Saint-Jean-de-Maruéjols-et-Avéjan walks

This circular loop starts in Saint-Jean-de-Maruéjols and heads into the heath via Avéjan, Cabiac, then Serre du Barri and the Ermitage Saint-Ferréol on the banks of the Cèze. It then climbs back up towards Barjac, passing through several charming hamlets. After Barjac, you walk through fields on the plain, along the border of the nearby Ardèche region, through meadows and farmhouses, before returning to the starting point. This circular route is nothing exceptional, but it allows you to discover the heath and the plain with its agricultural activity. Its appeal lies in combining a challenging hike with very clear and easy-to-follow signage, except for the short passages indicated in the description where you move from one signpost to another.

Méjannes-le-Clap, in a Natura 2000 area, is a real paradise for hikers with its well-marked trails. This easy circular route takes us to a place known as "la Table des Turcs" through the Combe de Ruph.

Starting from Saint-Victor-de-Malcap, this hike consists of two circular loops: the first to the Moulin du Roc Tombé on the banks of the Cèze and the second on the shores of the Lerou lake. Beautiful passages through a forest of fir and pine trees.

Discover an old hermitage on the banks of the Céze where you can swim. As a bonus, you will pass by the Château de Fereyrolles.

A very beautiful hike where you can discover a karstic cave, dolmens, caves and magnificent arches. Update on 20 October 2025: given the number of hikers leaving comments proving that they have not taken into account my update of 20 February below, I prefer (mainly for safety reasons) to permanently modify my itinerary and my original description. Update on 20 February 2025. Following Jacba's comments on 19 February, for which I am sincerely grateful, I would like to make an update that will make this hike less difficult and more attractive. At (10), take the path on the left, which is fully marked in yellow. This good path joins the one that leads to (14). Take it on the right to make a round trip to the Arches du Morgue. Retrace your steps and continue on the initial path of this hike, passing by (14) and (14).

Vineyards and olive groves at the foot of the Montagne de la Serre and Serre de Cruzières. Panoramic view of the Barjac plain and the Cévennes.

This hike will take you on paths through preserved scrubland and protected in a Natura 2000 zone. Its strong points: a village and a medieval castle overhanging fields of olive-trees and panoramas to take your breath away!

A magnificent hike that will take you to several magical sites in the Gard department. This hike is best done in spring, when water is still flowing in the Aiguières waterfalls, where the colour of the water will amaze you and make you forget the difficulty of the route.

An easy hike to discover the landscapes of the Ardèche and Gard regions at the Carabasse rocks and, a little further on, the archaeological remains.

Quick alternative route to one of the most beautiful viewpoints over the Cèze Gorges.

A short half-day tour to discover the Cèze and the medieval village of Montclus.

Hike starting from the Cèze valley, climbing through oak trees, arbutus trees and boxwood. Discover the karstic cave de La Peyre Haute. La Baume des Fades (or Grotte des Fées) discovery trail, don't miss the dolmens and the viewpoint. View of the Rocher de l'Aigle. Superb panorama from the top of the Dent du Serret. Depending on the time of day, you can eat by the Cèze river.

A medieval gem offering beautiful views of the meanders of the Cèze river on a walk that is shorter than its namesake, the 'Circuit de la Dent du Serret'.

A short hike with no major difficulties, but best avoided during hot weather. The elevation gain is low, and overall the paths are not too difficult and are often marked in yellow. It is possible to descend to the Cotepatière resurgence and back, preferably after rain, otherwise it is dry. I am providing the details of the "les résurgences" hike, which you walk along for a while.

There is a lot to see in Lussan. Start with the clear waters of the narrows at the Portail des Concluses and carry on to the Pierre Plantée standing stone. You will be delighted by a breathtaking view of the Cévennes and will cross the scrubland on varied terrain to the Table des Turcs dolmen. Eventually you arrive at La Lèque, which is an ideal spot for a lunchbreak. The last few kilometres are on wide lanes, leading back to the first section of the route.

Set off to explore the Concluses Canyon, carved into the limestone by the Aiguillon. A complete change of scenery in a wild and unspoilt setting, this hike is best enjoyed in summer when the Aiguillon is almost dry, but expect to get your feet wet. The hike takes place in the rugged riverbed, so you will have to climb frequently, accompanied by the sound of cicadas.

