Tour of Lake Villefort

de fr

A stone's throw from the Gorges du Chassezac, this is an interesting short hike with the option of swimming at the end.

Details

n°111309
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.51 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 502 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 528 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,119 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,870 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Tour of Lake Villefort
Return via the road.
Southern view of the lake
Rocks and scree section

Description of the walk

The circuit starts at the Morangiès water sports centre.

(S/E) Follow the yellow signs heading north. After the first 500 metres, take a short detour to the Morangiès Tower for a stop at the information panel.

(1) Retrace your steps and follow the path that runs alongside the lake. At the northern end, the path bends to the left and offers a first ford.

(2) When you reach the promontory, enjoy the unobstructed view of the lake.

(3) You will reach a second ford.

(4) Enter the forest and follow the various curves of the lake to reach the road.

(5) Turn left, follow the road for about 500 m, then take the path on the left that runs alongside it and joins it at a roundabout on the right.

(6) Cross the dam to enjoy another beautiful view, then leave the road and take the path on the left that leads to the water sports centre and the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,031 ft - Morangiès water sports centre - Lac de Villefort
  2. 1 : mi 0.2 - alt. 2,008 ft - Tour de Morangies
  3. 2 : mi 1.22 - alt. 2,083 ft - First ford
  4. 3 : mi 1.6 - alt. 2,119 ft - View of the lake from the promontory
  5. 4 : mi 1.81 - alt. 2,021 ft - Pretty bridge over the void
  6. 5 : mi 3.24 - alt. 2,024 ft - Road on the left
  7. 6 : mi 4.11 - alt. 1,870 ft - Dam - Altier (rivière) - Affluent du Chassezac
  8. S/E : mi 4.52 - alt. 2,034 ft - Morangiès water sports centre

Notes

The entire route is signposted, so you can't get lost.

Worth a visit

Don't hesitate to visit La Garde-Guérin, one of the most beautiful villages in France, seven kilometres away.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 84 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 31191266

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very varied and scenic walk, though with a few more technical sections.

Machine-translated

User 19395651

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb walk with a few slightly more technical sections. A shaded walk with magnificent views of Lake Villefort

Machine-translated

User 11858034

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route with some shaded sections and a stretch in full sun on the roadside; there’s a short technical section but nothing too tricky – it’s well worth a visit and can be done either way.

Machine-translated

User 26178440

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really lovely route, well signposted and very well maintained; with a good pair of trainers, you can enjoy a very pleasant run for an hour or so, with superb views.

Machine-translated

patpros07
patpros07

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Lovely views of the lake. The only downside is the return journey, which takes you over two bridges and along a busy road.

Machine-translated

marionnettes
marionnettes

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The walk round the lake is very well signposted and a really lovely walk. There are no particular difficulties. I just took a detour to go up and see the church – it adds about 2 km, but the view is truly beautiful.

Machine-translated

User 2972843

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely family walk, with the chance to go for a swim along the way. Ideal for dog owners.

Machine-translated

User 9455689

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really lovely and very accessible walk with some magnificent views 😍

Machine-translated

Vil Coyote
Vil Coyote

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A classic not to be missed. A varied route, taking in paths, trails, woodland and, to finish, a road. The views of the lake and the Cévennes mountains are superb. Please note that the rocky sections are relatively technical and require a good level of skill (balance; care should be taken with children). The walk took 2½ hours and was not strenuous.

Machine-translated

cmouesca
cmouesca

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very varied route with stunning views of the lake, which we finished with a refreshing dip in the lake.

Machine-translated

Jonat
Jonat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello, it’s a lovely walk and very easy to follow. There are a few rocky sections, but no problem.

Machine-translated

Berit71
Berit71

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very pleasant, varied half-day hike. Beautiful views of Lake Villefort and the Cévennes. However, I wouldn't say it's easy; some sections are quite challenging and you need to be in good physical condition to complete them. Make sure you wear good walking boots and bring a pair of walking sticks.

