Plateau and forests above Labeil

de fr

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.

Details

n°3925442
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.58 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,181 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,181 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,566 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,139 ft
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Photos

Above Labeil

Description of the walk

Park in the car park above the hamlet of Labeil,

(S/E) Cross the road and take a well-marked path opposite the car park. Follow it to the junction with the path running along the cliffs.

(1) Take this path on the left.

(2) Pass an old path marked in blue and yellow on your left. A few metres further on, before a descent, take the path marked with a Yellow Cross, which joins the old blue and yellow-marked path a little further on.
You’ll reach a junction marked by a large cairn. Follow the path that continues to climb to the left, leading onto the plateau. Continue to the left.

(3) At the junction with another track, turn left.

(4) Leave the track and turn right. Make your way along, following old tracks, first heading north-east, then veering south-east to rejoin the visible track towards the end of this section of the route. The GPS track will be very useful on this stretch.

Take thePR®® on the right.

(5) At the junction, take the marked path uphill to the left.

(6) Head left onto a narrow, barely marked path. Use the GPS to cross this area, which appears to be former abandoned farmland or pasture, and eventually emerge onto a marked path.

(7) Turn left, staying on the main track. Pass two paths on the left in succession.

(8) Turn slightly left and continue straight on until you reach a tarmac road (D151).

(9) Turn left and continue for about 700 m.

(10) Take the gravel path on the right. Further on, walk along the edge of a field, keeping to the left, and head for its southern corner.
(11) Go through a clearly defined gap in the hedge. Take a path on the left, which is grassy at first (a quick trim with secateurs to keep it clear) and then leads into the forest via a wide clearing.

(12) When you reach the wide track, turn left and, at the next junction, turn sharply right.

(13) Turn left onto the path marked by a sign and continue to the road (D151).

(14) Turn right to walk slightly downhill along the road and take a path on the left which leads back to the first junction from this morning.

(1) Turn left and head back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,339 ft - Car park above the hamlet of Labeil
  2. 1 : mi 0.25 - alt. 2,297 ft - Junction of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 0.9 - alt. 2,198 ft - Path marked with a Yellow Cross
  4. 3 : mi 1.27 - alt. 2,375 ft - Junction with a wide track
  5. 4 : mi 2 - alt. 2,392 ft - Leaving the track
  6. 5 : mi 2.64 - alt. 2,497 ft - Short marked path
  7. 6 : mi 3.58 - alt. 2,185 ft - Leave the track, turning left
  8. 7 : mi 3.99 - alt. 2,385 ft - Arrival on a footpath, on the left
  9. 8 : mi 4.43 - alt. 2,398 ft - Junction on the left
  10. 9 : mi 5.07 - alt. 2,392 ft - D151 road
  11. 10 : mi 5.48 - alt. 2,425 ft - Gravel path on the right
  12. 11 : mi 6.48 - alt. 2,503 ft - Gap in the hedge
  13. 12 : mi 6.83 - alt. 2,402 ft - Track junction
  14. 13 : mi 7.4 - alt. 2,425 ft - Return leftwards towards the Lauroux cliffs
  15. 14 : mi 7.86 - alt. 2,283 ft - D151 road
  16. S/E : mi 8.58 - alt. 2,343 ft - Car park above the hamlet of Labeil

Notes

A GPS will be very useful as some parts of the route are not signposted (old paths).

(14) A shortcut is possible by following the D151 to the left to return directly to the car park.

Worth a visit

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.

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Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 18 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
dr34
dr34

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Done in July in lovely weather – pleasant in the woodland, a bit warm on the limestone plateaus. The variety of scenery is great: limestone plateaus, forest, valley, single track, paths…
Below the cave, there’s a lovely stream fed by the underground river (which you can see when visiting the cave). It’s definitely best to have a GPS, as there are a few changes of direction where you need to pay attention.
A lovely little hike.
Enjoy your hike.

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MarieO34
MarieO34

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route, especially in spring (the flowers)! It’s not always easy to follow (you definitely need a satnav) and there are a series of short uphill and downhill sections, but it’s well worth it. Lots of people were doing it the other way round.

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Daurad
Daurad

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, although in some places you have to search for a path that is not very well marked due to low traffic, but thanks to the GPS track, this is easily remedied.

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loperation
loperation

A beautiful hike completed on 12/10/24, starting from the car park on the road above Labeil
a very varied route, magnificent beech woodland, and superb views over the Hérault plain

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Bobe51
Bobe51

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very varied hike in terms of both the landscape and the route, and we enjoyed fantastic weather over the All Saints' Day weekend and the heavy rains of the previous week, allowing us to discover a very green LARZAC.
The figure-of-eight route can be completed in two stages.
For our group, the time indicated includes stops.
In conclusion, I recommend this route, although on reflection, if I were to do it again, I would start at point 9 where the route joins the RD 151, where there is a car park.

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loperation
loperation

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, varied with beautiful scenery, magnificent beech trees

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Akasashasha
Akasashasha

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with a wide variety of landscapes. We particularly enjoyed the forest section, with its moss-covered trees and rocks... but be careful, as many of the yellow markings are missing, so it is possible to get lost!

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Jipé59
Jipé59

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike!
Starting at the Labeil cave allows you to complete a full loop with a very reasonable elevation gain.
The variety of landscapes and atmospheres is extraordinary.
Don't forget to end the day with a visit to the caves, which are very beautiful.

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Mariepierre34
Mariepierre34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2023
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, with a section that is a bit tricky for children at the beginning. Indeed, a GPS is essential on certain sections.

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marie christine 34
marie christine 34

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a very beautiful hike on the Escandorgue! In fact, we started from the car park of the Lerab Ling Buddhist centre, which we visited after the hike! At first, the trails were beautiful, but after Roquet Escut, we had a bit of trouble finding the fork in the path that runs along the cliffs above Lauroux. However, the scenery between the rocks and streams was superb! There were people above Lauroux, where there are picnic tables, but otherwise we saw very few people! GPS is a welcome addition!

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lesvegas
lesvegas

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb walk for the scenery and flowers.
Not many people around during the holiday season.
GPS tracking is essential as some paths are poorly marked in places.
distance measured: 14.5 km
thank you

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Estrella106
Estrella106

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello, I did this walk this morning in just under 4 hours. It is very well signposted using the Vis
orando

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Guilhem nem
Guilhem nem

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk in the height of summer, setting off early at 8am to beat the heat.

Easy level, beautiful nature and landscapes

Please note: GPS is essential

Enjoy your hike!

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Fresneda
Fresneda

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We went on this hike last week.
The scenery is magnificent.
as for the route and its description, the beginning is fine, but towards the end it gets tricky. Fortunately, we had a GPS with us and were familiar with some of the paths
a GPS and that we were familiar with some of the paths.
between the 11th and 12th, we couldn't find the path and had to retrace our steps.
Despite everything, we have fond memories of this hike because it is varied and there are lots of flowers at this time of year.

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titimarys
titimarys

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We were pleasantly surprised by this hike, which was particularly beautiful at this time of year with lots of flowers. It is very varied and, despite it being a public holiday, we hardly saw anyone, especially between points 2 and 9. We navigated solely using the very accurate GPS track, which we found essential given the numerous junctions we encountered in some places. What's more, this hike can be extended or adapted as there are many possible variations. In short, a wonderful discovery in the Escandorgue area, which we really appreciate. And a big thank you to the author.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.