Tour in the Grand Pic St-Loup From the Séranne to the Hérault gorges

Starting from the medieval village of Saint-Martin-de-Londres, this hike in the heart of the Grand Pic Saint-Loup offers an immersion into the garrigue of the Hérault region. The trail first crosses Viols-le-Fort, a 15th-century fortified town, before reaching the limestone plateau of Puéchabon, overlooking the Hérault gorges. The area's heritage is showcased with the Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge) in Saint-Jean-de-Fos, followed by the arrival in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, a jewel of Romanesque art. The route then climbs towards the wild Séranne mountain, offering breathtaking panoramas of the Cévennes valleys. Descending via Saint-Jean-de-Buèges, dominated by its feudal castle, the trail continues onto the Causse-de-la-Selle, an ancient pastoral territory where dolmens bear witness to millennia of human occupation.

The territory stretching from the Séranne massif to the Hérault gorges, dominated by the Pic Saint-Loup, marks the transition between the Cévennes foothills and the Mediterranean plain. The landscape is spectacular, composed of vast limestone plateaus, steep cliffs, and the karst topography that characterizes the region. These expanses are covered with typical Mediterranean flora, the garrigue, rich in holm oaks, thyme, and rosemary, perfuming the air. The history here is ancient and illustrious, marked by the medieval heritage of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and the famous Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge). The fauna is diverse, with birds of prey nesting in the Hérault gorges and wildlife adapted to the plateau's aridity. Today, this region is also renowned for its viticulture, particularly the Pic Saint-Loup appellation, which showcases this unique terroir.

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Distance: 68km, Elevation maximum: 777m, Elevation minimum: 44m, Elevation gain uphill: 2107m
IGN Maps: 2642ET - SAINT-GUILHEM-LE-DESERT. 2742ET - GANGES / PIC SAINT-LOUP / SAINT-MARTIN-DE-LONDRES.