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: 5.80 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 794 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 804 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,617 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,060 ft

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 : mi 0 - alt. 1,070 ft - Navacelles - Cirque de Navacelles
  2. 1 : mi 0.77 - alt. 1,099 ft - Junction with the D130E7 - Vis (rivière)
  3. 2 : mi 0.99 - alt. 1,214 ft - Carrefour de la Truque
  4. 3 : mi 3.41 - alt. 1,280 ft - Crossroads at La Foux - Vis (rivière)
  5. 4 : mi 4.13 - alt. 1,617 ft - Slopes of Navacelles
  6. 5 : mi 4.38 - alt. 1,493 ft - Les Bayrades
  7. 6 : mi 5.48 - alt. 1,237 ft - Mas de Guillou
  8. S/E : mi 5.8 - alt. 1,070 ft - 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 88 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Kieldor
Kieldor

The first part is in the shade; the return journey is through the mountains.

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le Gaulois d'Oc
le Gaulois d'Oc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

First part in the shade right by the banks of the Vis.
Second part, under a blazing sun (we should have set off earlier)
We did it on Saturday 14 June 2026 – it felt like we were on the Champs-Élysées!
Countless walkers of all ages.
A few tricky spots due to the very, very slippery rocks (caused by heavy footfall)
Such beautiful spots, as well as breathtaking scenery.
The highlight: the Moulin de la Foux.
I highly recommend this walk (make sure you bring warm hats, sturdy shoes, and plenty to drink).

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Kieldor
Kieldor

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The first part is in the shade; the return journey is through the mountains.

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michele demri
michele demri

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The first section is pleasant, following the stream. Despite the limited space at the source of the Vis, it’s relatively cool there for a picnic.
The scenery is superb on the second part of the trail, but in hot weather make sure you take plenty of water with you, as the path is very rocky.

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chibymoon
chibymoon

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A short walk in a beautiful spot.
It’s an easy walk, so it’s quite busy.
But the area is stunning!

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BrunoTarn
BrunoTarn

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful walk.
The walk along the path in the shade was very pleasant; the return journey in the sun was a little less so, but the view is impressive.

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Zayu
Zayu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Taken over the Ascension weekend. Lots of people at the Moulin de la Foux

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claudettecolombet
claudettecolombet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I’ve done this walk several times over the last 30 years, but it’s always a pleasure to head up to Les Moulins de la Foux.

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ClocloRa
ClocloRa

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk.
Beautiful views, a wide variety of flora.
Easy to do with the family.

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PH84
PH84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 24, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful spot, an easy route to follow, thanks to both the Visorando instructions and the on-ground markings; pleasant even in summer thanks to the shaded areas and the nearby stream; not very busy when we were there but much busier in summer; suitable for pets; the ford was poorly signposted but was the only way forward after trying several unsuccessful routes. Plenty of places to have a picnic; a truly lovely walk

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Rurustl
Rurustl

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely family walk: the first section follows the River Vis. When we reached the Moulin de la Foux, we really enjoyed seeing the millstones... it was very informative. The climb that follows isn’t very difficult, and the descent towards the hamlet of Navacelles offers a lovely view of the cirque. The path down is very stony. Thank you for sharing this walk; it was really lovely.

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Elise974
Elise974

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I really enjoyed this walk, the scenery and the fascinating history of the mill, which you can learn about on site thanks to the information boards.
My only regret is that the stated elevation gain wasn’t accurate; I covered 130m instead of the 240m advertised, so the hike—or rather, long walk—was quicker than expected (2 hours 15 minutes at a leisurely pace). In my opinion, it should be classified as ‘easy’ rather than ‘moderate’.
If I’d known, I would have chosen a more substantial one; as it was, I spent too little time in this magnificent cirque...

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jean laure
jean laure

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk

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User 21210841

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with stunning scenery and a very interesting visit to the mill. There were very few people on this route due to it being winter; it’s likely to be very busy in the summer months. Please note that those prone to vertigo should take precautions, as the return journey over the scree slopes may pose difficulties for those not used to the mountains. One option, however, is to take the return route in the opposite direction to the outward journey, via the path running alongside the river.

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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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