The mills on the Vidourle and the Montredon ruins

Departure point: Esplanade on the left bank of the Vidourle river, near the Arènes.

(S/E) Descend to the Vidourle and take the Pas de Graveresse causeway which leads to the opposite bank where the first mill is located: Moulin de Vanderesse. Cross the Salinelles road D6110 "(caution)" and continue to the right along the track.
At the roundabout, turn left onto Rue des Anciens Combattants and continue along Chemin de Montredon to a crossroads.

(1) Turn right to reach the Montredon ruins. After wandering through the ruins, turn back.

(1) Here you have a choice of 3 paths forming a crow's-foot. Choose the one in the middle (heading south). At the end of this path, turn right and pass under a power line. At the road, turn right.

(2) Leave this road to the left towards Mas de Rosier. Continue, turning left and then right.

(3) Take a slight right turn onto Chemin Reine Blanche de Castille. Pass near Mas de l'Olivier and continue, ignoring the paths to the right and left.

(4) Turn right, then right again shortly afterwards. Continue straight ahead on this path, which joins a road.

(5) Go left and turn right at the first crossroads. You're now on the Chemin de la Plaine de Montredon. Follow it under a power line.

(6) At the corner of a vineyard, turn left onto Chemin du Mas d'Arqual. Follow it, again passing under the same power line.

(7) Turn right onto Chemin de la Fontaine de Montredon and continue straight on to the Chapelle Saint-Julien de Montredon.

(8) You're now at the Chapelle Saint-Julien de Montredon, where you can visit the exterior. For a visit, a telephone number is displayed on the door: 0670595731. You can enter the adjoining cemetery and admire its calm.
Continue along the Chemin de Saint-Julien de Montredon, passing under the D35 to reach Salinelles.

(9) Go down a few steps to the right to visit the wash-house and the waterwheel. Go back up to the street, cross it and see the waterwheel at the château on the left. Return to the street and continue straight ahead to leave Salinelles.

(10) Leave the Salinelles road and turn left into the village, before turning right into the Chemin de Runel, which leads down to the cemetery. Return to the road and, shortly afterwards, turn right into Chemin de la Carrierrasse, which leads to the Vidourle. Make a short round trip to the Vidourle before continuing at right-angles along this riverbank path, which returns to the road. Continue to the right.

(11) Leave the road and turn right towards the Vidourle, which you will cross via a submersible bridge. From here, you can see the Moulin de Runel on the right bank and the causeway over the river.

(12) After this passage, turn right at an acute angle to take the path that follows the Vidourle downstream.

(13) Leave the path, pass under the old railroad bridge and wind under the evergreen oaks on the Chemin du Vila. Pass in front of the old railway station on the path called "Le moulin et la gare".

(14) Turn right around Mas du Brut and head towards the Vidourle to discover Moulin de Pattes on the right bank. Retrace your steps as far as the bend and follow the path through the woods to the right.

(15) Pass under the railway line and, immediately afterwards, climb the track, which becomes a "voie verte". Pass over the Aigalade stream and, as soon as you cross the bridge, turn right and continue along the path closest to the stream, which veers off to the left.

(16) This brings you to the Moulin de Villevieille. Continue down to the Vidourle, where the Moulin de Fontibus can be seen on the opposite bank. Return to the original path. Continue along this small asphalt road.
On the plain, you'll come to a large information panel on the work carried out to retain trees and branches during floods on the Vidourle: "le peigne à embâcles" (the log-jam comb).
Pass under the road and follow the asphalt road to the entrance to the car park, which you cross to find your car parked alongside the Vidourle.(S/E)

At the end of the route, from the road underpass, you can continue along the Vidourle. You can cross the Pisse Saume stream on a stony path. The starting point is soon reached.

Can anyone point to a website where you can find out how the norias at Salinelles work? Or explain it for us?

The length of the route may seem long, but it includes technical stops, a morning coffee and banana break, a leisurely lunch at the Chapelle Saint-Julien and photo stops.