Estagnol Nature Reserve

After the magical shores of the Arnel and Vic ponds, explore the old salt marshes belonging to the Conservatoire du Littoral and discover an environment of great ecological richness. Don't miss the nature reserve with its flamingos and the wine estate.

Details

77374352
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.03 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 33 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 31 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 18 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 0 m

Description of the walk

You can park at the Groupe Scolaire Françoise Dolto car park on Rue René Poitevin.

(S/E) Turn left out of the car park and walk 50 metres along Chemin de la Gapoulliere (signposted "les Salines"). Leave this road by turning left onto the PR® (yellow signpost, cycle path sign), a small path that leads to the Étang de l'Armel. Walk along the reed beds, then cross the footbridge over the canal.

(1) At the car park, turn right onto Chemin du Pilou and continue to the end of the road.

(2) Turn right onto the D185 towards the Croix du Pilou for 100 m, then turn left and follow the Port du Pilou.

(3) At the next fork, turn right and follow this road until you reach an intersection.

(4) Take the track on the left that goes straight ahead for about 1.5 km until you reach a rest area, then turn right and follow the Cabanes du Mas Neuf.

(5) Turn right, pass the Figuière pass and reach a road on the left.

(6) Turn left onto this road, taking care as the signpost is not very visible as it is a little old. Ignore the paths that branch off to the right and stay on this road towards L'Aucelas.

(7) Turn right and continue for 200 m.

(8) Turn left onto the path that runs alongside the Mazets. Continue along a mulberry tree-lined lane until you reach the Grande Cabane.

(9) When you see the Étang de Vic, turn right and follow the path along the bollards. The trail runs along the overhanging bank. At the old pumping station, take the path that runs alongside the Canal de la Bouffie.

(10) At the sluice gate, turn left onto Chemin de Saunier and follow the Étang des Salines.

(11) Continue straight ahead and take a small path on the right that enters the marshes, following the yellow markings.

(12) Turn left, continue through the marshes and pass Mas des Quinze.

(13) Turn left, then cross the Route de Sète (D116) with caution and continue straight ahead towards Mas d'Andos. Cross the railway line and take the track on the right for 20 m.

(14) Take the path on the left for 300 m, cross the footbridge to the Rochers de Maguelone (tree-top adventure park and car park on the right) and you will come to a road.

(15) Turn right onto the old paved road from Montpellier to Sète, bordered by the Bois Piquet wall, and arrive at the small Eau Périe pond.

(16) Turn right onto the road that passes between Mas de la Madeleine and Réserve de l'Estagnol. At Château d'Exindre, cross the level crossing and follow the tarmac road on the right, running alongside the railway line.

(17) Turn left, cross the D116 with caution, continue along the track opposite until you reach a crossroads and cross the culvert on the left.

(18) Follow it on the left for 200 m, then turn left, still following the PR® via the Chemin des Salins, until you reach a road.

(19) Turn right and then immediately left onto a track called Chemin Carrière Poissonnière.

(20) Turn left onto Chemin des Moures, then right onto Chemin Carrière Pèlerine Bas and arrive at the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(4) Head left, then turn right onto the Chemin de la Croix du Mas Neuf track. Reach the Chemin du Pilou, cross and take the stairs opposite. Go left and, at the roundabout, join the car park of the Groupe Scolaire Françoise Dolto (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 3 m - Parking at the Françoise Dolto School Complex.
  2. 1 : km 0.63 - alt. 1 m - Parking
  3. 2 : km 1.08 - alt. 1 m - D185
  4. 3 : km 1.45 - alt. 2 m - Fourche
  5. 4 : km 1.84 - alt. 6 m - Crossroads of the two loops
  6. 5 : km 3.48 - alt. 9 m - Port de la Figuière
  7. 6 : km 3.9 - alt. 6 m - Road junction
  8. 7 : km 4.73 - alt. 15 m - Fork in the road
  9. 8 : km 5.08 - alt. 7 m - Les Mazets
  10. 9 : km 6.29 - alt. 3 m - Vic Pond
  11. 10 : km 6.97 - alt. 1 m - La Vanne
  12. 11 : km 7.98 - alt. 1 m - Vagaran Pond
  13. 12 : km 8.4 - alt. 1 m - Fork in the road
  14. 13 : km 9.17 - alt. 1 m - Mas des Quinze
  15. 14 : km 9.84 - alt. 2 m - Footbridge
  16. 15 : km 10.24 - alt. 3 m - Tarmac road
  17. 16 : km 10.96 - alt. 7 m - Estagnol Reserve
  18. 17 : km 11.9 - alt. 4 m - Fork in the road
  19. 18 : km 12.79 - alt. 1 m - Robine
  20. 19 : km 13.89 - alt. 17 m - Chemin Carrière Poissonnière trail
  21. 20 : km 14.5 - alt. 7 m - Chemin des Moures
  22. S/E : km 16.03 - alt. 3 m - Parking at the Françoise Dolto School Complex.

Notes

  1. Avoid hiking in hot weather, as there is not much shade.
  2. Picnic tables at (3).
  3. Provisions available in Villeneuve les Maguelone.

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

  1. Former Claude Jouvenel bullring.
  2. Beach between (2) and (3).
  3. Maison des Salines.
  4. L'Estagnol National Reserve.
  5. Wine estates.

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.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 20457666

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Machine-translated

bernard coulomb
bernard coulomb

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A few long stretches across uninteresting fields, but fortunately lots of flamingos on the old salt marshes.
We had to go from point 12 to point 18 because the path to point 13 was under water.
Furthermore, as the Estagnol reserve has been closed to the public since 1975, it would make more sense to give this hike a different name.

Machine-translated

bernbla
bernbla

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Thank you for this hike. It was very cold this morning with patches of black ice, and when the sun came out, the ice turned to mud. But the hike was still enjoyable and easy. The flamingos were huddled together, the seagulls gathered on the ground, and everyone waited for the first ray of sunshine.

Machine-translated

PIERRE MONNIER
PIERRE MONNIER

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A lovely walk through the salt marshes: Lots of birds: flamingos, egrets, herons, gulls, seagulls, birds of prey, moorhens... Horses... Great photo opportunities by the ponds. Grenache and Syrah vineyards...
PP and MM

Machine-translated

boubbou.com
boubbou.com

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A beautiful circular, but in our opinion, you should skip the entire section after point 13, which is of no interest as it is just a tarmac road and the Estagnol pond has been dry for years. Head to point 18 after arriving at point 13

Machine-translated

saint victor
saint victor

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with no difficulty whatsoever. Very pleasant. Beautiful views. Thank you for this route

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

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