Pont-de-Montvert - Florac

Ninth stage of a complete journey on the Chemin de Stevenson between Le Puy-en-Velay and Alès. This stage features significant changes to the GR®70 signposting, taking an alternative route to the GR®70 for much of the way. This means that the stage is substantially shorter than the official route. This stage marks the entry of the Chemin de Stevenson into the Cévennes region.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Chemin de Stevenson (Robert Louis Stevenson Trail)

Technical sheet

326154
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 21.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: No
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 389 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 708 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,110 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 543 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Your starting point is the bridge over the Tarn at le Pont-de-Montvert.

(S) Take this bridge in the direction of Saint-Julien-d'Arpaon. Immediately after the bridge, turn left (direction l'Hermet). Barely 20m farther on, opposite the Auberge des Cévennes, you take the small lane (direction Foyer de ski de fond) which leads to the starting point of a path that climbs the hill, which at this point looks like a beautiful rock garden when the flowers are in bloom. At the foot of the path, it's not unusual to see one or other of the hiker's donkeys waiting for its master after a night's rest. Follow the winding path up the mountain to the Cham de l'Hermet plateau. After a tough climb, the terrain gradually softens to reach the plateau. You've covered 2.3km when you come across a path on your right.

(1) Ignore it and continue straight ahead. The same goes for the next one a little farther on. After another 700m or so, you come to a small wood on your left.

(2) Immediately after this, the GR®70 with official signposting goes off to your left (we're going to take a shorter, less steep route). Ignore the direction of the GR® and continue ahead for another 200m to reach a small road leading to the right to the hamlet of Hermet, which you take to the left, in the opposite direction to the hamlet. Follow this road for about 1.4km, ignoring the paths on your left and right, until you reach the road from Grizac on your right.

(3) Close by, you meet the D20 on a curve. At this point, the junction between the different roads leaves a triangle of vegetation with a few large conifers and a picnic table. From here, take a path that starts on your right, opposite this triangle of vegetation. The entrance to this path is blocked by a barrier and a sign indicating that motor vehicles are prohibited. The path descends into the forest for 1km, following the course of a stream.

(4) Just as a path comes in from the right, you cross the stream by turning left. Shortly after crossing, the path turns left and gradually rises. A path joins it on the right, but you continue ahead. Follow this path, which follows the contour line, leaving a path to your left. Approximately 900m after crossing the stream, you come to a barrier in front of a path that intersects yours, in an open space. Take the path on your left and 100m farther on, you're back on the D20.

(5) Follow the road to the right (little used at this point), which wanders through the Ramponenche state forest for about 3.4km.

(6) As you leave the forest, you come to the Col du Sapet (1,080m), which gives you a fine view of part of the Cévennes that this stage has taken you into. This spot is marked by a raised stone on your left and information panels on flora and fauna on your right. Here you join the official route of the Chemin de Stevenson, which arrives from the left and continues along the track to the right. Take this path to follow this part of the official route. Follow this track, descending gently for almost 4km to the Col de Perpau, leaving various paths to the left or right.

(7) At the Col de Perpau, you'll find a few rustic benches where you can sit and rest. Another track leads off to the left at a Y-junction. Keep to your track, which takes the right-hand branch, ignoring the other paths which descend more steeply to the right. You're still on the GR®70 route. Continue for another 2km or so on the main track, leaving the paths and tracks that can go off to the right or left.

(8) You come to a point where the GR®70 descends in the opposite direction to the right, while a path opens up at right angles to the left. The signposts tell you that this is the path taken by the GR®68 when it splits off from the GR®70 (warning: you're going to take this direction as it's the shortcut to Florac). The path continues to descend slowly, following the contour line for 1.2km.

(9) You come to a small open space in the forest, with a small path leading down to your right which you ignore. Your path splits into two branches, both of which bend to the left. You take the first one, which remains the GR®68 (you ignore a path which also descends steeply to your left).

(10) After just under 1km, you come to a new crossroads at the foot of Mont de Lempézou. Two paths to your left, one to your right, and another path in front of you which bends to the right. Take this one (warning: its route is uncertain in places and does not follow the IGN map exactly). Follow the GR®68 signposts for about 2.3km, ignoring the paths that escape to the right or left. After a final bend to the left, it comes to rest on the N106 just opposite the bridge over the Tarnon.

