The Oppidum de Nage and the Moulin de Langlade in Saint-Dionisy

Not far from Nîmes, Roman and Gallo-Roman remains are legion (so to speak). Castellas, oppidums and Roman fountains line the Roque-de-Vif hill, surrounded by four charming villages in the Vaunage region: Saint-Dionisy to the north, Nages and Solorgues to the south, and Langlade to the east, with its pretty windmill.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.01 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 264 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 259 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 180 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 70 m

Description of the walk

Start: Park in Saint-Dionisy, in the car park along the D40a (route de Nîmes) at the corner of Rue du Chêne Vert.

(S/E) Head towards the village centre. Take Rue du Vieil Four. Then Rue Bécagrun and continue along Chemin Roque de Viou, which runs behind the cemetery. At the first fork in the road, turn left as the path climbs.

(1) At the top, you'll come to a junction of several paths and tracks. Take the one furthest to the right, which passes at elevation 145m. Further on, at marker 150, follow the hill-top path with a view to the north, then to the west.
At the left-hand bend, visit the remains of the Roque de Viou oppidum. The path now curves south and east.
Avoid all downhill paths.

(2) Pass a beautiful capitelle on your left and continue on to the ruins of the oppidum.

(3) Continue due east along the north wall of the construction. The path now descends steeply to the Ranquet spring. You are now in the village of Nages. Take Rue de la Fontaine Romaine, then turn left into Rue de l'Oppidum. Cross the Agau stream.
Continue along the esplanade to the north and up the Chemin des Aires. At the fork in the road, turn left under the pines and follow the wall of a large property.

(4) At altitude 136, turn right into the pine forest. At the crossroads of 4 paths, go straight ahead. 150m further on, you come to the Chemin des Lauzières, which you turn right onto.

(5)Pass along the sports fields to the south, forking left onto a lane that runs alongside the tennis courts, heading due north. Then turn right away from the sports facilities, staying on the high ground.

(6) At Le Cabanis, turn right, staying on the plateau. Quickly join a path leading to houses and turn left onto Chemin des Lauzières. At the junction with the Route de Nages (D137), turn left onto the Chemin du Coin du Loup, which you leave 150m further on, continuing right along a narrow path that takes you up to the windmill esplanade.

(7) Go back down the Chemin du Moulin à Vent to the chapel.

(8) Turn left onto a path that leads back to Langlade and down to Rue de la Calade. Turn left into Rue Haute, then right a few metres further on. Then turn left into Rue des Lavandières.

(9) After the wash-house, take a path to the left. It becomes a footpath. It climbs up through the vegetation. At the first fork, turn right. Continue up the hillside to the sports fields, marked by pylons.

(10) Go along the north side of the sports field and up onto the path on the right.

(11) Pass the Castellas site (altitude 164), then take the second path on the left which, following the contour lines, brings you back to the crossroads (altitude 145) which completes the circuit.

(1) All that's left is to return down the same path you took on the outward journey to Saint-Dionisy (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 70 m - Car park along the D40a road
  2. 1 : km 0.95 - alt. 147 m - Col de Saint-Dionisy
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 169 m - Dry-stone shelter
  4. 3 : km 2.27 - alt. 160 m - Oppidum de Nages
  5. 4 : km 3.99 - alt. 136 m - Towards 'Puech de Marignan'
  6. 5 : km 4.82 - alt. 135 m - Tennis courts
  7. 6 : km 5.41 - alt. 140 m - Le Cabanis
  8. 7 : km 6.22 - alt. 123 m - Windmill
  9. 8 : km 6.45 - alt. 109 m - Chapel
  10. 9 : km 6.96 - alt. 83 m - Wash-house
  11. 10 : km 7.78 - alt. 137 m - Sports complex
  12. 11 : km 8.4 - alt. 159 m - Le Castellas
  13. S/E : km 10.01 - alt. 70 m - Car park along the D40a road

Practical information

Start: Park in Saint-Dionisy, in the car park along the D40a (route de Nîmes) at the corner of Rue du Chêne Vert.

Gears: Be sure to wear good shoes, as the paths are stony. Avoid hot weather.

Note: Be careful! These hills are criss-crossed by numerous paths and tracks. Follow the circuit on the map.
Water points near the tennis courts, at the Ranquet spring (except in summer) and at the wash-house.
Shelters at the capitelle and sports facilities.

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author. Do not copy them without permission.