Saracen Caves - Ruins of Béconne

Very nice hike, easy but with a good climb from the start, just to warm up the legs... but at the top of the Charousse rock the view is really great!
There's no problem getting to the caves, as there is a small passageway over the barbed wire, and there too, superb views with flowers everywhere...
The only downside is that at the end of the hike you can't get to the ruins of the old village, there are signs forbidding access as there is a risk of them collapsing... shame.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience of the Dieulefit region, which is truly superb.

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A short but varied and interesting route.
Note that at point 2 you really get the impression that everything has been done to prevent you from passing (barbed wire and high wire). In fact, you have to follow the description and go to the right where there is a passage. On the left, at the foot of the cliff, some people have cut the fence even though it goes right through as indicated in the description!

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An unpretentious hike but worth the diversions a good time to discover beautiful landscapes very pleasant very easy and if opportunities to do during the period of lavender I think it must be even more beautiful because we cross some fields of lavender and frankly the landscapes are very beautiful I highly recommend this short hike not difficult at all

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A very interesting hike. Care should be taken on the descent from the tip of the Charousse rock, as there is a few metres of rocky terrain. Not recommended for those afraid of heights.

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Very good, it climbs a lot, almost all the time, but there's a great view of the Charousse rock and the Saracen caves are in good condition, so don't hesitate to climb up and have a look around, the largest is at the top with its underground passageway for even higher access and access to the cisterns.
It's true that the signs leave a little room for doubt, but we didn't have any problems.
A fairly busy walk.

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Good evening, this is a lovely walk that takes in 3 points of interest:
- the top of the Charousse rock
- the Saracen caves (forbidden passage?)
- the ruins of Béconne
But there are a few things you should know:
At the start, a sign reads: "Private hunting. Hunting in progress from 15/08 to 28/02".
To go and see the caves, a sign hangs on the fence: it states that for our safety and the peace and quiet of the herd, you must not cross this fence.
I was able to cross it a little further towards the cliff (the barbed wire was slack). I didn't see any dogs or herds. So I continued along the fence, then skirted the foot of the cliff to finally emerge from this plot.
In the large cave, don't hesitate to climb up the dark passageway and come out to discover the old water tanks.

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Thank you Denis26 for this hike.
The car park is very well signposted and practical. At the starting point, a barrier lowered in front of the signposted path and "Chasse gardée" signs made us hesitate. In the end, we took the path and enjoyed this beautiful and varied hike: undergrowth, rocks and fields, ending with the ruins in a very cool and relaxing area.

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In the end, it's better to do it the other way round, as the side at the start is too steep. And the water reserve is of very limited interest, although it does provide a pleasant backdrop.

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A short, sporty hike with a good gradient right from the start. At the top of the first climb, you don't feel the cold! After that, we didn't see the caves but climbed to the top along the narrow path. The view was magical.
Once back down we visited the ruins without difficulty.

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I'm really sorry about this mishap. Normally there's a passage with bars that allow you to climb over the fence at the foot of the cliff.
As soon as I can, I'll go and have a look.

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Impossible to access the caves as there is a heavy fence all the way to the foot of the cliff and no way through.

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Family outings. Reliable description. We were disappointed not to see the caves, as we would have had to go over a barbed wire fence at the risk of coming across dogs guarding the herds. We decided against this part of the route. On the other hand, it was a pleasant walk to the ruins of Béconne. The old stones are there for all to see.

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A very beautiful hike. The climb to the top of Charousse requires poles if it has rained, as it is slippery. The summit, caves and ruins of Béconne make this a particularly interesting hike. Thank you for this beautiful route

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The weather was ideal for this first day back on the trail. The explanations and map enabled us to follow the route without any problems. We took our time and enjoyed the caves and ruins of the village of Béconne. It's true that with the lavender fields in flower, it must be sumptuous. Be careful, though, if it's raining, you'll need sticks for safety, as well as good shoes, especially for the climb up to the Charousse rock.
Thank you for introducing us to this route.

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nimb,
I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.
I try to be as precise as possible in my descriptions, but I deliberately don't use the concepts of time and distance very much, as they are very differently assessed by the different people who hike.
Distances are nevertheless indicated in the waypoints on the right of the description.
When I did this walk, the GR markings were clearly visible and therefore easy to follow at the top of the lavender fields, but perhaps this is no longer the case. The IGN map (or the one supplied with the description) comes in very useful as a complement to the description, and the compass with it, and that's just great!
Yours faithfully

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