alt. 735 ft - Path on the right
  7. 6 : mi 3.65 - alt. 449 ft - Le Roubieu, on the left
  8. 7 : mi 4.29 - alt. 413 ft - D148
  9. 8 : mi 4.61 - alt. 423 ft - Sports grounds
  10. 9 : mi 4.99 - alt. 568 ft - Path on the left
  11. 10 : mi 5.85 - alt. 614 ft - Keep right on the track
  12. 11 : mi 6.44 - alt. 853 ft - Straight ahead
  13. 12 : mi 6.82 - alt. 699 ft - Path on the right
  14. S/E : mi 6.99 - alt. 594 ft - Puech car park

Notes

Worth a visit

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

4.7 / 5
Based on 53 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Chlebegue
Chlebegue

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk with sublime and strange views (the ruffes). disturbed for a while by motorbikes.

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pascal.forbin
pascal.forbin
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very fine walk with splendid views. Avoid in very hot weather and especially if the ground is wet as it is slippery.

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patrick.morisse
patrick.morisse

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on Saturday, 25 January 2025.
Very pretty views, we will do it again in the spring to fully enjoy the views as the weather was overcast. We really enjoyed visiting the village of Puech.

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Loguan
Loguan

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with a stunning view of Salagou.

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vera
vera

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Knowing the route, I preferred to start at Rabejac (on the Salagou side). Leave your car in the car park and follow the route to the Chapelle Agricole chapel before reaching Le Puech and continuing the loop. Having done it both ways, this is the easier route. A very pretty, moderately difficult hike. Well signposted, with beautiful views, drystone shelters and dolmens

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rosy34
rosy34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pretty hike with a few technical sections. Avoid doing this hike the day after rain as it is slippery and there is a river crossing.
Thanks to the author of the hike.

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alainn34
alainn34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very beautiful hike with views of Lake Salagou

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La Godasse Folle
La Godasse Folle

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I would advise against doing this hike on a very hot day because, apart from the first 2 kilometres under the trees, the rest of the route is in direct sunlight. There is very little shade, even for a picnic!
Otherwise, the walk is pleasant and not very busy.

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Elizabeth
Elizabeth

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

• First of all, thank you to the author of the hike.
• A very interesting hike on 26 May 2024. The village, with its ruined castle, is charming.
• Before reaching the ruffes, we crossed meadows where thousands of tall blue flowers (probably a variety of thistle) formed a hedge of honour for us for miles.
• The ruffe hills make the landscape extraordinary. Ruffes are red earth formed by a combination of clay sediments and iron oxides, hence their red colour. They are the result of deposits in calm freshwater environments for white sandstone – "ruffe bianco" – and in arid environments for red sandstone – "ruffe rosso". I regretted the absence of a sign providing some geological explanations that would have satisfied my curiosity.

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Hoffmann
Hoffmann

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

very beautiful hike with views of Lake Salagou

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Legrandas
Legrandas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike with beautiful scenery. The climb up to the Cayroux plateau is fairly easy from Le PUECH. Great photo opportunities. The signs are good and have clearly been painted yellow very recently. There is a sign missing indicating to turn left before the Roubieu ford. At Rabejac, take the path on the left at the corner of the sports grounds. The village of Le Puech with its red stones is magnificent. I would love to do this again.

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Boubouille
Boubouille

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I mainly followed the signposts, but the description was useful in some places.

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berbag
berbag
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with stunning views. However, the route has changed. There are a few detours to make. I think a GPS is very useful, if not essential, as the yellow markings are present but not everywhere.
Without GPS, you need to have a good sense of direction. There are a few picnic tables in three different places and a great picnic area with a view of Lake Salagou.

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Francine84
Francine84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike in these surprising red lands under a beautiful winter sun. The views of Salagou from the Cayroux viewpoint are magnificent. The passage along the ridge offers a beautiful panorama of the Lergue valley as far as Lodève. The charming little village of Puech is worth a visit at the end of the trail.
Thank you for sharing

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athmos.oner
athmos.oner

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy hike that I recommend doing in reverse.
This way, you start by walking along the motorway, which is the least pleasant part. You pass by the very pretty chapel (the path by the pylon was open, so no detour necessary).
Then there's a short stretch of road (not busy at all) and then comes the best part of the hike: the stunning view of Salagou.
It's the perfect place to eat and enjoy the view.
The village of Le Puech is very pretty. I came across a hunter from the village on the heights (very friendly) and no one else!
A real treat.

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