Rieussec

Rieussec done in the direction of the climb, with a child of almost 5 roped in for the slightly difficult sections.
The route is very clear, with green dots and/or yellow marks to follow.
Nice little climbing sections, not difficult if you're used to getting your hands dirty.
Great fun, our son really loved it.
Thank you for this great idea for a rock-climbing hike.

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Caution: In the riverbed, towards the end of the hike just before the large basin, at the ring in the rock: impossible to descend safely without a rope. We couldn't find a way around at this point. If you want to turn back, it's best to retrace your steps. The surrounding "paths" are not passable!

Before you reach this point of no return, the walk is pretty cool and pleasant, but it is still very difficult, as some sections, especially along the riverbed, are very aerial, and you'd better not be afraid of heights. But if you like climbing and walking on rocks, it's ok, there are plenty of hand and foot holds for climbing. The rocks weren't slippery and there are ways around to avoid going through the 1st basins (until you reach the big basin towards the end without a rope.....).

We enjoyed this hike, but the part in the riverbed is really difficult, especially after so much walking at the beginning (the beginning is a walk in the park after all).

Some people's idea of starting at the end might be a good one, because turning back after so much walking is really difficult!

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30/01/2024. I think it's important to point out that there is NO MORE ROPE on the route, especially at the most dangerous point. We did the hike in the opposite direction and it was a delight despite the technical difficulties. Be careful, too, with some slippery sections. It deserves its "extreme" classification, especially for the section that currently has no rope.

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Bjr,
There is rarely water in the Rieussec or only after the storms of the Cévennes.the whole lower part of the stream is extremely dangerous in wet mode.there are plenty of photos on the net.
Enjoy your discovery in dry mode

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Hello
Is there any water in the rieussec at the moment?
Thank you

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Start from the campsite, it's easier to do it uphill than downhill.
Arrive at the stone bridge to return to the car along the official footpaths (yellow and white).
4 hours of walking and climbing to complete the route.
There are 4 rocky bars with some difficulty.
Green and young markers of old passages are present to help us get round certain difficulties
It's a sporty route and not recommended for people who are afraid of heights, as there's no room for error at certain points.
For climbers, there are equipped routes and some diversions.
But it's magnificent

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A very interesting route with some challenging sections crossing the potholes.
The first part is a classic hike, and the route does not necessarily follow the path. But just follow the yellow and white markings to the stone bridge (after point 3).
The second part in the riverbed is more physical, and reserved for people who know a bit about climbing but don't necessarily need a harness and a rope. So I took this option (the alternative is to follow the path). That day, the river was dry and the rocks dry. So I was able to cross the potholes either from the left or the right to reach the bottom of each one. However, I wasn't able to cross the last 2 (the one with the rope that plunges into the water). I had to get wet, then swim in stagnant water, and in April, that's not ideal... Just retrace your steps to find a higher path overlooking the river. Allow 3 hours 30 minutes if you go along the riverbed, as it requires more attention.

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Rather pleasant walk and less difficult than some reviews suggest.
The 1st part is well signposted until you enter the riverbed and is not very difficult. Then you follow the riverbed. However, there is a tricky section in a pot where there is water and the rope to climb down is not at all practical. In time, a rope ladder should be used instead.
The coloured markers in the river are not very legible when you are walking downstream. They are easier to read going uphill. It's a pity, as I had to look several times for other ways to go, or even turn back to find other solutions.
It's still a difficult hike, but not extremely difficult. Except at the famous rope pass, where I couldn't find or see any way round.

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Given the difficulty advertised (Extremely difficult) and some of the comments, I did the riverbed uphill rather than downhill.
The markings are clearly visible, and it's pretty easy to avoid the big pools of water, and as for the supposedly tricky section, I found it hard to see where the difficulty lay. So for those of you who, like me, were reluctant to do this hike because of its rating, don't hesitate (if you're a regular hiker). Although there's no equipment at the tricky parts, you can do it without any particular problem if you're careful where you put your feet (at least in summer when the river isn't flowing).
Thank you for this pleasant discovery.

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superb hike in the bed of the rieussec, the 1st part is pretty well signposted, and once you're in the rieussec all you have to do is follow its bed. it's very unusual and quite challenging, I was a bit apprehensive following the various comments, but I'm afraid of heights, so I went everywhere (sometimes with caution), but a bit of adrenaline is good! 2 potholes at the end filled with stagnant water that don't really make you want to dive in, just take a few steps back to find an alternative on the left of the cliff (green dot). To discover a truly incredible landscape, don't hesitate to do it!

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A well-marked, rather pleasant route before venturing into the bed of the Rieussec with its few but relatively technical difficulties, especially the 6 or 8m descent which would benefit from a fixed handrail for those new to this type of climbing. Bearing in mind that the description doesn't specifically mention this (apart from the requirement to bring a rope and harness), this would avoid taking too many risks. And perhaps point this out on the route and at the entrance to the bed. In addition to this route, and without a big diversions, a detour to Salavas would seem to be a good idea for admirers of beautiful stones. Thanks for sharing

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Hello Francis, and thank you for your comments.

The time shown is an estimate based on the distance and the positive difference in altitude, assuming an average speed of 3.5 km/h. This estimate does not take into account the very steep sections, which inevitably slow progress.

The author gave a 'personal' time of 3h00. This information is only available to moderators and I have just added it to the practical information section.

Mentioning the time taken, as you have just done, is very useful: it will allow hikers tempted by this hike to appreciate the range of variation in duration.

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Superb walk in the Rieussec!
However, we didn't find the route very precise between points 1 and 2.
We didn't get to point 2 exactly.
Also, in your extreme tours, you play down the times too much.
Here you need 3h30 rather than 2h45.
Let's take the time to enjoy the difficulty.

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Hello,
Superb tour.
At point 1, where you have to turn left, the markings are 2 lines on the electricity pole when they should be a cross, but if you go straight on you can see that this is not the right direction.
The route doesn't quite correspond to the description, the actual circuit goes further on the map up to point 2, but if you follow the explanations there's no problem.
Worth doing.

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Superb walk, and very challenging because of the technical nature of the route (in particular the climbing sections).
Be careful to use your sense of direction when taking the Rieussec, so as not to make a mistake.
But apart from that, the path was well signposted, and we looked a bit for the green dots to avoid the puddles of stagnant water, but in the end they were there! The best hike of our holiday! Not accessible if you're not comfortable climbing

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