Le Roc de la Vigne

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This trek works its way up from the Hérault valley to Roc de la Vigne. Leaving the village, off the beaten tracks, you'll explore Forêt Domaniale de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert on cobblestone roads. Along the way, the remains of old farms, caves, a semi-troglodyte retreat and a breath-taking view from the top of Roc de la Vigne.

Technical sheet

n°213855
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.71 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 674 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 674 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 704 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 73 m
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Photos

The cave
The Herault valley
Rock on the ground!
Ruins

Description of the walk

(S/F) From the free car park just after the dam on the Hérault River, arriving from Saint-Guilhem, head back to the village over a hundred odd metres on the D4.

(1) Take the carriage road to the right, just before the small bridge "petit pont de la Combe de Malafosse".

(2) At a junction before a house, keep going along the trail that heads uphill to the right, leaving the one to the left (leading to "Grotte du Sergent"). The trail gradually heads up a western slope then crosses a stream, often dry, and heads up a steep and windy trail on the eastern slope until "la ruine du Mas de l'Arboussier (or Arbousier)."

(3) Keep to the trail arriving at a ledge at high point 328.

(4) In a left turn, leave the path to follow a small footpath to the right heading down towards "Grotte or Baume du Cellier" located thirty or so metres below, of which the entrance is somewhat hidden by vegetation. Careful not to fall in the pitch (hole) over the entrance of the cave. After visiting the cave, head back to the path that goes along Combe de la Blande which heads back up towards the junction with the path coming from "l'Ermitage de Notre-Dame de Belle-Grâce".

(5) Head right and keep going until you get to a hairpin.

(6) Leave the trail taking a right to visit another retreat which is semi-troglodyte, underneath the cliff. To find it, keep to the footpath on the far left and head down a hundred odd metres using your hands and remaining close to the cliff.

(7) After the visit, return to (6) and head right to reach the pass.

(8) Keep going right on the forest trail through "pins de Salzmann" (a subspecies of pine tree) for roughly 200 metres.

(9) At the cairn, turn right onto a small trail that heads up to the foot of Roc la Vigne (10) the climb is easy and the 180° view to the north is exceptional.

Return to (9) and go right onto a path which remains flat until high point 533.

(11) Turn right and tackle the descent, steep and rocky at times, leading to a lovely abandoned hamlet "l'Estagnol".

(12) Leave the trail that heads off to the west and take the one heading south. After crossing l'Estagnol prairie, it heads downhill reaching the car park, just opposite (S/F).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 76 m - Car park after the dam on the Hérault river
  2. 1 : km 0.24 - alt. 75 m - Start of the track on the right
  3. 2 : km 0.8 - alt. 89 m - Path leading up to the right
  4. 3 : km 2.6 - alt. 309 m - Mas de l'Arboussier
  5. 4 : km 2.96 - alt. 330 m - Baume du Cellier
  6. 5 : km 4.76 - alt. 586 m - Turning right
  7. 6 : km 5.23 - alt. 623 m - Bifurcation
  8. 7 : km 5.48 - alt. 633 m - Semi-troglodytic hermitage,
  9. 8 : km 6.04 - alt. 645 m - Right at the pass
  10. 9 : km 6.22 - alt. 645 m - Bifurcation
  11. 10 : km 6.53 - alt. 703 m - Roc de la Vigne
  12. 11 : km 8.09 - alt. 533 m - Downhill right
  13. 12 : km 10.53 - alt. 307 m - Hamlet of L'Estagnol
  14. S/E : km 12.71 - alt. 76 m - Car park after the dam on the Hérault river

Practical information

Bring a torch to visit Baume du Cellier cave and lots of water if it's the summer (season not recommended).
Good shoes are required as the trails are stony.

In the nearby area

To see:
The Mas de l'Arbousier remains and its oven.
Beautiful concretions in "Grotte de la Baume du Cellier". Do not venture inside without a torch, there are shafts inside which could prove to be dangerous.
The remains of the old retreat under the cliff.
Climb to the top of the Roc de la Vigne, the view is a sight for sore eyes.
Estagnol hamlet.
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 51 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
gerardhenr
gerardhenr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A wild trail through the flowers, but in the opposite direction, making the climb seem easier!
On the way down, a short excursion (T3) to the entrance to the sergeant's cave (avoiding the property at no. 2 in the description).

