Saint-Pierre Arch Trail

Hike on the Causse Méjean, in an environment that was inhabited thousands of years ago...

Details

101928
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.68 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 82 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 81 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 921 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 862 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The car park is on the right at the junction before the village of La Viale when coming from Saint-Pierre-des-Tripiers.

(S/E) From the car park, take a wide track (red and white markings) opposite the village of La Viale, heading west for 800 m. When you reach a large esplanade, turn right onto a path that descends into a rocky gorge.

(1) At the intersection, turn right towards the north. After 50 m, a large "square" opens up on the right. About a hundred metres further on, after a short steep climb, you will discover the Baumelle cave.

(2). Turn around and go back to the intersection.

(1). Then turn right twice towards the south (red and white markings). You will pass the entrance to the Homme-Mort cave. The path climbs towards a pass and then descends into a parallel valley.
In a clearing, you will discover the remains of the ancient Gallo-Roman village of Résiniers.
Continuing along the trail, you will arrive at the Trois Arcs.

(3). From this spot, return to the intersection.

(1) Then head back up to the right. You will reach the esplanade where, on the left, the wide track will take you back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 908 m - Car park near the village of Viale
  2. 1 : km 0.97 - alt. 896 m - Fork in the road towards the Baumelle cave
  3. 2 : km 1.18 - alt. 921 m - Baumelle Cave
  4. 3 : km 2.06 - alt. 862 m - Arches of Saint-Pierre - Arcs de Saint-Pierre
  5. S/E : km 3.68 - alt. 907 m - Car park near the village of Viale

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 34 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Paupipou
Paupipou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very accessible and fairly busy route, with a bit of shade along the way – so it’s brilliant.

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Rayshow
Rayshow
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely short hike for the whole family to discover some unusual rocks. Fun for children (and big kids ). Please note that although this is a family hike, it is not suitable for people with reduced mobility or elderly people who are not very mobile.
Part of the hike is shaded, but not all of it. Bring water and probably avoid this hike in the middle of summer (but it is possible if you don't mind the heat while hiking).
A lovely outing.

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VirginieLax
VirginieLax

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is a good idea to follow the suggested route as there are few signposts in this extraordinary place, which is well worth taking your time to explore.
Majestic,
We encountered very few people on this Sunday morning

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KARINE BASSEREAU
KARINE BASSEREAU

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, very pleasant hike, much of it under the vegetation

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BABOT François
BABOT François

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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Raphaël2
Raphaël2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As described.
Made as a family with a 5-year-old child who needed to be carried a little
Very good, with a large part in the shade

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jeanmarc.soriano
jeanmarc.soriano

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a great experience. A very pleasant short hike in the shade of the forest. Lots of caves and natural features such as the caves and natural arch of the ancient Gallo-Roman site. I recommend it.

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Megalapin
Megalapin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike, mostly under trees, which is very welcome in hot weather. This trail is fairly busy, but the arches and cave are interesting sights. I recommend it. Suitable for families with young children.

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Nagette
Nagette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied route with some impressive arches as a bonus
The paths are easy
Highly recommended
Not many people (only four people encountered)

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GFLANDROIS
GFLANDROIS

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy walk with several points of interest (village, caves, stone arch, etc.)
Fairly shaded route.

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ribas et co
ribas et co

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a magnificent short hike amid enormous boulders; could use a few more signs explaining how to use the facilities in the Gallo-Roman village.
Returning to the car park was a little tricky to find, but nothing serious. Easy to find your way back
It's a shame there are no directions for the cave to do the full tour to Saint Jean de Tripiers

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pieplat
pieplat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike possible in 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes with young children. Spectacular scenery. Historically interesting location.
Other attractions: shaded path under pine trees; picnic areas available; large car park at the side of the road.

Don't forget to stop at the "croix des bergers" (shepherds' cross) at the southern entrance to Saint-Pierre-des-Tripiers and visit the church, where you will find a plaque explaining the origin of the village's name (the translation from Occitan to English is somewhat relative).
Opposite the church, near the fountain, is a pleasant picnic spot

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Muski72
Muski72

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you, what a beautiful walk, it was a feast for the eyes! We did the hike in the heat, but as it is well shaded it was bearable, and we cooled off in the caves ! For those who would like to walk a little further: we started at the arches, then La Baumelle, and from there we followed the yellow markings which led us along paths to the village of St Pierre (which is really worth a visit, and where there is a drinking water tap opposite the church). We returned via La Viale, again along a pretty path, then just a short stretch of tarmac to reach the car park. We covered 6 km.

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isageo
isageo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent walk, easy (done with family members who don't walk much). We did it on a hot August morning, but it's mostly shaded, which is very nice! There's so much to see and such a beautiful atmosphere that we loved soaking it all in, so we spent three hours there... The time indicated is a bit short in my opinion.
It's a shame that it's a round trip for some people, but there aren't really any other options for staying in the shade.

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CABRU30
CABRU30

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

we had a great time at Les Arcs St Pierre and took the opportunity to log a few caches. Remember to take a torch for the cave, it's more fun that way. The route isn't very well marked on the ground, so you need to keep your bearings... Return by the road so you don't go back the same way (it's good for your calves!)

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