Ridge line of the Bérards ravines

A pleasant short hike, with the second part along the ridges above the ravines making for an enjoyable route.

Details

5022011
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.52 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 165 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 166 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 857 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 691 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the small car park above Les Vials.

(S/E) Continue along the path, staying on the left bank of the stream without crossing it, to rejoin it 120 m further on and follow it uphill to the right.

(1) A little further on, ignore the path that branches off to the right and continue straight ahead along the meadow. The path continues in the same direction and leads to a meadow. Keep to the right to find the rest of the path: you will need to step over a small drainage ditch.

After the hairpin bend, pass by the ruins of Le Bois and keep going to pass to the left of the large tree where there is a rock. Finish crossing the meadow straight ahead to the edge of the embankment.

(2) Descend this embankment to get closer to the stream and cross it at the cairn. Go around the tree and the rock to climb the steep ridge in the trees where the path becomes clearly marked again and follow it until you reach the ridge line. Follow the ridge line to the left, which undulates along the ravines.

(3) Take the path downhill on the left: be careful, it is easy to miss given the surroundings.
From there, the path winds along wider ridges, passing through the forest at times. Further on, the descent becomes steeper.

Head east and follow the path that winds through the vegetation to a wider track. Follow the track on the right and cross the stream as best you can to avoid getting your feet wet, then continue to the right until you reach the car (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 692 m - Small car park above Les Vials.
  2. 1 : km 0.5 - alt. 720 m - Junction, on the left
  3. 2 : km 1.68 - alt. 823 m - Edge of the meadow, embankment
  4. 3 : km 2.18 - alt. 857 m - The ridge line begins on the left.
  5. 4 : km 3.01 - alt. 734 m - Bridge, end of the ridge line
  6. S/E : km 3.52 - alt. 691 m - Small car park above Les Vials.

Notes

No special equipment is required for this short circular loop.
There is no water source or shelter!

Worth a visit

From the bridge (4), you can climb to the 784 m summit via animal trails and continue the crossing to the spot directly below the car (steeper sections at the end of the descent).

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
DominiqueAIX
DominiqueAIX

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Good evening, chris05,
Thanks for this great hike. I would like to confirm a few comments and warnings that have already been made:
- this hike is absolutely not recommended for those who are prone to vertigo and/or who are not sure-footed. The ridge section, especially on the descents, is very impressive.
- we decided not to start from point S/E because the trail was blocked by a fence and, more importantly, because of a sign warning of the presence of guard dogs. We took the path that leaves Pradon to the east, before the D942xD212 fork. This path took us north to Les Bérards, point 4 on the circuit. The path is well marked and ends by following the riverbed. We then descended to the track via a direct path between S/E and point 1.
- at point 2, once in the stream bed, the start of the path climbing up opposite has been washed away, so you need to look up carefully to spot it.
Other than that, it was a wonderful experience. Thank you again for this great suggestion!

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chris05
chris05

Good evening, CC Ribas
Thank you for your positive feedback!
All the best for your future hiking adventures
Christian

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cc_ribas
cc_ribas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk with beautiful views and scenery. Although I didn't feel very comfortable on the ridges of the ravines (in reality, at least in dry weather, the ground is not slippery), the paths, often through pretty woodland, are very pleasant.

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chris05
chris05

Good evening, Droopy 91. Thank you for your feedback and for mentioning the issue with the enclosure. More and more often, we come across huge parks!
Keep up the good work with your hiking!

Christian

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Droopy91
Droopy91

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

2 points to note:

  1. this hike is not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo, as there are sections along ridgelines that present significant difficulties
  2. At point 1, access to the path was blocked by an enclosure with no possibility of passage and no removable barrier. We tried to go around it on the right, but the enclosure was huge and we had to give up. In the end, we managed to get through the enclosure after checking that there were no animals inside during our attempt to go around it. Therefore, this walk is not recommended when there are animals in the pastures (check with the tourist office).

Once these two points are taken into account, the walk is pleasant, although it is a little difficult to find your way when you enter the meadow to reach point 2, but with GPS you can manage.
At point 3, be sure to turn left, as there is a path that continues straight ahead but will not take you back to the starting point.
At times, the descent is quite steep, so take your time to avoid slipping.
In any case, the view from the ridges is worth the detour despite all the little adventures.
For our four-legged friends, at the end of June, there was still water in the stream at point 1, we also found some at point 2, and at the end of the walk we came back to the stream.

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chris05
chris05

Good evening and thank you for your positive feedback on this guide.

Enjoy your future hikes
Christian

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Jean-Claude 77
Jean-Claude 77

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful short hike, but it's not easy to find your way at the start of the route as there isn't really a path through the tall grass. Follow the arrow on the sign and the return route along the ridges is superb. Not recommended with young children.
Thank you for this hike.
JC

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chris05
chris05
• Edited:

Hello mimijulien
Thank you for your positive feedback
It's a pleasure to share hiking ideas!

Christian

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mimijulien
mimijulien
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A short spring hike that amazed us. Magnificent landscapes. If, like us, you are passing through the area, you absolutely must take this walk. It's a little difficult to find the path in the meadow, but with GPS you can easily find your way. Many thanks to this hiker. (Not suitable for very young children).

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chris05
chris05

Hello Jeannotbi

Yes, I understand, but if a woman goes there with a thumb, it's the same thing!
We have to be realistic, I can't give this circular loop a difficult rating!

Christian

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jeannotbi
jeannotbi

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 26/10/22
Please note that this hike is not suitable for beginners. The second part, which follows the ridges, includes some very narrow and tricky sections. It is not recommended for young children.
Jeannot

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chris05
chris05

Good evening, Goozi

Thank you for your positive feedback

Have a good evening

Christian

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*Goozi*
*Goozi*
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,

A nice little walk, just to get started for the day. No difficulties encountered, the first part was nothing special, but the ridge line is really superb. Beautiful views, ideal for eating a sandwich in peace .
The return trip is easy and very quick.

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chris05
chris05

Good evening, Nicolas guill74

Yes, it's a shame about the stream, it's so nice to dip your feet in on the way back!
Whether it's slippery depends on the shoes you're wearing, I think. I've never had a problem with thick-soled shoes, or even trail shoes!
Have a good evening

Christian!

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nicolas.guillou74
nicolas.guillou74

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful little hike with varied scenery, and certainly very pleasant when the stream is flowing well! The second part is particularly interesting, with its unexpected and magnificent ridge line, although it can be a little slippery at times!
Hiking time: 90 minutes with some shaded areas.

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