The Vallée de l'Eure, Uzès

Description

From the centre of Uzès, drive in the direction of Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie (D982), for about 1km and turn right at the sign "Vallée de l'Eure". Park in the car park at the end.

'Yellow route markers''
(D) From the car park, with the access road to your left-hand side, go straight ahead toward the building where the source of the Eure is. Cross the stream and turn right on the path that runs alongside it. At the entrance of a wide clearing, follow the left-hand path to join the "Vallée de l'Eure" marker.

(1) Turn left in the direction of "La Montagnette" on a trail that climbs through the wood. Once on the plateau, take the sloping trail to the left and get to the Montagnette marker. Ignore the path on the right-hand side and continue straight on in the direction of "La Table d'Orientation" on a flat path (with a view to the left over Uzès).

The sloping path to the right reaches a flat section after a short climb. Leave the path and go left on the trail through the scrubland. At a T-junction (not on the map) turn right and you'll soon come to a crossroads of paths.

(2) Continue to the left and find the access road leading to the orientation table. Turn left, going past the barrier to access the viewing point. Go around the site to the right-hand side following the path that starts to descend. After 150m, ignore the path on the left-hand side and take a few more steps to get to the "La Table d'Orientation" junction. Ignore the left-hand path and turn right for 350m to reach a tarmac road.

(3) Turn left in the direction of "Les Planes - Le Bas" on the road. Ignore the road going to the left, as well as all the paths to the properties. When you have passed a small, well-restored house, go left on the path signposting the "Sentier des Capitelles". Go past a gate and around a barrier, then leave the path and veer left for another 50m to enter the capitelles site.
Walk between the dry-stone huts that suffered greatly in the 2015 winter storm.

(4) Find an intersection on a wide path. Turn right (the markers are missing at this point) to go around the outside of the site. After 150m, leave the path and fork left on a trail between cedar trees. Lower down, ignore a small path that climbs to the left and continue until you join a path with the marker "Les Planes - Le Bas".

(5) Turn right on the stony path that goes back in the direction of the Planes. At the marker, ignore the path on the left-hand side and continue straight on in the direction of "Chemin de Saint-Quentin". Cut across the Planes road, and cross the barrier to continue straight on. Approximately 700m further on, cross the exit barrier by the D305 and turn right to find the signpost "Chemin de Saint-Quentin".

(6) Continue straight on through the scrubland in the direction of the "Chemin de Saint-Siffret" until the next junction.

No more markers
Turn right on the path, ignore a path to the left and then get to a crossing on a bend with a old stone marker.

'Yellow route markers''
Ignore a path on the left and continue straight ahead on a trail. At the bottom of the descent, pass a small path to the left (not on the map) and skew right at 90° on a flat path that joins the "La Coste" crossroads.

No more markers
(7) Turn right and then left in the direction of "La Combe de l'Evescat". At the next fork, go right to enter the valley. Walk the length of this valley that also suffered from the storm this winter; wide eroded trenches have opened up.

'Yellow route markers''
(8) At the top of the valley, at the marker "Combe de l'Evescat", continue left in the direction of the "Chemin des Chaussettes". You'll find a few dry-stone remains before coming to a T-junction. Turn right on the wide path in the direction of "La Montagne". Pass the next two paths to the right and continue left on a path that narrows. Ignore a path to the left and after 150m turn right on a trail that rises slightly for 50m.

(9) At the intersection, turn right and then immediately left, and then right again straight away in a northwest direction. After 100m, turn right on a path that bends sharply. Just before crossing a forest track, ignore the path leading off to the left, cross the track and continue opposite on the small path that takes you to the sign "La Montagne". Turn left in the direction of "Le Chemin du Mazet"
150m further down, ignore the two paths to the left and continue ahead on a small path that leads to a property. Continue between the two walls to get to the marker "Chemin du Mazet".

'Yellow + Red/White route markers''
(10) Turn right in the direction of "Château Bérard" on a path between the large properties. Pass the large slabs of stone, ignore the path leading off to the left and continue right on a trail that descends and joins a road.
Turn left to find a signpost "Château Bérard", continue and ignore the markers on the left. After 50m you'll see another "Château Bérard" marker in front of the gate. Ignore the path to the left as well and continue straight on in the direction of "Le Moulin de Carrière". Cross the river, turn right and arrive at the marker post.

'Yellow route markers''
Ignore the left-hand path and continue on the right in the direction of "Gisfort" on a pleasant trail that then runs alongside and above the river to join a road on a bend. At the marker, turn right on the road that descends slightly, walk past the old mill then go up between the properties to join a road on a wide bend. Continue right on a path and find the André Gide marker.

(11) Fork left on the Chemin André Gide and reach the Boulevard Victor Hugo.

No more markers
Cross opposite on the pedestrian crossing and go left for 20m.
Turn right on the Rue Saint-Théodorit and then take the second street to the left which leads to the Place Austerlitz. Continue down the Rue 4 Septembre until you get to the entrance of the Place aux Herbes. Don't turn onto the square but turn left on the Rue Nicolas Froment. Take the stairs going up to the right, and circumvent the Église Saint-Étienne to the left. Once you arrive at the forecourt, continue opposite down the Rue Saint-Etienne which joins the Place aux Herbes.

Cross it and continue opposite down the Rue de la République. Then turn right onto the Place Dampmartin, followed by a left onto the Rue Jacques d'Uzès. At the second street, go right (Rue du Duché) which passes Town Hall and the Grand Duchy. Circumvent the square on the right-hand side and turn left on the Rue Boucarie which goes down to Rue de l'Évêché (the Baron de Castille hotel is on your left).

Cross at the pedestrian crossing aiming for the entrance to the municipal museum then fork right toward the Cathédrale Saint-Théodorit. Continue straight on until the esplanade, ignoring the Promenade des Marronniers to the left which circles the building. Take the stairs that go down to the right toward the boulevard.
Go left on the Chemin André Gide until the marker post.

'Yellow route markers''
(11) Turn left in the direction of the Moulin de Tournal. At the fork, continue right on a windy trail that reaches a clearing. Cross the river and go left past the mill while following the edge of the river. After 150m, skew right across the heath and join the remains of the Roman aqueduct. Above this ruin you'll find the trail that goes left and joins the car park via the same outbound path.