A beautiful hike in the Auzonnet valley, with stunning scenery but also the constant presence of the region's industrial past, linked to coal, which is sure to captivate you. The medieval village of Saint-Jean-de-Valériscle is also worth a visit. The route is well marked and does not present any particular difficulties.

This is a challenging hike that allows you to discover different aspects of the southern Cévennes countryside, passing through forests and superb panoramas, as well as villages and hamlets. The climb from Robiac to the Chapelle Lacham is challenging, with some steep sections, but the scenery is well worth the effort. The descent from the chapel to Saint-Florent-sur-Auzonnet is also challenging, due to the large unstable rocks typical of the Cévennes over much of the descent.

This hike starts from the car park below the village of Lussan, which I visited on the way back. It crosses fields and forest, heathland, to reach the Portail des Concluses, which this year at the end of May still had water, so it was superb. We climb back up from the Portail des Concluses on the other side, a good climb that is a little strenuous but nothing insurmountable. After walking through the heath, we pass through hamlets and villages interspersed with passages through the surrounding countryside to return to the village of Lussan.

A beautiful, easy hike, best done in spring or autumn. Good paths, sometimes a little stony, lead you through heath and holm oak woods.

A beautiful, easy walk that takes you through the shade of the trees in the Ardèche scrubland (very pleasant in the sometimes intense heat) before offering a beautiful view of the Ardèche and the Pont d'Arc.

Following good paths through holm oak trees, this hike will take you to the ridges of the Grospierres hills with beautiful views, sometimes towards the Basse Ardèche on the south side, sometimes towards the mountains on the north side. On the way back, you can see the Notre-Dame des Songes chapel, the abandoned village of Chastelas and the Font Vive resurgence with its green water.

A beautiful hike that takes you to the Guidon du Mont Bouquet, where you can admire the superb panorama of the Gard, the Ardèche and Lozère mountains, the Drôme and Mont Ventoux. Despite the numerous trails, it is not difficult to find your way, as the antennas at the summit serve as guides.

The Granges Necropolis is one of the most important dolmen sites in Ardèche. This short, easy circuit allows hikers to discover some of them while enjoying the landscape, vegetation and waterways of the limestone plateaus of lower Ardèche.

Easy loop from the hamlet of La Bastide d'Orniols in the commune of Goudargues in the Gard. Heath, pine forest, chapels, drystone shelters, stone houses. It is possible to start in the village of Goudargues, see Practical Information below.

This is a beautiful walk, partly along the river, then leading to the exceptional site of La Maladrerie opposite the Cirque de la Madeleine. The remains of an ancient monastery, probably dating from the 12th century, with improbable origins. Reality or Templar myth? Be sure to follow the yellow markings on the ground between (6) and (7). Avoid this route when the Ardèche is in high water. To find out the height and flow of the water: https://www.rdbrmc.com/hydroreel2/statio...

This beautiful 9 km hike will take you to the banks of the Ardèche, in the heart of the canyon. A hike with handrails and ladders along the route. Swimming is allowed and irresistible. The descent through the Combe des Champs will be long, but you will be amazed when you arrive in the canyon. A significant elevation gain of -500 / + 500 will make this hike difficult, but the trails are well marked and protected. Please note: this hike is currently impassable due to a major rockfall on the Ardèche riverbank on 14 June 2024 Please check with the Vallon-Pont-d'Arc Tourist Office on 04 75 54 54 20 or the Syndicat de Gestion des Gorges de l'Ardèche, which manages the trails in the nature reserve, to find out if access is possible again.

A beautiful hike in the heart of the Ardèche Gorges, during which you will:- descend a valley, follow the river along a path equipped with cables and ladders for a short section. Cirques, cliffs, small caves, rocks, needles, rapids, sandy or pebble beaches follow one after another. Many birds inhabit the cliffs.- climb back up another beautiful valley, offering some stunning views of the gorges and their meanders, to reach the plateau.

A beautiful hike on and around Mont Bouquet. Magnificent views throughout the varied route. The route is very well signposted (yellow markings) until you reach Le Castellas, after which the signposting is a little less frequent.

This hike allows you to discover the Combe Fille Dolmen, then the Sous-Planas Dolmen, different views of the Ardèche foothills to the Lozère Mountains, a small drystone shelter in a magnificent holm oak undergrowth, the Chapel of Notre-Dame des Songes, the ruins of the "Chastelas" and finally the Font Vive Resurgence.

