Les Concluses de L'Aiguillon

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, but it's best to go with someone else as there is no mobile phone reception anywhere along the river.
On a dry river: 3 hours 15 minutes to complete the circuit.

This hike has its share of difficulties. Even though the river is dry, there are some impossible passages, so you have to climb up the bank and make your way through the vegetation (a machete might be a good idea...). At the beginning, you spend a lot of time looking at the ground to avoid slipping on the clay or rocks. In summer, the difficulty level is high (and I can understand why it's rated very difficult if the river is at its normal level, as you'll have to swim at times)

Towards the end, about 300m before point 5, you have to get out of the river and find the path on the left. There is no other way out, because after that there is a field, then private property (a French lodge) and the river resumes its course.

Personally, I didn't mind returning by road, as it's under the trees and a bit of a rest.

A very good hike with a very nice desert river landscape.

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Hello User 26258270

In practical information:

This hike should be undertaken by at least two people. In case of emergency, mobile phones do not work in the canyon.
Bring good hiking gear, food and drink, and sun protection.
Bring a change of shoes and clothes in case you get wet.
Check the weather forecast for the day and the days before (water level).

Be prepared to turn back if necessary.

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Date of your route : Jun 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike tested in 2024 – Extreme level, not to be underestimated
After two "difficult" hikes that didn't give me the adrenaline rush I was looking for, I wanted to try an "extreme" route. And I certainly got what I came for: it's by far the most challenging hike I've ever done.

The trail quickly becomes very technical: water pools to jump over, slippery rocks, brambles everywhere, steep slopes. I saw hikers wearing "Le Gouffre 2024" T-shirts turn back right at the start. One of them even fell heavily in front of me.

Several times, I had to climb back up the mountainside to avoid impassable areas. From the second or third kilometre onwards, there was no mobile phone reception and no one else around, just me alone in the wilderness.

It took me about 7.5 hours to finish the course, with sections in the water where I had to practically swim, my backpack soaked.
Luckily, I had more than 5 litres of water, which was essential given the effort I had put in and the heat.

I hurt myself several times on the brambles and slipped a few times. Towards the end (around point 4), an old man living near a house kindly put me back on the right track through the valley, otherwise I'd probably still be looking for the way out.

It was a real adventure, both physical and mental, and that's exactly what I was looking for.
⚠️ But be careful: do not attempt this with children or without serious preparation. There are no clear markings in some places, no mobile phone reception, and no easy way to turn back.

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Date of your route : Sep 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The ultimate adventure hike! A must-do during the dry season for all intrepid travellers.
There is little water at this time of year, but enough to fill a few pools.
three detours are still necessary due to impassable walls between points 3 and 4.
The first detour is on the right, at a wooden "man" topped with a stone.
The second is also on the right and the third on the left. In all cases, after a bit of climbing, you will quickly come back to a path opened up by previous hikers.
On the way back, you can avoid rejoining the road and follow the yellow-marked PR trail, which runs between the canyon and the road, to the car park. You can take it to the north-east of the small village of Prade for a total hike of about 8 km.

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Date of your route : May 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hello
Nice hike (despite the lack of water) on the^first part with views of the gorges and inside the gorges... but disappointing on the way back with about 4 km of tarmac (a road that can be quite busy at weekends)
Avoid in hot weather

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Date of your route : Feb 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, I tried this route, but unfortunately it wasn't the water level that was a problem, but rather the brush obstructing the drovers' road. I had my pruning shears with me, but it would have taken too much time. I had to turn back. If the mountain range isn't closed this summer...

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

It was wonderful to follow the riverbed, although sometimes there was so much water that we had to climb up the sides using some rather acrobatic techniques. Everything was fine until then. Then suddenly there was too much water and no way through, so we had to climb back up the mountain without a path, through the bushes. It was disastrous. It took us 4½ hours and we only did half the hike because we cut across the mountain to find the way back to the car park. There were no signposts.

