The Bardou and Héric Circuit

View and passage through two villages isolated from the main roads, featuring beautiful stone houses.

This hike may be prohibited depending on the fire risk level. Remember to check the map.

Details

29760
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.26 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 594 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 604 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 657 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 183 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) Departure from the presbytery lodge in the village of Mons.
Walk up the narrow streets to reach the wide stone path that crosses the chestnut groves.

(1) Wind your way through this old farm, now abandoned, before reaching the Col de la Maure.

(2). Continue along this path, which now crosses the old agricultural terraces above the village of Bardou.
Leave the path that leads to the village on your left and head right towards the Col de Bardou.

(3) This pass is a major crossroads of trails. Take the blue-marked trail on the left to reach the Bau Filiti viewpoint, which offers a beautiful view of the Héric stream, the village of the same name and, above all, the towering cliffs.

(4) Return to the Col de Bardou.

(3) Turn left onto theGR®®7, which descends gently towards the stream.

(5) Cross the stream via the Roman bridge before beginning the climb up to the village of Héric.

(6) Take the concrete track that joins the Héric stream.

(7) Follow it along both banks alternately.
Reach the hamlet of Verdier and the crossroads of the last houses.

(8) Take the blue marked trail on the right that leads to Mons and then to the lodge (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 260 m - Lodge du Presbytère in Mons
  2. 1 : km 0.26 - alt. 302 m - Narrow streets
  3. 2 : km 2.35 - alt. 635 m - Col de la Maure (620m)
  4. 3 : km 3.73 - alt. 641 m - Col de Bardou (641m)
  5. 4 : km 3.89 - alt. 646 m - Bau Filiti viewpoint.
  6. 5 : km 4.75 - alt. 434 m - Roman bridge. - Héric (cours d'eau) - Affluent de l'Orb
  7. 6 : km 5.21 - alt. 510 m - Héric.
  8. 7 : km 7.34 - alt. 381 m - Héric stream.
  9. 8 : km 10.35 - alt. 198 m - Le Verdier
  10. S/E : km 11.26 - alt. 257 m - Lodge du Presbytère in Mons

Notes

⚠️ You are entering a natural site where there is a risk of rockfalls.
---
No water sources, but there is a refreshment bar in the village of Héric.
Hiking gear, but bring your swimsuit because the pools and water holes in the Héric stream are perfect for a dip.

Worth a visit

The nearby Orb and Jaur valleys offer beautiful sites to visit.
From Lamalou les Bains to Saint Pons de Thomières, from Mons la Trivalle to Roquebrun, you will find typical villages here.
And for climbing enthusiasts, there are many varied routes here.

ADOPT THE RIGHT BEHAVIOUR: Fire safety and eco-friendly behaviour.

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 / 5
Based on 97 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
titou034
titou034

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A circular walk, easy to follow using the app; we had a picnic by the Roman bridge.

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mariefrancoise34
mariefrancoise34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, especially in winter when the Héric stream turns into a torrent.

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PHIPHI45
PHIPHI45

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A two-part hike with a climb up a stone path through chestnut trees and an easy descent along the trail. We saw mouflons above the hamlet of Heric.

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lolorandos
lolorandos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike, beautiful autumn colours at the end of October and hardly anyone around except on the slightly busier concrete path. We were a little disappointed by the hamlet of Heric, unless we missed something. All these paved slanting street paths are very beautiful.

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MNORDIC
MNORDIC

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We set off for the day and started with the Héric Gorges, which were fairly quiet on this Sunday ( )
The path is actually a concrete track that climbs very gradually and follows the beautiful gorges... to the pretty hamlet of Héric
Then we returned via a beautiful path that climbs (and there was no one else there! ) through chestnut trees
After Bardou, the descent is really enjoyable, surrounded by beautiful nature
It is very well marked
But we preferred the Colombière Gorges... more natural!

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User 2501128

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Very pretty views!
The start is quite challenging in terms of elevation. From the village of Héric, the rest of the route is entirely on a concrete path that is particularly suitable for people with reduced mobility.

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kyl1300
kyl1300

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike in reverse, starting with the gorges and then descending on the other side of the village.
It is easily accessible, but watch out for the 2/3 difficulty sections and loose stones.
The markings are clear and well indicated, but using GPS is a plus to be on the safe side!
Great for a change of scenery with beautiful landscapes, but still quite a workout

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User 19396761

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 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 hike! Stunning views, we loved it. The start from Mons la Trivalle to the Col de Bardou is gradual...

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bernardino
bernardino ★

Hello and thank you for your comments. However, I would like to know which segments are causing problems, as there may have been changes since this route was created.
Have a nice day

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User 24729335

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The hike is great and takes us to a nice spot for swimming! ☀️
However, the route isn't always accurate in some sections, so you have to take a parallel path or cut across another trail. The signposts are also almost non-existent, so they're not much help..

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Philippe3478
Philippe3478

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike starting from Monsieur la Trival

Well shaded except for the return trip at the bottom of the gorges and part of the return trip from Verdier

You can swim in the slightly cool water

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faroldi
faroldi

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The circuit is of high quality, however, the layout remains difficult to identify in some places.

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Philippe sla
Philippe sla

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Lovely route but poorly signposted. What a shame!

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pbarbezier
pbarbezier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route on old paved slanting streets. We set off from the car park at the foot of the Héric gorges and first made our way to the village of Mons. It was more pleasant to finish the walk at the bottom of the descent. No problems along the way. Don't miss: the Bau Filliti lookout. Magnificent views of the gorges and the village of Héric.

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Christof34320
Christof34320

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The climb up to the pass is a long one. It's important to have good footwear and water. The path is easy to follow and the views are magnificent.

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