The Granzon stream canyon is a magical place that tour operators won't take you to. Go there, but don't tell anyone... The return route is via the plateau and a small road. Those allergic to tarmac may prefer to do a round trip.

This family hike begins with magnificent views of the Chassezac gorges, then crosses a karstic rocky chaos in a Tolkien-esque forest. Further on, you will find drystone shelters, ancient dry stone shelters. The return journey offers a classic route through the limestone landscapes of southern Ardèche along a small road that is little used out of season (those allergic to tarmac will find some alternative routes through heath).

This route offers beautiful views of the cliffs and gorges of the Chassezac, rocky terrain, ancient dry stone constructions and a return route through a landscape of heath that is perhaps less poetic but nevertheless typical of the southern Ardèche.

A hike to discover the banks of the Chassezac, the villages of Berrias and Casteljau, Ardèche hamlets with, as a bonus, a passage through the Bois de Païolive and a view of the Gorges du Chassezac. At the start, when you walk along the Chassezac and in the Bois de Païolive, there are many paths. A GPS may be useful.

From the banks of Ardèche, to the balconies of Salavas, but fairly challenging in the bed of Rieussec. There are stringing points. ATTENTION: Some sections can quickly become very dangerous for hikers who are ill-equipped or not trained for this kind of more technical hike. Therefore, please take care.

This hike takes you along the Montagne de la Serre, whose highest point is La Baume Lardière. To reach this ridge, take the path that leads to the Col de la Cize. At the ridge, you will discover numerous viewpoints over the Cévennes, as well as the Baronnies massif and Mont Ventoux. The return journey is via the Ravin de la Fontaine du Merle.

Between Vallon-Pont-d'Arc and Saint-Remèze, this hike should be done mid-season before it become too difficult to park in "gorges de l'Ardèche" after Pont-d'Arc.The walk offers beautiful view points over the Ardèche and Tiourre valleys, the Saint-Remèze plateau then Pont-d'Arc on the trip back.

This hike will take you from the heath to the pine forest and back in time as you discover the ruins of the Moulin de la Tiourre.

This hike will take you to a megalithic necropolis and a desert plain inhabited long ago by those who were buried there. It will take you to the village of Berrias, up to the Païolive woods, which you will cross, and then to the hermitage of Saint-Eugène, which is still in use, before allowing you to admire the Chassezac gorges from the magnificent cliff.

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.

A walk amid holm oaks along the capricious Ibie river, whose water doesn’t always flow overground.

In the Ardèche Gorges, the Cirque de Gaud is home to a discovery trail dotted with information panels about the region's flora and fauna. At the Gaud campsite, you will find Gaud Castle and the Ardèche River.

After crossing the Bois de Païolive, the route follows the Ruisseau du Granzon. After climbing out of the canyon, the return journey is via the plateau. An enchanting route and landscape. The use of GPS and the Visorando app may be necessary.

A very pleasant hike along the Chassezac, then on the Sentier des Drystone Shelters. Return via the Sentier Roche and a small wood in Païolive. Superb landscape of the Ardèche Cévennes.I recommend using the GPX track as there are countless small paths.Hike for experienced hikers. I rated the walk as difficult not because of its length or elevation gain, but because of the many rocky areas and scree slopes to cross. It is physically demanding between (9) and (10) and from (15) to (S/E) Warning: do not attempt this hike in rainy weather as the rocky, limestone terrain is very slippery.

This unmarked route, which sometimes even leaves the trails, requires an IGN map and GPS, and leads to remote and wild areas of the Bois de Païolive and the upper part of the Ruisseau du Granzon.

The Païolive forest is an ancient forest in the south of the Ardèche, occupied since prehistoric times, with a remarkable geological context and biodiversity. It overlooks the Chassezac gorges. In this karstic landscape, there are numerous zoomorphic rocks, a multitude of trails and viewpoints, not to mention many caves. Much of the walk is shaded. Really very nice.

Contrasting landscapes between the southern scrubland and the deep gullies in the clay-limestone marl. Fossil footprints, botanical path, abrupt change of vegetation between limestone strata and Cevennes shale, and return by a path overlooking the Chassezac river. Very pretty and picturesque village of Naves. That's what's on the menu of this spectacular hike which takes you around the west of Les Vans.