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Park in the car park on the banks of the Gardon in the village of Collias.
(S/E) Cross the bridge over the Gardon. Take thefirst street on the left, Chemin de Saint-Privat, towards the Hermitage. Walk along the Gardon, past the canoe rental car parks, until you reach a crossroads at Moulin de Carrière with a sign indicating the Hermitage.
(1) Turn right onto Chemin de l'Ermitage. Very soon, a stone cross marks a crossroads; continue straight ahead along the discovery trail. When you reach the foot of the Hermitage, climb the dry stone steps leading to the Chapel of Notre-Dame de Laval and the Hermitage cave in the cliff. Recommended visit.
(2) On leaving, continue south to the source of the Ermitage, which flows a hundred metres away at the foot of a rocky outcrop. With your back to the source, walk down the path at the bottom of the valley on the right for a few dozen metres and take a small steep path hidden in the vegetation that climbs up the right bank of the valley and continues for several hundred metres.
You will arrive at an area of large pools where you must cross to the left bank by climbing up a large sloping slab. There are a few shrubs on the right that are useful if the slab is wet. Then rejoin the path that follows the left bank of the valley for several kilometres. You will reach a crossroads of paths at Camp de Gibert.
(3) Keep heading south, continue along the path surrounded by vegetation, then follow the agricultural tracks. Walk along the first field to reach the high point at the second field.
(4) Cross it by turning left, stay left at the crossroads, making a wide turn to head due north. Further on, you will come to a crossroads with four perpendicular directions; continue north.
(5) Take the track on the left and continue to cross Camp de Gibert again, heading due north.
(6) Stay on the track and follow the almost flat path to the start of a descent.
(7) Stay on this track and follow a short descent to reach a path that also marks the end of the track near a large pylon.
Caution: the start of the descent can be slippery when the rock is wet. After a few dozen metres, look out for a small dirt track that branches off to the left. Do not continue down the steep rocky gully.
(8) Take this well-marked path on the left, which winds through the vegetation and leads you to the car park at the end of the Chemin de Saint-Privat, not far from the Gardon.
(9) Below the car park, you will see the ruins of the mill on the banks of the Gardon. Take the road towards Collias, walk alongside the Moulin de Carrière mill and you will reach the crossroads you passed on the way there.
(1) Retrace your steps to return to the car park on the banks of the Gardon (S/E).
Visorando Member
Difficult 
Easy 
Association / Club / Walk leader
