The Cirque de Navacelles

This walk takes place entirely within the "Les Causses et les Cévennes" site, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Navacelles, you climb up the Gorges de la Vis to its resurgence. After visiting the Moulins de la Foux, the return journey halfway up the southern slope of the Causse de Blandas offers spectacular views of the Gorges de la Vis and the Cirque de Navacelles.
You have to walk in the Cirque de Navacelles at least once in your life, that's all there is to it! Don't think twice: just go!

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.33 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 242 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 245 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 493 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 323 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Moderator's warning on 08/02/2021: See reviews for this date. The bridge over the Vis seems to have disappeared.
Author's note: Since March 2021, numerous reviews have confirmed the existence of this bridge made of natural rocks and slabs; see in particular the review dated 13 July 2024: For those who have doubts given the moderator's comment, there are indeed bridges on either side to cross the river, and they have never disappeared in 800 years. It's an original idea to go for a walk in the gorges on a day when the river is high!

Yellow and red signposts

(S/E) In Navacelles, follow the right bank of the Vis towards the west. Leave the old stone bridge on your right. Continue on a track along the riverbank until you reach the D130E7.

(1) Take it on the left and reach the Truque crossroads (signposted "Croisement de la Foux 4 km").

(2) Take the path on the right. Descend to the right bank of the Vis and continue in the shade of the willows and alders of the riparian forest. After several bends, climb up and reach a fork (signpost "Moulins de la Foux 0.1 km").

Yellow markings

(3) Go down to the right and reach the Moulins de la Foux (signpost for "Navacelles 4 km"). Cross the Vis river on a bridge and take the path on the right. At the fork, go left through the woods and come out on a bend in the D713 on the slopes of Navacelles (signpost "Navacelles 2.9 km").

(4) Take this road to the right and descend for 300 m. You will reach a fork at a place called Les Bayrades.

(5) Turn left onto a path on the hillside. After a right-hand bend, continue along the Combe du Four. You will reach the fork at Mas de Guillou.

White and red markings

(6) Descend to the right. After two hairpin bends, you will reach some houses. Turn right, cross an old stone bridge over the Vis and reach Navacelles (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 326 m - Navacelles - Cirque de Navacelles
  2. 1 : km 1.24 - alt. 335 m - Junction with the D130E7 - Vis (rivière)
  3. 2 : km 1.59 - alt. 370 m - Carrefour de la Truque
  4. 3 : km 5.49 - alt. 390 m - Crossroads at La Foux - Vis (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 6.65 - alt. 493 m - Slopes of Navacelles
  6. 5 : km 7.05 - alt. 455 m - Les Bayrades
  7. 6 : km 8.82 - alt. 377 m - Mas de Guillou
  8. S/E : km 9.33 - alt. 326 m - Navacelles - Cirque de Navacelles

Notes

Hike completed by the author on 29/08/2020.

Warning: In the description of this route, Hérault Tourisme specifies that it is a route that is prone to flooding during heavy rain.

This route follows the GRP® Tour du Larzac Méridional and thePR® Cirque de Navacelles. Its description can be found in the TopoGuide "Le Languedoc et le Roussillon à pied" published by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre under reference RE13.

Shortly after the Croisement de la Foux (3): a slippery slope is equipped with a rope.

Navacelles: (S/E) picnic area, toilets, stopover lodge, hotel, cafés, restaurants, guest rooms.

Moulins de la Foux, shortly after (3): shelter, table.

BE A GOOD CITIZEN: Be vigilant about fire safety and eco-friendly behaviour.

Special mention for autumn, which offers optimal conditions in terms of colours, temperatures and visitor numbers.

Worth a visit

The Causses and the Cévennes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

All along the route, panoramic views of the gorges and meanders of the Vis.

Shortly after the Croisement de la Foux (3):
- La Foux, resurgence of the Vis: the river abandons its aerial course after the village of Alzon, reappearing here in a spectacular waterfall after a 13 km underground journey. A siphon, which remains intact to this day, prevents the exploration of the underground waters for just over a kilometre.
- Moulins de la Foux (in Occitan: le grand trou): built in the 17th century, they ceased to operate after damage sustained during the floods of 1907. They have been partially restored and house a permanent exhibition that is free to visit, which the author invites you to explore.

Dry stone shelters between (5) and (6): vineyards and orchards once occupied these south-facing slopes. The "Chemin des Vignes" is lined with old vineyard huts built of dry stone or limestone rubble (masets). Each maset houses a water tank.

From (5) to (E): panoramic views of the Cirque de Navacelles.

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

4.8 / 5
Based on 75 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 14766681

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Great

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User 28061856

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 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 on a lovely, sunny November day.

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User 28057233

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant walk along a gentle river, through varied landscapes and with visits to some particularly interesting mills.
The atmosphere is beautiful in autumn, and one can imagine that the site must be very popular in spring and summer.

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nono61
nono61

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent site to see, one of the most beautiful sites in France.

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User 11199574

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike, with the first part through the woods along the Vis River. This section is pleasant and very relaxing.
The climb after Moulin de la Foux is quite steep, but not very long.
Numerous views of the Cirque de Navacelles.

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User 19574898

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, rounded off with a view from the lookout points (for example in Blandas)

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User 27566729

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Superb hike in the Cirque de Moureze. The trail is very well marked, the scenery is magnificent, and the circuit is a good length, taking 3 to 3½ hours

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User 14933478

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike around the Navacelles cirque.
Beware of the heat...

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tcanler
tcanler

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Short, shaded hike on a large hillside with a slight incline after the mill, following the route recommended by Visorando.

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vallat aurore
vallat aurore

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

nice hike

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v.m.BlR.rando
v.m.BlR.rando

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The hike takes place almost exclusively in the Vis gorge, which was not very busy on 5 August except at the Foux mills, where we could hardly put one foot in front of the other... The resurgence site is definitely worth a visit. The trail is shaded enough to be pleasant in the middle of August.
It is advisable to take a shuttle bus to Navacelles, but we decided against it as they were not very frequent.

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Sandrine.B
Sandrine.B

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We went early in the week, so there was no one else on the trail. The first half was in the shade by the water, but I found the mill a bit dangerous as there was a lot of water and the stones were slippery. The second half was in full sun but pleasant. There were no difficulties, just a small climb after the mill.

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User 25974488

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, but good shoes are recommended for the return journey.

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sophie-frutuoso
sophie-frutuoso

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

The second part of the route after the windmills should be avoided in the heat of the day. In this case, you may want to consider doing the route in reverse so that you finish along the screw and enjoy the shaded riverbanks.

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Louisa B.
Louisa B.
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A pleasant hike with beautiful scenery, superb mills and a waterfall along the way.
No major difficulties on the first part of the route.
Things got tricky on the descent over the scree.
My companion, who is prone to vertigo, had to help me across a small section of the scree. Even though he doesn't suffer from vertigo, it was still quite a thrill for him.
As it was a bank holiday, there were a lot of people at the mills and we had to queue to visit, which wasn't very pleasant.

Physically speaking, we didn't find the hike difficult; it took us 2 hours and 20 minutes, excluding lunch.
I would recommend it to anyone who isn't afraid of heights or who wants to challenge themselves. Personally, I wouldn't do it again, or if I did, I would go back down the way we came up.

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