Malons-et-Elze – Crète – Ponteils-et-Brésis – Bournaves

Starting point: Malons-et-Elze. A small car park by the D155 on the outskirts of the hamlet when approaching from the north.

(S/E) Head south on the D155. Pass the first junction and reach a Fork in the road. Leave the D155 and take the left-hand track, immediately reaching a three-way junction.

(1) Take the path opposite (GRP®). A steep climb takes you past a telecoms mast before reaching a barely visible Fork in the road.

(2) Leave the GRP® on your left. Turn right onto the wide path called the Ancienne Drovers' Road du Languedoc; it is a wide path, sometimes a little overgrown, but easy to follow. Walk for over 2 km before reaching a track.

(3) Turn right onto it to reach a Fork in the road immediately; turn left here. At the next Fork in the road, which is very close by, turn right into the woodland along the Ancienne Drovers' Road du Languedoc and reach a T-junction.

(4) Turn right and you’ll very quickly reach a crossroads at the Croix de la Garde de Dieu.

(5) From here, follow the yellow markings, which are very clear. Turn right onto the track. At the next Fork in the road, continue to the right along a gently ascending track, until you reach a junction with a hairpin bend to the left.

(6) Follow this path and, after four hairpin bends, you’ll reach a track.

(7) Follow it to the left until you reach another track. Take the hairpin bend to the right, pass a reservoir and reach a small road.

(8) Follow it to the right for 2 km, passing close to the hamlets of Les Noëls, Fournières and Besses, until you reach the D155a. Follow it for a few dozen metres to the right until you find a footpath on the left.

(9) Follow this path, then take a right-hand bend further on to reach a junction where you rejoin the D155: signpost ‘la Tranchée de Ponteils’.

(10) Take the road on the right, following the GRP® of the Upper Cèze Valley, which leads back to Malons. On the whole, it is well signposted. At the Fork in the road, turn left, pass through the hamlet of La Lauze, then walk past a telecoms mast. After a series of three wide hairpin bends, you’ll come to a path on the right.

(11) Follow this path. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead and descend to the Rivière de Bournaves. Cross the footbridge and then head back up to the “Chabottes” signpost.

(12) Carry on to the right, towards Malons, until you reach a Fork in the road.

(13) Carry on to the right and downhill until you reach the River Bournaves again: footbridge and a pretty gorge. Cross over and, after a stretch over rocky slabs, rejoin the path that climbs up to the hamlet of Bournavettes.

(14) Just before the first houses, don’t miss the path branching off to the left. Head uphill until you reach a Fork in the road.

(15) Carry on to the left (no signposting) and head down to cross a small stream. Then head back up to a Fork in the road: ‘Bournaves’ signpost.

(16) Turn right to find a flight of steps. Take these (there’s a lovely farmhouse at the top) and carry on straight ahead up a steep, sunny climb: the hamlet is very exposed. There are signposts, but you need to look carefully. A series of paths takes you through Bournaves; don’t miss its striking little bell tower. You’ll come to a small road.

(17) Follow it uphill to the right until you reach a hairpin bend.

(18) Just after this, don’t miss the path branching off to the left – a steep, very stony and rather rough climb – which cuts across a hairpin bend in the road before rejoining it. Continue to the left until the next hairpin bend.

(19) Leave the road and take the path opposite. Return to the D155 and follow it to the left to reach the starting point (S/E).

Some paths are difficult: make sure you wear suitable footwear, and walking poles can be very useful.

As far as I know, there are no water sources: perhaps in the hamlets?