Machine-translated

trichosson
trichosson

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful walk, dangerous areas very well protected, but a few barriers or ropes are still missing. I recommend good footwear and a walking stick. Not recommended in rainy weather.

Machine-translated

User 26109848

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful walk. Easy and family-friendly.

Machine-translated

Nadège12
Nadège12

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We set off from point 3 to the starting point (we combined 2 walks).
peaceful stroll around the lake pretty setting, well shaded ...

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Lake Villefort on the Altier side

Visorando Member
Lac de Villefort côté Altier
↔6.42 mi ↗+2,047 ft ↘-2,047 ft ◔4h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Villefort (Lozère) (Lozère)
A challenging hike along the steepest section of Lake Villefort.

Walking La Garde-Guérin - Les Gorges du Chassezac - Fangeas - Le Mont

Visorando Member
La Garde-Guérin - Les Gorges du Chassezac - Fangeas - Le Mont
↔4.64 mi ↗+1,263 ft ↘-1,257 ft ◔3h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Prévenchères (Lozère)
Descent into the Chassezac Gorges from La Garde-Guérin, a magnificent fortified village.

Walking From La Garde-Guérin to Lake Villefort

Visorando Member
De la Garde-Guérin vers le Lac de Villefort
↔8.02 mi ↗+1,175 ft ↘-1,175 ft ◔4h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Prévenchères (Lozère)
Loop starting from La Garde-Guérin towards Lac de Villefort, crossing a wooded area then climbing back up to the medieval village via the Voie Régordane after skirting the northern end of the lake. 03/01/2024: Route modified between 1 and 3.

Walking From La Garde-Guérin to the Chassezac Gorges - return via the Roure plateau

Visorando Member
De la Garde-Guérin aux gorges du Chassezac - retour via le plateau du Roure
↔6.65 mi ↗+1,801 ft ↘-1,804 ft ◔4h 40 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Prévenchères (Lozère)
From the medieval village of La Garde-Guérin, there is a steep descent into the Chassezac gorges, then a climb up to the opposite plateau and finally back to the village via the hamlet of Albespeyres.

Walking La Garde-Guérin loop

Visorando Member
Boucle de la Garde-Guérin
↔5.48 mi ↗+1,913 ft ↘-1,913 ft ◔4h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Prévenchères (Lozère)
A beautiful loop from the wonderful 12th-century village of La Garde-Guérin to the Cévennes plateau. Pass through the Chassezac, where you can take a dip if you wish.

Walking The Paillère Valley

Visorando Member
La vallée de la Paillère
↔13.35 mi ↗+2,667 ft ↘-2,667 ft ◔8h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Villefort (Lozère) (Lozère)
A long walk where you head up the Paillère valley through the woods before fording the stream. An easy climb then to reach the ridge at Col de Rabusat and return via the GR® trail, which offers beautiful views of the Paillère valley to the west and the Cèze valley to the east.Use of the app is strongly recommended.

Walking Belvédère and balconies of the Chassezac

Visorando Member
↔3.66 mi ↗+223 ft ↘-223 ft ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Prévenchères (Lozère)
A short, very easy hike that can be done with the family. The first 500 m section follows the Chassezac viewpoint route with magnificent views of the gorges and the Roure plateau opposite. On a clear day, you can see Mont Ventoux. The second part follows part of the greenway, created on the abandoned route of the old RN106. On the way back, it passes through fields and hamlets to return to the starting point, with beautiful views of the village of La Garde Guérin, which is well worth a visit.

Walking The Chassezac Gorges upstream from La Garde Guérin

Visorando Member
Les Gorges du Chassezac en amont de la Garde Guérin
↔4.08 mi ↗+732 ft ↘-709 ft ◔2h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Prévenchères (Lozère)
A challenging hike around La Garde Guérin. The route takes in the Chassezac Gorges and the Cévennes railway line. It passes close to the Albespeyres tunnel, which is over 1,500 metres long. Return via the Régordane path and La Garde Guérin golf course.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.