Gorges of the Hérault and the Causse de Blandas

If you opted to spend the night in Sommières, take advantage of the opportunity to buy fresh products at the market for your midday picnic.

Head to the Grottes des Demoiselles (Demoiselles Caves) via D35 then D999 (about 1 hour drive), it’s one of the most beautiful caves in France. You should plan for about 1 hour and 15 minutes for the guided tour starting from the underground funicular railway, the first of its kind in Europe.

The site is located in a very pleasant setting for a lunch break or to spend the night. Enjoy your lunch!

For climbing enthusiasts, there’s a via ferrata and numerous climbing spots.

After lunch, depart for the Cirque de Navacelles (45 min), within the Cévennes National Park. A foretaste of the great canyons of the American West!

You should discover the natural cirque of Navacelles from above (from Blandas) to get a breathtaking view, then descend the hairpin bends. Note that on foot, the walk to the small hamlet at the bottom of the valley is long and steep (recommended for children 12+ years old)

The best option is to drive down the cirque in your for about 4km until a hairpin turn where you can park. From there, a superb relatively easy 1.5km downhill walk begins. The path is very pretty and after 30 minutes of walking, you’ll arrive at the Moulin de la Foux at the foot of the Vis river.

Visit the mills and rest on the tree trunks and rocks before tackling the uphill return which is a bit steep…

Back at your vehicle, head towards the Hérault gorges via the D9. The road from the Cirque de Navacelles to St Guilhem le Désert is magnificent (1 hour). You’ll discover wild and unspoiled nature. At the bottom of the descent, you should stop in the village of Arboras to take a break at the restaurant/workshop “Les Hommes d’Argile”, a timeless place with a superb view over the entire valley.

Then the last stop of this first day in a campervan in Hérault: head to St Guilhem le Désert, rightfully elected as one of the “most beautiful villages in France” and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

To spend the night, the least expensive option is to choose one of the parking lots in Aniane and return to the Pont du Diable parking lot the next day, or alternatively park at the Pont du Diable parking lot (€5 for the day and €8 for the night) or set up along the Hérault river below the Pont du Diable.

Wake up on the banks of the Hérault, near the Pont du Diable (Devil’s Bridge).

To visit St Guilhem, the easiest option will be to park at the Pont du Diable and take the free shuttle to St Guilhem.

A spiritual stop on the Camino de Santiago, this small medieval village is famous for its abbey and narrow streets. You’ll be amazed by so much beauty!

To appreciate the beauty of the Hérault gorges, the best way will be to rent canoes at the Pont du Diable.

Get back on the road to have lunch by the magnificent Lac du Salagou. A surprising artificial lake of 750 hectares amid red rock hills, called “ruffes,” with a touch of Bolivia! Exceptionally photogenic thanks to the mix of blue water, red soil, and green flora, it’s a source of inspiration for remarkable photography.

There are multiple parking options around the Lake. Choose the shore on the Liausson side.

After lunch, leave the red rocks by the lake to discover the almost white rocks of the Cirque de Mourèze. Another classified site, among the great sites of France, it is in contrast to Lac du Salagou a purely natural site!

Surprising and amazing, this landscape, at times lunar and at times worthy of a western movie set, leaves us speechless. An exceptional site, erosion has sculpted extraordinary shapes in the limestone rocks. Let your imagination run wild! The Sphinx, The Bear and the Shepherd, the Turtle.

Park in the parking lot at the bottom of the village and ask for a map at the tourist office at the entrance to the parking lot.

After lunch, leave the red rocks by the lake to discover the almost white rocks of the Cirque de Mourèze. Another classified site, among the great sites of France, it is in contrast to Lac du Salagou a purely natural site!

Surprising and amazing, this landscape, at times lunar and at times worthy of a western movie set, leaves us speechless. An exceptional site, erosion has sculpted extraordinary shapes in the limestone rocks. Let your imagination run wild! The Sphinx, The Bear and the Shepherd, the Turtle.

Park in the parking lot at the bottom of the village and ask for a map at the tourist office at the entrance to the parking lot.

I recommend the “Circuit des Courtinals“, an easy 45-minute route (2km), which starts across from the parking lot (stages 1-2-3-8). If you have more time and are in good shape, two moderate difficulty routes of 3h and 3h30 await you. In any case, the walk ends in the center of the village where you can quench your thirst.

As you leave towards Clermont l’Hérault, stop to discover the hamlet of Villeneuvette, a former royal cloth manufactory: an atypical and timeless village that has been preserved. Allow 2 hours for the guided tour. During the season, guided tours are organized from Tuesday to Friday at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm, and on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays at 3:30 pm. Prices: adults €4 and €2 for children under 12, €3 for groups.

Another option, on the way back to the agency, if you still have a little time, stop to discover the town of Pézenas.

A town of art, crafts, and history, it’s full of treasures around every corner. I loved the charm of its cobbled streets, its mansions, vestiges of an exceptional and preserved past. However, it must be acknowledged that for craft and art lovers, Pézenas deserves a full day of exploration on its own!

You’ll leave with your head full of beautiful memories of Hérault that you won’t soon forget!

Other possible stops along the route:

• The Clamouse Cave, near St Guilhem le Désert. Plan for a visit of at least 1 hour and 20 minutes to cover the 900 m
• For those seeking more excitement, the Spéléopark activity has been set up. It’s a fun initiation to climbing and caving techniques through an unforgettable 2-hour adventure for explorers or 3 hours for the more athletic. Ideal for discovering the backstage of the cave in a different way!