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Date of your route : Jul 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

After a first attempt in 2018, when we had to turn back because we couldn't find a way past a large "wall", this time we managed to complete the loop.
The landscapes were as magnificent as ever, even grandiose.
The circuit is difficult, with a few passages through brambles and some small climbs.
It gets hot in the gorges, so be sure to take more water than you think you'll need, as you won't come across anyone else during the hike and there's no mobile phone reception.

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Date of your route : Apr 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
here is our humble opinion on the difficulties of this very beautiful hike: It all depends on the water level!
From the first viewpoint, looking to the left, you can see part of the route, which gives you an idea of what to expect.

We did it in early April and the start of the route was completely dry (apart from a few large deep pools). In these conditions, it's a nice, fun walk with a few sections to get around but nothing extreme. Be careful not to slip in wet areas, though.

The further you go, the more the landscape opens up. The rocky cliffs give way to earthy, heavily wooded banks and the river is no longer dry at all! This is where the route can get tricky, as the paths become less and less visible and you quickly find yourself off-trail, wondering if the path was on the other bank. This is also where some of the comments about brambles start to make sense

We couldn't find a path to cover the last 700 metres of the canyon without getting wet, so on the right bank, where the slope was less steep but still very steep, we decided to take a completely off-trail escape route at the beginning. As we climbed, numerous paths joined together, suggesting that everyone had chosen their own escape route. We thus reached the wide track back to the top of the plateau and made our way back to the car park without any difficulty.

This hike left my 11-year-old daughter and me with fond memories of an adventure. Given some of the comments we had read, we had expected more technical difficulties, so my daughter was a little disappointed, but the setting is very pretty, similar to the Grand Canyon du Verdon but with the added bonus of pools for swimming.

Many thanks to the author.
JM and Lou

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Hello. Thank you for your feedback. As stated in the description, this hike is indeed best done in summer.

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Date of your route : Feb 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I knew this route but wanted to do it again. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that at this time of year, the river at "le portail" is difficult to cross. So we turned back and followed the route to Lussan. Less enjoyable but still pleasant.

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Date of your route : Oct 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

For those who want to get to know the region, this tour is very interesting and well organised.

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Date of your route : Oct 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pretty walk with a variety of beautiful views

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Date of your route : Sep 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

To tell you the truth, this route, which is NOT signposted from start to finish, is a PARADISE for the eyes (thank you, Mother Nature) BUT a real HELL and VERY DANGEROUS for inexperienced hikers. I almost turned back two or three times, but I carried on because I have a VERY good sense of direction and analytical skills.You have to stay on the left side most of the time, but not always... Allow four hours for the river and one hour to return from the Prade mill (easy).
ABOVE ALL, take with you:
-a hat/thick towel (brambles) or a machete
-Wear light trousers and a long-sleeved shirt (brambles)
-NO trainers!!! Closed shoes with grippy soles are essential (otherwise you will slip on the limestone)
REMINDER:
A LOT of experience is essential, as is a cool head (take your time and don't hesitate to retrace your steps. FEAR or exhaustion can get the better of you at ANY time. This is VERY, VERY PHYSICAL!
-NO children, 100% not recommended for those who are afraid of heights.
-BRING water (at least 2 litres) and disinfectant (for brambles)
-Leave in the morning around 9 a.m. to be prepared for any eventuality....
-There is NO mobile phone reception until you reach the mill
-A compass may be useful three-quarters of the way through the trip, as you will be on land (and no longer in the river) where there are tracks leading off in all directions.
-You are not in the river bed the whole time...!!! That would be too easy (lol)
The route map is not very useful, it is just "indicative" and approximate
I have over 50 years of mountain experience (yes, 50!!!), and this is one of the hikes of my life where I've been worried... Maybe it's my age???
CURIOUS PEOPLE ABSTAIN
You may see less negative comments, but don't confuse the Aiguillon canyon with the more relaxed and popular "Portes des Concluses/Mederis"!

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Date of your route : Jun 09, 2020
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

a superb hike, but only for experienced and well-equipped hikers. Two or three straps and carabiners are recommended to ensure minimum safety during the hike.

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