Tiourre stream

A walk that takes you from the heath to the pine forest and transports you back in time as you discover the ruins of the Moulin de la Tiourre.
Added by moderator on 12 August 2026. Reported by a user.
>Rockfalls; most of the walk is within a quiet zone for the protection of birds of prey from 1 March to 30 September.
>Access is permitted provided you behave discreetly.

Details

263427
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.16 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 564 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 564 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 801 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 335 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) The route starts from the hamlet of Chames, which you walk through; here, a small stony path begins, running past a mobile phone mast.
On a rocky path, you’ll look out over the Tiourre stream and the ruins of the old mill.

(1) At the first Fork in the road, continue left through a pine forest until you reach the Tiourre spring.

(2) At the spring, you reach a Fork in the road and take the path on the right, which begins to descend alongside the stream.
During the descent, you can see numerous natural pools formed by the limestone-rich waters. After heavy rain, you can see many small waterfalls.

(3) You finally reach the ruins of the mill, which is now little more than a field of rubble, though it still features a magnificent reservoir filled (or not, depending on the season) with intensely turquoise-blue water, worthy of a mountain lake.

We continue our descent to rejoin the path we took on the way up, via a short, rather slippery climb.
Avoid following the red and white markings, which zigzag and make the route longer.

(1) Carry on to the left until you reach the hamlet of Chames (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 335 ft - Hamlet of Chames
  2. 1 : mi 0.77 - alt. 463 ft - Junction
  3. 2 : mi 2 - alt. 768 ft - Water source at Le Tiourre
  4. 3 : mi 2.69 - alt. 436 ft - Ruins of the Moulin de Tourre
  5. S/E : mi 4.16 - alt. 335 ft - Hamlet of Chames

Notes

Moderator update on 20/05/2020: Warning! Many reviews of this rather old route indicate that the paths are not easy to find. It is advisable to use a GPS or the Visorando app

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 80 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
lemarcheur65
lemarcheur65 ★

Hello MickaelB
Added a warning to the guide.

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MickaelB
MickaelB

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, but one that requires a GPS tracker, particularly for the return leg. Two points to bear in mind:

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User 29086271

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I don’t agree with some of the reviews because, whilst there’s no problem for someone who’s reasonably fit or in good physical shape, I find this route very interesting. However, when a route is described as ‘moderate’, it really ought to be! Nature does change, and yes! So it is high time that the local managers of this route cleared the undergrowth and put up directional and information signs. So no, as this route is poorly signposted and poorly maintained, it is by no means an ‘average’ route and should even be classified as difficult. I would like to acknowledge the kindness of the hikers who came to our aid. We had two women in our group who, due to the misclassification of the route’s difficulty, found themselves in great distress, both physically and mentally, particularly one of them. I am grateful to the people who helped us.

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Christian Alcaraz
Christian Alcaraz

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Note: rockfalls at the Tiourre water source (2), around 1–2 pm on a hot day in late April!!
A rock the size of an orange whizzed past us at head height, just one metre away, at an incredible speed!!
Tip: don’t stay in this spot for too long...

A GPS is useful for the start of the return journey as there are numerous paths and no markings along the route.

We passed 15 people during the day.

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ber56eve54
ber56eve54

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Avoid public holidays and the summer season – there are too many tourists and too much noise on the Gorges route!!!

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Jipaipai
Jipaipai

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The route or the descent is more difficult than the ascent due to numerous dead trees, a gap in the path after the ruins of the mill, and a lack of signposts, which caused us some trouble. However, judging by the comments, we are not the only ones to have missed this ford.

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joelala13
joelala13
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Hike done on 2/11, few people on the trail, the waterfall had little water, very beautiful trail, easy to follow with the app.

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User 14956143
• Edited:

It is precisely the lack of signage that poses a problem when information is unclear.
Rating: 2/5

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User 3980208

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The stream was dry except in certain places

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User 22359368

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Great easy hike, done with my two children aged 10 and 13 in early August.
The route to and from the starting point is the same and isn't shaded, even in the morning (9 a.m.). The rest of the trail is shaded and beautiful. We followed the riverbed almost the entire way (which was dry for most of the hike). It's a bit more challenging but so much more beautiful!
The turquoise water basin at the ruins of the mill is incredible, we went swimming there.
I converted a non-hiking enthusiast with this magnificent route!

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User 9233755
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is essential to follow the GPS track at the end of the loop, as there are several small paths. When following the river, take care to cross the river at the correct point, as the path continues and even appears to disappear at another point

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User 21283345

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Top route, varied landscapes

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User 14201979

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A shaded and open trail that takes you past the pretty ruins of the mill.

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User 18098712
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hiking trail, easy access and really interesting.
Even at this time of year, the pools are magnificent and the circuit was very quiet.
You can picnic at the mill next to the large pool, but please don't leave anything behind.
The route is so beautiful, it would be a real shame.

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Fred83110
Fred83110

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The start of the trail is close to the busy departmental road, which is very busy during the Pentecost weekend, generating constant traffic noise. Fortunately, as you venture further into the valley, you rediscover nature and a pleasant stream to follow...

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