Pont du Gard and remains of the aqueduct

A very pretty hike with no major difficulties. You will discover the Pont du Gard, of course, but also numerous remains of aqueducts and several aqueduct bridges in varying states of repair. A short detour along the left bank of the Gard allows you to visit the Grotte de la Balauzière, located in the ruins of an old village. Finally, on the plateau on the left bank, you can explore the very interesting Arboretum. During the walk, you can admire thousand-year-old olive trees and an arboretum.
And why not take a dip in the Gard?

Details

n°45796735

Creation:
20 Feb 2024

Last update:
01 Mar 2024

Last review:
10 Nov 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 13.53 km
Average duration: 4h 45
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 316 m
Descent: - 312 m
Highest point: 147 m
Lowest point: 19 m

Country: France
District: Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard (30210)
Start/End: N 43.928121° / E 4.543902°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2941OT
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Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard Town Hall.

(S/E) Take the^GR®6, marked in white and red, to the north-west, towards the olive oil mills. After 500 m, leave the tarmac road and continue opposite on a path that leads to a DFCI track.

(1) Leave the^GR® and follow the track to the right for a few hundred metres. Ignore a path on the left and you will reach a T-junction in a wide curve to the right.

(2) Turn left, heading due north, onto the downhill path. You will reach the Pont de la Sartanette bridge.

(3) The path widens and becomes a good track. You will reach a crossroads just before the road (D981).

(4) Take the track on the left (barrier) and follow it to walk alongside the Salpétrière Prehistoric Shelter site. Continue to reach the Valmale Bridge.

(5) Continue to the right to reach the Pont du Gard (signposted).

(6) Follow the^GR® on the left, descend to the foot of the bridge and cross the Gard, also known as the Gardon. Reach the right bank and turn left to reach a crossroads.

(7) Stay on the track opposite, follow the riverbank and then take the path that leads to the Grotte de la Balauzière.

(8) Return to the previous crossroads, taking the path on the right that leads to the riverbed.

(7) Take the path that climbs to the left, marked with engraved stones. This is the^GR®63, marked in white and red. You will reach a road junction.

(9) Cross it and continue straight ahead on the^GR® to reach the Pont Roupt.

(10) Leave the^GR® and enter the Arboretum. Cross it and join the Pont du Gard visitor path. Follow it to return to the right bank of the Gard.

(6) On the left, join the tarmac road below which runs up the right bank of the Gard and follow it to the left until you reach the entrance gate to a château (private property).

(11) Turn left onto a good, unmarked path that climbs up the old stream bed and reaches a fork.

(12) Turn left and follow the path that joins the DFCI track.

(13) Follow the^PR®, marked in yellow, on the left and rejoin the^GR®6at the next crossroads.

(14) Take it to the right until you reach the initial crossroads you passed on the way there.

(1) Turn right and retrace your steps to return to the car park at Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard town hall (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 48 m - Town hall car park
1 : km 1.02 - alt. 121 m - Crossroads of the circular
2 : km 1.4 - alt. 137 m - T-shaped crossroads
3 : km 2.38 - alt. 61 m - Pont de la Sartanette
4 : km 3.03 - alt. 31 m - D981 crossroads
5 : km 4.24 - alt. 61 m - Pont de Valmale
6 : km 4.47 - alt. 36 m - Common fork in the road. Round trip - Pont du Gard
7 : km 4.76 - alt. 35 m - Balauzière crossroads. Return trip to the cave
8 : km 5.68 - alt. 43 m - Balauzière Cave
9 : km 7.18 - alt. 60 m - GR-Route crossroads
10 : km 7.68 - alt. 60 m - Pont Roupt
11 : km 9.77 - alt. 23 m - Private property gate. On the edge of the - Le Gardon
12 : km 11.24 - alt. 88 m - Fourche
13 : km 11.73 - alt. 138 m - DFCI track
14 : km 12.07 - alt. 145 m - GR6
S/E : km 13.53 - alt. 48 m - Town hall car park

Notes

The hike is not difficult. However, some short sections, both uphill and downhill, may be steep for some. Bring walking sticks.

