A mystical walk in the hills above La Monne

Heading towards the village of Saint-Saturnin on the D8, on the south side, park on a gravel verge opposite the cemetery. This hike is not marked as such.

(S/E) Cross the road towards the cemetery and turn left. Leave the D8 on your right and continue straight ahead on the one-way street. Further on, ignore Rue du Potoux on your left and turn right onto the one-way street.

At the next crossroads (Rue Saint-Roch on the right), turn left and then, at the two streets that branch off to the right, take the second one, Chemin du Bec, following the yellow markings (follow these until otherwise indicated). Follow Chemin du Bec, ignoring a street on the left, then, at the fork, keep right as the tarmac gives way to a path.

(1) Cross the D28 road (take care) and continue straight ahead, passing to the right of a cross and in front of a yellow sign for "Route de Randol". Ignore a path on the right and continue slightly uphill on this road. At a small^PR®® sign, leave the road and take a path on the left.

Ignore a path on the left at a sign warning of vipers (further on, other signs warn you to watch out for these reptiles, which are numerous in this area). You will come to a wider path and continue straight ahead. Remember to turn around from time to time to enjoy the view of the church and castle of Saint-Saturnin. You will come to a road at a statue of a monk on the left.

(2) Follow the small road on the left to the entrance to Randol Abbey ^(a). Temporarily leave the yellow markings and ignore the^PR®® sign that tells you to turn right at the car park. Instead, continue towards the entrance to the monastery, following the sign for "Fromages des Moines" (Monks' Cheeses).

Leave the monastery reception on your left and note the beautiful fountain on your right, then climb three sets of steps on the right to the top of a sort of Golgotha. At the top, turn left onto the path, note the large stone cross on your right, then turn slightly left to join a wide path and the yellow markings.

Continue left on this path, which further on makes a hairpin bend to the left. The view of the valley and the Monne gorges begins to unfold on the left. You will come to a crossroads with four paths.

(3) Turn onto the second path on the right, leaving the yellow markings which go off at a right angle to the right (and which you will take on the way back). Shortly afterwards, you will see a small iron cross on the right, then pass through a gate.

Further on, pass another gate (which is heavy to lift, so you can climb over it instead of opening it), then continue on the right-hand side of the field. Join a path coming from the right.

(4) Continue straight ahead. Ignore a path on the left. Continue along the small tarmac road that extends the path. Ignore a path on the left as you reach a red and white^GR®® marker.

(5) Turn left onto the next path, following the^GR®® and the direction of the dolmen, indicated by a sign. After about 300 metres, at an information sign, turn right onto the site of the Allée Couverte de la Grotte ^(a).

(5) Back at the intersection, turn left towards the village of Cournols. On the left, you will see an information sign about the village. Follow the road, keeping to the right without entering the village, until you reach the small cemetery.

(7) Take the path running alongside the cemetery on the right. Ignore a path on the left, then turn onto the next path on the right to reach an intersection you already passed on the way there.

(4) Turn left and follow the same route as on the way there, passing through the two gates again.

(3) Find the yellow markings and turn left, leaving the route you took on the way there. Further on, go through a gate, ignore a path on the right, then go through another gate. The path crosses a meadow and arrives at a beautiful poplar tree with a small^PR®® sign on its trunk^.

(8) Immediately turn right into the grass to join a better-marked path. Continue along this path, passing two small gates. In places, it is a little overgrown with broom.

Find a slightly wider path and follow it straight ahead, then along the switchbacks. It offers some beautiful views. After a fairly steep descent, at the crossroads, continue straight ahead, still descending.

(9) At another crossroads, continue straight ahead (yellow crosses on both sides). Ignore a path on the left (which is not shown on the map), then cross the small industrial estate.

(10) Cross the D8 (take care) and continue on the path opposite. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on the left and, at the crossroads, continue straight ahead. When you reach the "Vocan" signpost, continue straight ahead towards Saint-Saturnin.

(11) At the fork, near an iron cross, turn right. You will come to a crossroads near an oak tree growing out of a large rock. Go straight ahead, then left at the next intersection and walk alongside a beautiful property.

(12) Ignore Rue des Granges on the right and continue straight ahead into the village ^(c) of Saint-Saturnin via Rue du Marche, leaving the yellow markings behind. You will arrive at Place du Marché, with its blacksmith's shop and oven (information panel). Cross Rue Principale and continue straight ahead, then take Rue Côte Gros Jean opposite for a few metres, then turn left under the rampart gate. Go straight up (Rue des Boucheries) to arrive at Place de l'Église.

(13) Go around Notre-Dame Church on the left and continue along Rue de la Madeleine until you reach the entrance to the castle, passing by a beautiful round fountain. At the castle, turn right down Rue des Gourmette (the first street on the right) and, at the bottom, turn left to follow Rue des Boucheries again.

Back at the crossroads with Rue Côte Gros Jean, go straight ahead onto Rue des Farges. Ignore Rue de l'Enfer on the left and go down Rue Principale, opposite Place du 8 Mai.

(14) Reach the square (information boards), cross it towards the town hall, then walk along the left side of the town hall to leave the village. At the crossroads with a street and a path, at the corner of the car park, continue straight ahead. At the next T-junction, turn left (ignore a blue signpost on the right).

Take the first small road on the right, then continue on the path that extends it and makes a first turn right then left. Join the D8 at the car park opposite the cemetery (S/E).

Moderate difficulty hike, standard hiking equipment

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Some photos here

^(a)The Abbey of Notre-Dame de Randol is located in a very quiet and wild "desert". Sale of religious crafts and, above all, cheeses made on site.

The monastery's meadows, on the heights of La Monne, are full of flowers in spring and teeming with insects.

^(b) Located on a granite plateau at an altitude of 800 metres, at a place called "la Grotta", a beautiful dolmen is all that remains of the Cournols Covered Walkway, which dates back to the Neolithic period.

^(c) In the old village of Saint-Saturnin, you will find numerous information panels.