The Val des Nymphes

Most of the walk is through the woods in the Drôme Provençale. This route offers beautiful views of the Rhône valley and lavender fields, as well as a village classified as one of the most beautiful in France, with some buildings dating back to the Renaissance.

Details

496871
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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.11 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 440 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 440 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 610 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 266 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Visitor car park in La Garde-Adhémar.

(S/E) Go down Allée Sainte-Anne to the roundabout, where you take the road on the right.

(1) At the first hairpin bend on the left, next to the cross, take the track on the right towards the north-east. Continue along this path, ignoring the turnings on the left and right. Leave Les Rochettes on your right. After a cross and some houses on the right (Les Rouvière), ignore two paths on the left and continue until you reach a motocross track on the right.

(2) Leave this path and take a trail on the right that continues south-east. Continue in this direction, generally south-east, following the yellow markings (not always very visible) and the route on the map, until you reach the altitude of 163 (Romany marker).

(3) Do not cross the road but enter the woods on the right and then, at each intersection, stay on the track by keeping to the left. Join the RD472.

(4) Take the RD472 on the right for a few dozen metres, following a low stone wall, then take the first path on the left which descends to the chapel.

(5) You have arrived at the Chapelle du Val des Nymphes. This is an ideal place to take a break by the pond before continuing your walk. Turn back until you reach

(4) Continue straight ahead for a short distance until you reach the car park on the edge of the departmental road.
In the middle of the car park, find the yellow trail heading south. Keep following this trail, ignoring the many other trails you come across.

(6) At the crossroads, continue along the track. About 200 metres further on, look down to your left and you will see a tank carved into the rock.

(7) At the junction of six trails, there are no markings. Take the second trail on the right. Descend to a wide track, which you take on the left. This will take you to a small road that you follow to the right until you reach the RD572.

(8) Follow the departmental road to the right for about 60 metres and take a path on the left, then a trail on the right which rejoins the departmental road. Follow this road for about 100 metres to the left.

(9) Take the second lane on the left of the road, marked with yellow signs and a no entry sign. At the top of the hill, turn right, then take a lane on the left and left again onto Chemin des Escantinoples, which will take you to the botanical garden.
Visit the botanical garden, which you exit at the top to enter the village. From there, wander around this beautiful village at your leisure before returning to your starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 607 ft - Visitor parking
  2. 1 : mi 0.12 - alt. 564 ft - Take the track on the right at the cross
  3. 2 : mi 1.66 - alt. 600 ft - Path on the right
  4. 3 : mi 2.03 - alt. 535 ft - Romany signpost, on the right
  5. 4 : mi 2.41 - alt. 505 ft - RD472 junction
  6. 5 : mi 2.51 - alt. 486 ft - Chapelle du Val des Nymphes (La Garde-Adhémar)
  7. 6 : mi 3.29 - alt. 545 ft - Mark the stone vats
  8. 7 : mi 3.69 - alt. 495 ft - Crossroads of 6 paths, 2nd on the right
  9. 8 : mi 4.38 - alt. 299 ft - RD572
  10. 9 : mi 4.61 - alt. 463 ft - No entry sign, alley on the left
  11. S/E : mi 5.11 - alt. 607 ft - Visitor parking

Notes

In some places, the yellow markings are a little difficult to find, so please pay attention.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 57 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 26173868

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A short walk to warm up or enjoy a leisurely stroll with the family. You can stop for a bite to eat at the Val des Nymphes, which is a beautiful, shaded and relaxing spot.

The rest of the walk is straightforward, apart from the final stretch which climbs slightly back up to the village; it’s easy enough even for beginners.

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la mede
la mede

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A easy route, ideal for families

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User 25928408

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A NICE HIKE WITH PARISH-SPECIFIC VIEWS IN BRITTANY

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fdrom
fdrom

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A pleasant hike along a wide, enjoyable path to the chapel. The path then narrows, but you can see the old wine presses carved into the rock.

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Happy Walker
Happy Walker

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike on easy trails.

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Orus plana
Orus plana
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easily accessible walk with very pleasant trails. The Val des Nymphes site is very pleasant. I recommend it

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MissFlo
MissFlo

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

When we left the car park, we had trouble finding the path
After that, the route was easy to follow and enjoyable.

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Marie Chalet
Marie Chalet

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Easy and enjoyable hike.
Beware of hunting grounds!!!! These gentlemen don't like to share with hikers....
No hunting except on Wednesdays.

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morisot
morisot

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

from the car park above Val des Nymphes, we took the right path and then got lost, so we returned as best we could...

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Ded73
Ded73

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk with friends, the chapel is a very pleasant spot for a break, and you finish up in the village of La Garde d'Adhemar, which is magnificent.

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Clif
Clif

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful walk, lovely discoveries, need to use the app at times, and even then we still got lost at times, especially after passing through the Val des Nymphes! Be careful!

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JackFF
JackFF

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice walk, easy trail at the start, rocky in the last quarter.

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MartineGG
MartineGG

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty walk, well shaded with two beautiful spots: Le Val des Nymphes and the village of La Garde Adhemar.
After the Val, a few words are missing from the description; we started on the wrong side (you need to look for the car park on the right-hand side of the road), but with a little improvisation, no problem.

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jesuisenrandonné07
jesuisenrandonné07

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

After Val des Nymphes, there are no signposts and there are many paths. We followed the southbound direction as indicated and ended up in the hamlet of Colombier, where we were able to return to point 6.
A very pretty village and the Val des Nymphes is magnificent. Lots of paths through the woods with no views.

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Marchont
Marchont

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I enjoyed discovering this corner of the Drôme region, an easy hike

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