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papadid
papadid
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A fine walk with no difficulties except for level 7 (danger): 13km/688m cumulative ascent/4h.
-Points of interest :

  • Roc de la vigne.
  • Pic Saint Loup and Hortus.
  • Mont Saint Baudile.
  • Mont Ventoux
  • Mediterranean Sea.

-Positive points :

  • Well-balanced trail (6km uphill and 6km downhill).
  • Shady trail.

-Negatives :

  • busy trail.
  • Dangerous point 7: do not stop at the first promontory but continue past the scree.

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choose34
choose34

Nice walk, not too difficult. Magnificent views from the top of the peak, but the rest of the way is a lot of forest without much scenery to admire.
Done in 4 hours at a decent pace.

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jp.vgn
jp.vgn

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very nice walk, made easier by a constant height difference (total +/- 800m). A large part of the trail is in the woods and therefore shaded.
JP

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cuocof
cuocof

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

Walked on Friday 1 October. Moderate interest/difficulty ratio: too many long sections in closed corridors of vegetation - paths sometimes very stony, particularly on the descent after l'Estanyol (although we're used to stones, in the Caroux, Ariège or the Alps)- All this just for the view from the Roc, and a few glimpses of a not-very-good landscape (that comes from the region).
We suffered from the heat, it may have distorted our judgement, as we had done it in October 2017 and found nothing to complain about. But I wonder if we'll be back!

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Jean-Bernard
Jean-Bernard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

As pleasant as ever, but why a difference of almost 2km for the same route (10.57km)? We walk well and took 4 hours without the break. We didn't find the troglodyte hermitage either.

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Alaric
Alaric

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hello,
Very nice hike, I won't repeat what was said before. On the other hand, many people apparently haven't found point 6 "semi-troglodytic hermitage". I found myself in this situation despite the GPS and the comments attached, and then I finally found it:
- above all, do not follow GPS point 6, which takes us along the path known as "sentier des falaises du roc de la vigne" and then leads us down an unstable stone scree (stay alive, the hike is not worth dying over!!!), if I had to replace this point it would be halfway between 6 and 7 30, 50 m to the south.

-For the description :
6) Leave the path and turn right to visit another semi-troglodytic hermitage, sheltered under the cliff. To find it, keep to the leftmost path and descend a hundred metres or so, using your hands and staying close to the cliff.

Leave the path by turning right.....to find it, take the path at the first cairm that descends to the right and skirts the cliff; it's not too difficult, but if you think it's technical you've made a mistake!
The hermitage is an ideal place to stop.
Best regards.

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vuichard
vuichard

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

It's a classic hike in the region: you go up and then down, with some lovely views in between. It took me 3.5 hours (including a 45-minute break for photos and text messages) without too much effort, but I was on my own.

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yvanbidule
yvanbidule

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Hello,
Lovely walk in fine weather. Beautiful views, especially at the top of the Roc. Thanks for the description and the gpx track. YvanBidule

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randodavnat
randodavnat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

This is a very fine walk, but you will need a GPS as many of the junctions are not signposted. Beware: access to the semi-troglodytic heritage is dangerous.

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Albine Carpentier
Albine Carpentier

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lovely route, very panoramic, wild, no signposting, the cairns are there but there are many of them and the little paths too, so it's hard to find your way around. Impossible to find the caves, karstic caves .... probably covered in vegetation. .
After the Spanish village, there are no signposts, so turn left into the hamlet, then right at the cross, then right again (always follow the path to the south-west).
Panorama top top!! in top in spite of the wind that day there!
Albine

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Laveyronnais
Laveyronnais

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Superb hike, varied scenery but a little cold at this time of year.

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Gab
Gab

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful walk with varied landscapes and terrain
A small cave to visit
an abandoned hamlet
a change in altitude for intensity
I did it on a rainy day, with rain :-) and it wasn't slippery
well signposted
it took me 5 hours with the picnic

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Ribes
Ribes

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 05, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb hike with lots of treasures to see: ruins; cave; hermitage, even if the path to the hermitage at Reynes is hard to find! And superb views!

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freemano
freemano

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

I took this walk in the opposite direction, starting early to catch the autumn sunrise over the pic st loup. And apart from finding it easier than noted, I loved the walk.
There are some truly spectacular views and varied terrain. I plan to go again in the springtime.
Thanks for sharing

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