On the Costière de Nîmes, around Beauvoisin, Vauvert and Générac

Start from the centre of Beauvoisin, 15 kilometres south of Nîmes. Park in the village centre, at Place du Temple.

(S/E) Take Rue du Château southwards until you reach Grande Rue. Turn right, heading due west, and go down Rue de la Carrierasse towards Vauvert. Then continue left onto the Vauvert road (D139).

(1) At the bus stops, turn left onto Chemin de l’Esquillon. Follow this track straight on, heading south-west, through meadows and heaths. Pass a track on your left and continue to a Fork in the road.

(2) Take the left-hand fork, go straight on at the next junction and reach a T-junction.

(3) Turn right, pass a path on your right, then another on your left immediately afterwards. At the next junction, turn right and keep left at the following fork to reach the Chemin Vieux de Beauvoisin. Turn left and continue straight on. Carry on along the Chemin du Pic d’Etienne, which continues as the Rue Bardes, until you reach a junction about fifty metres past the Rue Danise on your left.

(4) Turn left and follow Rue de Milan, which forms part of the^GR®653and the Chemin d’Arles (marked in white and red). Pass a street on your right, then, at the next junction, keep left. Walk past the care home and continue straight on along the Chemin Roc des Poulets, then the Chemin du Grès, to leave Vauvert.

(5) Leave the tarmac road under a large, solitary oak tree and turn right onto the^GR®653. Walk down the Valat des Marchands valley and then up to the Chemin des Salines, where you can see rock salt boreholes.

(6) Leave the red and white markings and turn left for 450m.

(7) Leave the tarmac and head left back into the valley. Climb up the opposite side and continue due north until you reach the ‘Madagascar’ sign.

(8) Turn right onto a short stretch of tarmac, which you’ll let curve to the left, then carry on straight ahead along a track.

(9) Go round the farm on the right, cross the stream (which is often dry) straight ahead and walk uphill for about 300 metres until you reach a junction.

(10) Turn left, then right at the next junction to rejoin the tarmac road.

(11). Turn left and follow the road for 200m.

(12) Leave the tarmac road by heading down to the right and then go back up the opposite side to come out at the Soleil guesthouse or Mas Franco-Italien.

(13) Turn left onto the tarmac and follow the long straight stretch. At the first bend to the left, leave the tarmac and continue straight on for 1.5 km, emerging at the Beauvoisin, Franquevaux, Générac junction (D197).

(14) Turn left and head due north. Head down towards Générac for 1.8 km, until you reach the fitness trail junction.

(15) Leave the road, head uphill to the left for 100 metres, then take the path on the right.

(16) At the T-junction, head downhill to the right for about 50 metres, then turn left at a right angle. Pass a turn-off on the right and continue to a junction 200 metres further on.

(17) Turn left to head back towards Beauvoisin.

(18) After passing two buildings, turn left again and walk for about 400m to reach a T-junction.

(19) Turn right to head back down towards the centre of Beauvoisin via Rue de Banloux, then along the continuation of this road, the Grande Rue. At the junction, just after Rue des Moulins, turn right into Rue du Château to return to the starting point (S/E).

You don’t need much; 1 litre of water should be enough.
Bread, chemist’s, grocery shop, newspapers.

The bulls in their pens seem very peaceful.