The Allègre castle from Les Fumades

This hike will take you on paths through preserved scrubland and protected in a Natura 2000 zone. Its strong points: a village and a medieval castle overhanging fields of olive-trees and panoramas to take your breath away!

Details

4104479
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.83 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 263 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 262 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 359 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 122 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start : Cèze-Cévennes tourist office car-park at Allègres-les-Fumades (30500).

(S/E) With the town hall behind you, go in a North-Westerly direction along the Avenue des Thermes. Turn right on the path before the Alauzène river.

(1) Turn left, cross the bridge over the Alauzène and then turn right immediately and follow the river.

(2) Turn left and go straight ahead to Auzon, ignoring the paths on each side. Cross the Auzonnet river by the bridge.

(3) Turn right into the small pedestrian street (Rue des Écoles), direction la Bégude and le Château. Reach the D7. Cross the road with caution (no pedestrian crossing) and follow the Rue du Moulin opposite.

(4) At the junction, go straight ahead and pass the factory.

(5) At the crossroads, ignore the path on the right, which will be used on the way back, and go straight on. Then turn right at the next road, direction Le Château and continue along the path to reach the castle car-park.

(6) Climb the stairs on the right to reach the ruins of the Allègre castle.

(7) Continue towards the East, ignoring a path on the right that goes down to the road. Reach a fork in the path.

(8) Turn right in the direction of the Chapelle Saint-Saturnin then continue along the ridge until you reach a large cairn (pile of stones).

(9) Turn right going downhill. Keep right at the next forks to join the D37.

(10) Cross the road with caution to go diagonally across the DFCI track by a water tank. Follow the track to the next tank.

(11) Take the DFCI track on the right and follow it to pass through the Défilé d'Argensol and return to La Bégude.

(5) At the calvary, turn left and pass in front of the factory again.

(4) Turn left before the D7 through the archway that passes under the building. Continue straight ahead until the calvary. Then turn right to the Arlende cemetery.

(12) After the cemetery, at the calvary, turn left and go up the Rue du Lavoir until reach a sharp left bend. At the entrance of this bend, turn right and continue straight ahead to join the D7.

(13) Cross the D7 with caution and go along the Alauzène.

(1) Continue straight ahead, then turn left onto Avenue des Thermes to reach the starting point car park. (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 134 m - Tourist Office car park
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 129 m - Bridge
  3. 2 : km 0.94 - alt. 128 m - Left fork
  4. 3 : km 2.17 - alt. 134 m - Turn right into the small pedestrian street
  5. 4 : km 3.2 - alt. 126 m - Intersection
  6. 5 : km 3.34 - alt. 127 m - La Bégude - Crossing the loop
  7. 6 : km 5.03 - alt. 222 m - Château d'Allègre car park
  8. 7 : km 5.37 - alt. 261 m - Château d'Allègre
  9. 8 : km 5.95 - alt. 308 m - Branch
  10. 9 : km 7.08 - alt. 337 m - Intersection
  11. 10 : km 7.78 - alt. 285 m - Route D37 - Cistern
  12. 11 : km 10.34 - alt. 150 m - Crossing - Tanker
  13. 12 : km 12.71 - alt. 128 m - Cemetery
  14. 13 : km 13.88 - alt. 128 m - Route D7
  15. S/E : km 14.83 - alt. 133 m - Tourist Office car park

Notes

Start : Park in the Cèze-Cévennes tourist office car-park at Allègres-les-Fumades (30500).

Facilities : At the castle, it is possible to eat in the guard's house, which has been left open and made available to hikers: three large tables and a fireplace.

Worth a visit

Allègre castle with orientation table, Saint-Saturnin chapel, magnificent panoramas.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 29 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 19943679
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable
Very busy route : No

Hello
The first part of the walk is very good. The second part is a bit of a waste of time. There isn’t much to see – just a long, motorway-like descent to the bridge over a lovely little river. It’s a nice spot for a quick dip. The final section from the village is better.
I recommend following the yellow signposts; it saves you from unnecessary detours.
I did it in 4 hours.
Thanks to you all
Serge

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PIERRE MONNIER
PIERRE MONNIER

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike in a natural area. With a little imagination and by reading the many signs on site, you can get a sense of the architecture and layout of the medieval site. The small chapel, which also overlooks a superb panorama, invites you to reflect, pray or give thanks. The walk along the banks of the Alauzène is pleasant.
Do not hesitate to venture there.
PP and MM

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Claude R3.
Claude R3.

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

All in all a good walk, although a little long, although it is possible to park and set off from the hamlet of Begude to shorten the route.

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cesarine390
cesarine390

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk with no major difficulties and a magnificent view from the ruins of the castle. Beautiful scenery along the way.
Walk to be recommended

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Herv30
Herv30

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We had a very nice walk, very well signposted and not too hard.

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Rodger0è
Rodger0è

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Thank you for this beautiful walk
Roger

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jaco948
jaco948

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Between 10 and 11, it's much better to take the Serre Fourré ravine than the track: it's in the shade and much shorter!

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Eric bleuzet
Eric bleuzet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A wonderful walk, the village and ruined castle offer superb views of Mont Bouquet and the chapel of Saint Saturnin is parish specific to Brittany.
Not to be done in very hot weather

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Soulier yves
Soulier yves

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice mid-season hike.

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baroulaïres
baroulaïres

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk.
However, a few comments: At point 4 on the way back, "turn left before the D7 through the tunnel". We passed in front of it without seeing the tunnel, it's more of a porch.
At point 4, after the calvary, turn right, which is no longer possible. The path passes through private land. (The owner told us he had reported this to the town hall several times). Continue along the road and you come to the village of Arlende, which is very pretty.

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Hpeterh59
Hpeterh59

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very fine route with beautiful views of the château and La Chapelle. There is very little shade around the 12th km.
Only the markings are not very good.

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Mitch64
Mitch64

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Overcast, not too hot.
The ruins of the Château and the open Chapelle Saint Saturnin are worth a short break.
Excellent views.
After the chapel, the signposts take us off the ledge and back onto the route a little further on.
In Arlende, the path on the right opposite the war memorial is closed by a private gate, so follow the road.
Thank you

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Kevengwen
Kevengwen

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike to get you going again: not too much change in altitude and beautiful scenery. The château at Allègre is well worth a look and the ridge section is superb.
Between La Begude and Arlende, I couldn't find the path that splits off to the right. So I went straight on, crossed Arlende (beautiful windmill) and found the path again on leaving the village.
Thanks for sharing

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ELISA30
ELISA30

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, beautiful views all the way.
We left from La Bégude
Thank you

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Filou30
Filou30

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We left the car at "la Bégude" instead of at the "fumades".
Superb view along the ridge after the chapel with the billy goat
Nice little hike

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