Worth a visit

To discover.
Between (2) and (4) The Pont de la Sartanette.
Between (4) and (5) The^first view of the Pont du Gard.
(5) The partially destroyed Valmale Bridge.
Before (6), you can take the tunnel.
(8) The Balauzière Cave is accessible by going around the^first ruin on the left.
Between (9) and (10) Very beautiful ruins.
After (10), take the time to visit the Arboretum (very interesting).
(7) Before crossing the Pont du Gard again, admire the three thousand-year-old olive trees.
Things to do: depending on the season, take a dip in the Gard.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 17 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5

Route interest
4.8 / 5

User 12893280

10 Nov 2025 at 12:47 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike
Discover Roman ruins.

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Marc-BERRY

27 Oct 2025 at 17:55 3600

Thank you for your feedback. It is true that the Pont du Gard attracts many visitors.
All the best and happy hiking.

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Sandrine.B

27 Oct 2025 at 08:21 3600 • Edited: 27 Oct 2025 at 08:21 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike but a big negative is that it's a motorway. At the start there were already several groups, then on the trails there were lots of people in both directions, not to mention around the bridges, where we were practically walking on top of each other. Otherwise, no difficulties, the cave is easy to access with no vegetation problems. In fact, at the first ruin, you have to walk along the side and go behind it. It looks like a house with a door. Just open it and the cave is inside. Be careful not to disturb the bats at the back of the cave. From the ruins to the bridge, we didn't take the road but the parallel path, and we had a 360° view from the belvedere, overlooking the bridge and the botanical garden.

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Marc-BERRY

28 Jul 2025 at 12:32 7200

Great idea. Glad you enjoyed the experience.

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User 23400438

28 Jul 2025 at 12:08 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A beautiful hike, which I enhanced with a picnic by the water and a swim in the Gardon River.

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Peniche16

14 Jun 2025 at 16:27 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, mostly shaded (temperature 31°C in the shade).
At point 8, I couldn't find the Balauzière cave: too much thick vegetation.
The climb between 11 and 12 was easy and not too sunny, which was nice on 12 June.

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Val973

12 Jun 2025 at 13:14 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with stunning views
I did it late in the day when the sun was beating down. I should have gone earlier

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lacris64

12 Apr 2025 at 15:44 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a very beautiful route to do early in the morning for photos
access to the Balauzière cave is very overgrown with sarsaparilla plants, and I doubt that many people visit it
the section between 10 and 9 is very interesting to do with all the explanatory signs
thanks to the author of the hike and the Gard department

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Marc-BERRY

10 Apr 2025 at 11:44 7200

I'm glad you enjoyed the hike.
It's true that we have a wonderful region.
Have a lovely day

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CDidier

10 Apr 2025 at 10:22 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, varied hike with magnificent views. Please note: at point 11, it says "a good, unmarked path that climbs up the old stream bed".... When we took it, IT WAS A STREAM! Up to the indicated fork, we had to step over the stream to get from one side to the other, avoiding the fast-flowing water and sometimes getting our feet a little wet... The hazards of our regions...

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YBidule

01 Apr 2025 at 10:51 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello!
Very nice route. A good climb to start with and no difficulty for the rest. Beautiful views of the Pont du Gard and its ruins. Thank you for the GPX and the information. Have a nice day.
Yvan Bidule

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GillesdeSVLC

08 Mar 2025 at 19:54 3600

This is the second time.
And I brought a colleague along this time, he really enjoyed himself and thought it was very nice
For me, it was just as enjoyable as ever.
A really enjoyable route with a real story behind it. Thank you to the creator of this beautiful walk, which presented no particular difficulties

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LIONEL13118

08 Mar 2025 at 19:18 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Thank you so much for the hike, it was great!

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GillesdeSVLC

23 Dec 2024 at 08:27 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Honestly, a great hike with a little snack by the water at the Pont du Gard
I highly recommend it 🙂😉

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EricVal

21 Sep 2024 at 18:10 7200

We would like to thank the town hall of Saint-Bonnet du Gard for providing us with free parking at the start of the hike.

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Marc-BERRY
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