Lac de Cécélés from Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers

A very pleasant hike starting from Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers, which will take you along the picturesque Lac de Cécélés while offering magnificent panoramic views of the two local giants, Pic Saint-Loup and Hortus.
The hike is very accessible but there are a few steep sections.

Details

4576393
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.59 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 152 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 151 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 221 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 89 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the old slaughterhouse on the edge of the D17, located just next to the greengrocer's.

(S/E) Cross the D17 (Avenue Louis Cancel) to reach Rue de la Grenouille and head towards Pourols Church.

(1) Cross the bridge over the Terrieu and then take the second road on the right.

(2) Go around the church on the right and turn right onto Chemin des Combes. Follow it to the junction with Couvent des Tourelles.

(3) Make a quick right-left turn to begin the climb up the Rabassières massif. Once at the top, turn left onto the path overlooking Lac de Cécélés on your right.

(4) At the four-way fork, take the first path on the right downhill towards the vineyards.

(5) At the crossroads, follow the path on the left and continue to an intersection at the edge of the vineyards.

(6) At this point, take the hairpin bend to the right and arrive at a fork a few metres after entering the woods.

(7) Turn right, leaving the mountain bike trail on your left, and continue straight towards Lac de Cécélès. Follow it on your left.

(8) Turn right to cross the "Guinguette des Amoureux" and onto the dam. At the end of the dam, turn left.

(9) Just after the house, turn left and rejoin the Route de Cécélés. Turn right and then left to enter Rue du Vieux Pont after crossing the tarmac road. Leave the road and follow the path on the right that runs alongside the Ruisseau de Cécélés and cross the ford.

(10) After the ford, turn right and follow the Terrieu to rejoin the bridge you crossed at the start.

(1) Follow Rue de la Grenouille to the left, cross the D17 and return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 98 m - Ancien Abattoir car park
  2. 1 : km 0.18 - alt. 97 m - Bridge, junction of the loop
  3. 2 : km 0.54 - alt. 107 m - Église saint-Martin (Pourols)
  4. 3 : km 1.23 - alt. 116 m - Tourelles Convent
  5. 4 : km 3.34 - alt. 219 m - Junction, on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.27 - alt. 156 m - Intersection, on the left
  7. 6 : km 4.8 - alt. 126 m - Intersection, on the right
  8. 7 : km 5.52 - alt. 118 m - Mountain biking terrain - Source de Miac
  9. 8 : km 7.04 - alt. 122 m - Guinguette des Amoureux - Lac de Cécélés
  10. 9 : km 7.76 - alt. 113 m - Intersection
  11. 10 : km 8.5 - alt. 91 m - Flood
  12. S/E : km 9.59 - alt. 98 m - Ancien Abattoir car park

Notes

Bring walking shoes and a bottle of water.
A hat is recommended in summer.

Worth a visit

Pourols Church and its Devil at the summit.

(8) Lake Cécélés and Guinguette des Amoureux.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 49 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
pillerijean@orange.fr
pillerijean@orange.fr

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Good evening
This afternoon, there were three of us on this hike.
However, I would advise all hikers not to attempt this hike at present.
Halfway through, the path is impassable due to recent rains. What's more, when we almost reached the guinguette, there was 50 cm of water, impossible to cross even barefoot. We had just covered 7 km since the start: I couldn't see myself retracing our steps. Looking closely at my IGN map, I found a small path that allowed us to finish the hike more easily.
Please share
Jean

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User 17948730

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A gentle walk, not particularly difficult.
At the lake spillway and the open-air café, there is a lot of water and you have to take off your shoes to cross.

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User 16032468

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Beautiful route. Discovery of Lake Cécélès (therefore more people).

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fabydol34
fabydol34

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It is not possible, or even impossible, to cross the guinguette. It is easier to go around the lake on the other side.
A pleasant walk in this autumn season.

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fontduloup
fontduloup

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route to take at this time of year. The autumn colours are a source of inspiration for photographers.
The route is not difficult and the distance is just right for an afternoon stroll. The lakeside café at Lake Cécelès attracts crowds but it's not too busy. The return journey is pleasant.

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User 7085984

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Problem following the route at the restaurant: you cannot follow the path at this point....

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PLN
PLN

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

It's not really a hiking trail, more like a Sunday stroll for the family

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jeanine terral
jeanine terral
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Unmarked route. Confusing explanations. This is not a tour of the lake at all.
A little disappointed.
Lots of people around the lake. No one on the trails

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Chaa
Chaa

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

After heavy rain just before the open-air café opened, we had to take off our shoes and socks to get through, but it cooled our feet.

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chifolleau
chifolleau

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant and easy hike to Lake Ceceles, but once there, it is impossible to follow the route as it is blocked by the open-air café. This means taking a detour along a fairly busy road.

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Maudvnlt
Maudvnlt

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely ride around Saint-Mathieu-de-Treviers.
There's a nice little climb at the start of the route to warm up your legs, but the path is wide and pleasant.
Very nice view of Pic Saint Loup and Hortus. In general, the landscapes are very pretty in this area.
Done in December 2024, no one else on the trail, which was wonderful. Lac de Cécéles is very nice, especially in winter.
A short hike accessible to all and not too long.

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Pascale Bocciarelli
Pascale Bocciarelli

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I don't have a very good sense of direction.
I think I took a wrong turn a few times, but I managed to find other paths and complete the loop.
Very easy hike.

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Fabmad34800
Fabmad34800

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike for the whole family.

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rando.art
rando.art

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

In the middle of winter, the lake is half empty!

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Brun Serge
Brun Serge

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, varied short hike

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