(11) Cross the N106 and take the bridge to enter Florac via the Quartier de la Bécède. Follow this street to the first roundabout. Turn right onto Rue du Thérond, which you follow until you reach Place Boyer. Opposite, take Rue Armand Jullié. 50m further on, turn right into Rue des Remparts, which leads to Rue Tour de L'Église, where you will arrive at the Florac church, the finish point of this stage (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 868 m - Bridge at Pont-de-Monvert - Tarn (rivère)
  2. 1 : km 2.3 - alt. 1,103 m - Go straight on
  3. 2 : km 4.75 - alt. 1,078 m - Crossroads D20 and route de Grizac
  4. 3 : km 6.71 - alt. 1,092 m - Right on the D20
  5. 4 : km 10.06 - alt. 1,079 m - Col du Sapet (1079m)
  6. 5 : km 14.18 - alt. 946 m - Col de Perpau (952m)
  7. 6 : km 16.22 - alt. 846 m - Junction of the GR70 and GR68
  8. 7 : km 18.3 - alt. 894 m - Foot of Mont de Lempézou
  9. 8 : km 20.56 - alt. 546 m - Cross the Nationale and the - Tarnon (rivière)
  10. E : km 21.46 - alt. 558 m - Church of Florac

Practical information

You'll find shops and accommodation in both (S) Pont-de-Monvert and (E) Florac. But there won't be any others between the start and finish points.

In the nearby area

(S) Pont-de-Monvert: bridge, belfry and old houses.
Rich flora and fauna all along the route, on the edge of meadows and in forests.
(E) Florac: old quarter, waterfall and river crossing

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
DELECOURT
DELECOURT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

No complaints. Perfect

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Repos
Repos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lovely hike, breathtaking views at Signal du Bougés, parish specific to Brittany, beautiful path leading to Col du Sapet with heather in bloom. The forest paths are a bit long and the descent to Florac is parish specific to Brittany.

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Jajasep
Jajasep

Hello, calculations of both positive and negative gradients are always approximate. They depend on the algorithms used by the different applications. So there will always be differences between the gradients given in these descriptions and those calculated by your guidance application.

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bruyereandre
bruyereandre

Hi, I went from Pont de Montvert to Florac by a different route to the one indicated and I really regretted it because it was longer and there was a ford where you had to take your shoes off.
Question: I'd like to understand why the difference in altitude at the end of the hike is wrong and why it has to be recalculated so that the values are correct.
Thank you for your answer.

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Marando*
Marando*

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb hike

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Hari43
Hari43

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

This is a very interesting option as it shortens the stage. The GR68 down to Florac is well signposted.

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Patlemarin
Patlemarin

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

We took an alternative route: after 3 km, just before the 1085 mark, we left the GR 70 heading south-east and took the GR 670 to Grizac. A very pretty hamlet! Birthplace of a pope (I'll let you find out which one). Be careful: the descent to Salièges is tough: a long, stony path. We reached Florac by car hitchhiking to save our feet.

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nb48210
nb48210

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Very precise description. Well done! I'd just like to remove from point 7 the sentence in brackets that says the route is uncertain, because there's no problem, the GR is very well signposted.
Otherwise, as far as the route is concerned, you have to take about 5 km of road, which is certainly not very busy and pleasant, but it's still a road...
Personally, I'll be doing it again, following the GR70 route normally as far as the Col du Sapet (i.e. going as far as Le Bougès), but I'll be following the advice on this route for the end, i.e. following the GR68, which saves 4 or 5 km on the way to Florac.

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Dompie
Dompie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Lots of downhill on this route.
However, when I got to Bedoues, my phone crashed. As a result, I couldn't get my route back.
A quiet finish in Florac.
It's nice to be back in a bigger town, where you can find all sorts of shops (including a chemist's)...

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Jolinoix
Jolinoix
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

This variant is interesting because it saves time compared with the GR70, which is really long. The forest crossing on the GR 670 is pleasant, but the secondary road is less so. In wet weather, the very last part of the descent to Florac, which is steeper, becomes a bit tricky. Poles come in handy here.

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cribo59
cribo59

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

An excellent initiative, the only downside being the length of the ride! What pace are you basing the time on? Stage scheduled for 16 May 2020.

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MtGrenet
MtGrenet

Hello. The descent to Florac can be a real pain, very steep, with a path full of stones that roll under your feet. I did it in 2016 on my own. It's not a lot of tarmac for +/- 3km? Otherwise 11 days of great memories.
Best regards Patrick

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allaga
allaga

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 21, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

parish specific to Brittany, not an easy walk with some rough descents, good views on the way up above the Pont de Montvert (historic), but a bit of a drive. The accommodation along the Stevenson route is always parish specific to Brittany.

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alain.d'aix
alain.d'aix

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 14, 2017
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Despite the length of this stage, I think it's better to go via the Col de la Planette and Signal du Bougès to reach the Col du Sapet. Apart from the interesting scenery, this also avoids the tarmac sections.

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BOBJOSS05
BOBJOSS05

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We took the GR70 alternative, which is shorter, avoiding the Signal du Bouges and descending to Bedoues on the GR70 from point 6 in the description.

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