Lunas (Hérault) walks

A beautiful walk through a former mining site, among chestnut trees and terraced vineyards, overlooking a magnificent landscape.

From Col de la Baraque to Chapelle de Saint-Amans via the ridges, then to Chapelle de Notre-Dame-de-Nize via a chestnut grove.

In a remote and uncrowded area, you will pass through valleys and ridges in the heart of the Monts-d'Orb national forest, renowned for its plantations of Laricio pines native to Corsica.

Walk around the former mining site of Camplong, where you will find the Durand Pit headframe and, at the top of the hill, in the middle of a chestnut forest, the restored 12th-century Saint-Sauveur Chapel, which overlooks Camplong, Saint-Étienne-d'Estréchoux and Graissessac. The circular dry stone wall a few dozen metres from the sanctuary is an old cemetery.

A beautiful hike with 360° views on very good paths. The ridge section is exposed to the wind.

This hike takes you from Brenas to the Saint-Amans Chapel via a fairly easy and varied route.

A very pretty, unmarked hike, taking paths and trails that sometimes run along the hillside and reveal varied landscapes, including the remains of mining activity, in the hinterland of western Hérault. There are a series of ascents and descents, but they do not require significant physical effort. It is a complete change of scenery for hikers looking for diversity.

This circuit is very elegant and very sporty, going around the valley formed by the Provères stream. For most of the route, you will enjoy distant views in almost every direction. At the end of the route, the gorges formed by the Bouissescure stream are very wild and have exuberant vegetation.

Having found traces of this local road No. 13 on the 1827 land registry, I went in search of it. It starts at La Lieude and climbs up through the Las Moles valley. This hike is reserved for experienced hikers who are familiar with the terrain and enjoy getting off the beaten track. The path is not always easy to follow in the ruffes (red earth). Return via Mas Bousquet and Mas Valos le Vieux and Valos le Bas. No markings - GPS very useful.

Starting from Octon, this beautiful walk takes you to the ruins of Château de Lauzières and the 12th-century Romanesque chapel of Roubignac.

A short but very pretty hike in the Octon hills, offering views of Lake Salagou at the start. The destination is the small Romanesque chapel of Notre-Dame de Roubignac (7), but there are other places of interest along the way, such as the dolmen and the ruins of Octon Castle, visible from the other side of the valley.

This hike starts in Roqueredonde and takes you to the Orb river and the Tibetan Buddhist temple Lerab Ling, where you can take a short meditation break. The route then enters the Escandorgue National Forest, where the charm of the forest paths contrasts with the chaotic dolomitic landscape of the Causse. Finally, the route follows ancient paths worn by passing flocks of sheep.

In a limestone circus setting, this circuit climbs to the foot of the cliffs, offering views of the Lodève countryside. After a refreshing stop in the hamlet of Labeil and its converted cave, it continues on the plateau, enters a dark forest, then crosses the limestone plateau amid a chaotic rock formation.

A beautiful walk, without major difficulty and well marked, that takes you through scrubland and forests, cliffs and limestone plateaus.

A lovely walk through rolling countryside, among vineyards and cherry trees, accessible to most people.

The hike combines sections of well-known routes (Haute Vallée de la Lergue, Corniches de Lauroux, Forêt de l'Escandorgue) with unmarked paths. A GPS is highly recommended. In clear weather, the views are superb, overlooking the Cirque de Labeil. There is a wide variety of landscapes and environments.

Here is a brief overview of the Avène Reservoir, starting from Ceilhes-et-Rocozels, first climbing up Mont Redon, south of the village. After the Rouvignac chapel and lodges, the route approaches the left bank of the Orb, which feeds the Bouloc lake, developed for outdoor leisure activities (water sports, camping).