Casteljau Peninsula - La Grotte du Renard

A beautiful loop that allows you to discover the Chassezac Gorges with passages at river level and others on the heights with beautiful views. For the more adventurous, there is the possibility of exploring caves.
And to wash off (depending on the season), you can relax in the river.
Ideal for children, although the cliff passages require parents' full attention.

Details

4496958
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.99 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 226 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 225 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 207 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 118 m

Photos

Description of the walk

To reach the Casteljau peninsula, take the D252. Leave this road towards Casteljau, "Belambra Club", "Camping le Mazet", "Pizzeria le C4". 50 m after the bridge, the car park entrance is on the left.

(S/E) Head towards the river and follow the yellow markings, taking the path to the left of the picnic area. Follow the river.

(1) Careful: you are no longer following the river. Turn right. At the top, near the cliff, you can take a short detour to see the Chassezac river and an arch (see photo). Be careful as the cliff is close. Then retrace your steps and continue to the D452. Cross with caution and you will come to a new path which is the Renard circuit.

(2) Turn right. From this point, follow the green markings. This circuit will take you under the rocks and offers many caves to explore! Keep left at the fork that appears shortly after, then follow the path that turns left and begins a series of bends before reaching the Grotte du Renard.

(3) Point of interest: view of Chazessac from a window in the rock (see photo). Continue along the path until you reach a crossroads.

(4) Leave the Renard circuit by turning right: you will find the yellow markings again. Begin the descent towards the Chassezac with a tricky passage. Return to the campsite.
Avoid the campsite by going via the beach. After all that effort, it's time to relax: you can unwind in the river. After the campsite, take the road on the left to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 132 m - Parking
  2. 1 : km 0.72 - alt. 137 m - Fork in the road on the right
  3. 2 : km 1.4 - alt. 194 m - Fork in the road and change in signposting
  4. 3 : km 2.36 - alt. 162 m - Panorama - Chassezac (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 2.51 - alt. 183 m - Crossroads, change of signposting
  6. S/E : km 3.99 - alt. 133 m - Parking

Notes

The route is mostly shaded.
A torch or headlamp may be useful for exploring the cave.
Swimwear may also be useful.

Worth a visit

Don't hesitate to explore the Bois de Païolive with its wildlife.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 34 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Jako38
Jako38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful trail through woods and rocks. Superb views. No real difficulties. Make sure you wear good shoes.

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User 24403379

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Group of 28 people. Very beautiful route through the Paiolive woods and rocks. Discovery of the Fox Cave and magnificent views of the Ardèche Gorges at certain points. Arrival at the river for a picnic and swimming. Be careful, however, as the hike includes a few technical sections and some people may find them difficult. Very beautiful hike!

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HORTENSA
HORTENSA
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Excellent hike, great for stretching, some difficult sections, not suitable for everyone, lots of small climbs, numerous viewpoints, a short hike in terms of distance but long in terms of time.

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Greiner
Greiner

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike

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jpvls
jpvls

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A rather short but challenging route in places, especially with a dog!

A beautiful trip into the Paiolive woods and a lovely discovery: the Fox Cave
.

In August, it would be a shame to miss out on a swim in the
Chassezac.

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Véronique Benc
Véronique Benc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent short but challenging walk. We had to carry our dog in some places. Well shaded. Breathtaking view of the Chassezac.

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MAMIE FRANCE
MAMIE FRANCE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello everyone,
I did the Renard Cave circuit this week with a group, and there were no problems with the route to the Renard Cave.
It's less obvious after that, as the markings are very faint.
As for the terrain itself, BE CAREFUL, it's not that easy, with lots of paths cluttered with stones and sometimes requiring some climbing.
I would rate it as DIFFICULT rather than moderate

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Adhoine
Adhoine

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike is described as "family-friendly" but includes several very steep sections and some fairly challenging elevation changes that can be slippery even in dry weather (loose rocks, dust, etc., especially on the final descent towards Chassezac, after the fox cave). Be prepared for some climbing.
We came across several well-equipped families who were experienced hikers with their children, who regretted a little having trusted the technical rating described as moderate and accessible 😉

Also be careful with the sometimes unreliable signposting, as it is quite easy to stray from the route, especially on the green circuit.

Despite this, the views are breathtaking, the alternation between cliffs, forest paths and rock labyrinths is really nice and the whole thing is extremely enjoyable, even if it requires some effort for the less experienced (the locals will not hesitate to say that it is one of the most difficult loops in the area)

two tips: start early, as the Mazet Plage car park fills up quickly. The beach between the campsite and the C4 is quite busy. The beach near the starting car park may be quieter depending on the time of day.

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Lydie13250
Lydie13250

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

an unusual route with plenty of shade for a summer hike. No swimming spots except at the end of the route.

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Michel9856
Michel9856

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A must-see route in Casteljau. Numerous viewpoints and geological formations. Some sections may be tricky for those who are not used to walking.

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waki89
waki89

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike is described as moderate, but the difficulty level should be adjusted. The trail is uneven (not surprising in Ardèche!) and anyone attempting it with children is being reckless. The signposting is incomplete and there are frequent obstacles near the fox's cave. At the end of the hike, we met some park rangers from Les Vans who told us that it was a difficult hike (they showed us a map where the difficulty was marked in red). We spoke to a guide from Ardèche Randonnées who thinks it is one of the most difficult hikes.

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rumax
rumax

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This short circuit allows you to admire beautiful rocks, caves and arches, including Casteljau, which is one of the four or five most beautiful in the region.
Feel free to stray off the beaten track to see other interesting sights.

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DominiqueAIX
DominiqueAIX

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very enjoyable hiking trail with some wonderful surprises along the way. Allow more than 1 hour and 35 minutes if you want to take in all the views and visit or photograph all the caves and crevices. Thank you for this discovery!

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davidpellissier
davidpellissier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike that is perfect for a family outing with a few short climbing sections. You will definitely need a head torch for the fox cave. Unfortunately, we couldn't go very far into the cave as it was too slippery

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6106833M
6106833M

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

What a lovely surprise, we're going to introduce our grandchildren to this

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