The Cirque de Gens from Ruoms

A pleasant hike along the banks of the Ardèche river, sometimes with overhanging cliffs on a magnificent path, and sometimes skirting the riverbed. There's also a cave within easy reach.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.95 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 161 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 155 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 188 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 114 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start: Park in the Ruoms town centre car park, "Parking Central".

Follow the white/yellow markings all the way.

(S/E) Depart from the "Info Rando" sign in front of the Tourist Office. Facing the sign, turn right into Rue Président Millerand. At the end of the street, at the signpost "Le Champ des Fours", take the cycle path left (Voie Verte) towards "Pradons/Cirque de Gens".

(1) After 275m, at a fork, signposted "Le Champ du Gras", leave the road on your left for the return journey and continue North on the Voie Verte.

(2) At the signpost "Les Petites Pièces", leave the Voie Verte and take the road left through the hamlet of Mas du Grand Grazel.

(3) After 565m, take the path down to the river. It climbs up the cliffside overhanging the river.

(4) After the meander on the river Ardèche, the path descends again. Follow the river on the rock slabs.

(5) After the confluence with the river Ligne, the path climbs back up North-East and passes the Baume Grenas (cave), which can be seen.

(6) Climb the path to the right for a few metres to enter the cave. With a torch, you can walk along this gallery-like cave.
Follow the path Southwards.

(7) The path leads to a road. Follow the white-yellow markings to the "Le Champ du Gras" signpost.

(1) You are now back to the cycling path. From here, take the Voie Verte back to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 120 m - Tourist Office
  2. 1 : km 1.21 - alt. 129 m - Carrefour de la boucle
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 131 m - Small parts" tag
  4. 3 : km 2.43 - alt. 128 m - Mas du Grand Grazel
  5. 4 : km 3.24 - alt. 142 m - Ardèche
  6. 5 : km 4.26 - alt. 120 m - Back to the plateau. Ardèche confluence - Ligne (rivière)
  7. 6 : km 4.42 - alt. 160 m - Baume Grenas
  8. 7 : km 5.27 - alt. 150 m - End of the trail
  9. S/E : km 6.95 - alt. 121 m - Tourist Office

Notes

Start: Park in the Ruoms town centre car park, "Parking Central".

Waymarkers: Follow the white/yellow markings all the way.

⚠️ Please note the following two points:
Be VERY CAREFUL, especially with children, when passing the overhanging cliffs.
Also, after HEAVY RAIN, the path along the Ardèche riverbed can be IMPRATICABLE.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 59 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 20894116

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with stunning views of the Ardèche; we had a bit of trouble finding the signposts; a bit technical in places; there are a few slippery sections along the river, so you need to be careful.

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Nathalie Lacote
Nathalie Lacote

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful hike. The description of it as ‘family-friendly’ may be misleading. There are a few technical challenges and some dangerous sections that are difficult to navigate with young children.

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Randsoro
Randsoro

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A brilliant family hike with children aged 6 to 11 during the April holidays.
Varied and very beautiful scenery and trails.
Don’t park at the tourist office but at the Grazel car park to avoid an unnecessarily long stretch of cycle path.
Walking boots are recommended, but trainers are fine if you take care.
The section along the cliff edge is perfectly manageable with children if they walk calmly in single file. There are 2–3 spots where you need to ‘climb’ or squeeze through some fairly narrow rocks, but it’s more fun than dangerous.
Just watch out for slippery rocks if it’s damp, or a section of the path that may be impassable if the water level is too high.
We were a bit hesitant after reading some comments, but it’s really great as long as you take a few precautions. The path is fairly well marked and follows the GPS track (points 5 and 6 are still there).

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Nosyla
Nosyla

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

WARNING: If you suffer from vertigo, do not attempt this route! If you have any physical problems or pain in your legs or elsewhere, turn back.
Points 5 and 6 no longer exist, so you will be walking along the cliff edge, halfway in mid-air among the trees, for a good half hour...

HOWEVER, I personally did the trail and it was incredible! A wonderful family adventure, spectacular views, my 63-year-old mother took up the challenge with quite a bit of help from us...

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lupi001
lupi001

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A great route! It starts on a shared cycle and footpath, but you quickly leave the village behind and it's very pleasant.
We did the ride with five children aged 7 to 11 and didn't have to hold them back; of course, with children or parents who are afraid, or in wet weather, it can be difficult. There are two or three sections where you have to climb, but it's easy to do and the hike with views of the cirque, along the Ardèche, in the cave and in the woods is magnificent.
Good shoes for rocks are recommended.

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User 25059519

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, not recommended with children. Ask at the Ruoms tourist office for information about water releases

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User 14773020

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

When we were climbing back up (point 5 or 6?), we met two young people and a dog who strongly advised us not to continue, given the very narrow passage with a steep cliff. The young woman had to crawl on all fours and the young man had to carry his dog in his arms. As I suffer from vertigo, we didn't continue and, not wanting to turn back (a big mistake on my part), we took a path down to the left marked with a cross. We found ourselves in the bush, with brambles and vines, and ended up climbing rocks with crampons (fortunately), but not without difficulty given my vertigo. We ended up directly in a private garden and then on the road towards Ruoms.
Our walk lasted five hours... All because of me! Never take forbidden paths!!!

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User 26819312

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We had the opportunity to do this hike in August 2025.
A short family hike. The cliff edges offer beautiful views. Be careful with children, as it is quite dangerous, but it is really pleasant along the Ardèche. Despite a few minor difficulties between the boulders, it is very satisfying. You never get bored.
Visiting a cave along the way is enjoyable and entertaining. Our curiosity was piqued. Be careful, though, as the ground can be slippery. It is advisable to turn on your mobile phone when entering the cave, which is dark and quite deep.
The route is well described: it is a short hike with lots of scenery: the water's edge, the cliff side, the woods, the cave. Don't forget to bring a pair of shoes, trainers or other items such as a bottle of water. The journey takes about 2 hours.

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User 3864515

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

My wife and I are both over 75 years old.
We listened carefully to the recommendations at the tourist office and followed them.
And now it's done.
The route is well signposted and matches the difficulty level.
It's perfect for testing your fitness, and the scenery is stunning.

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User 3980208

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent course

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User 26819312

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Go hiking with friends and family without any surprises. This route is easy, with few difficulties, no constraints, and accessible to young children accompanied by adults. Allow two hours to enjoy the whole route.

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User 26682611

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike, very family-friendly as it is short and not very hilly, with varied landscapes.

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User 13172049

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent hike, a little physically demanding, a few difficult spots, beautiful parish-specific cave to Brittany, take a good torch as the phone reception is a little patchy and the ground is a little sticky in places
in some places.

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cecchina
cecchina

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with no particular difficulties and the advantage of shade when it is hot.

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User 4768400

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We confirm everything that has been noted....bien
Nothing more to add

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