In the heart of the Hérault hinterland, the Tour du Grand Pic Saint-Loup won the title of favorite GR for the French 2020. A great opportunity to place the spotlight on a trail with the scents of the south, rich in its varied and unspoiled landscapes.
Eour vineyards, mountains and scrubland, the Tour of the Grand Pic Saint-Loup is a wonderful long-distance hiking trail. It offers four routes around the famous “Montpellier mountain”. Authentic, green and bright, the Pic Saint Loup rises to 658 meters above sea level. The four hiking routes traced on the vineyard paths, the old transhumance routes or the connecting paths between the villages, allow you to discover the hidden treasures of the Grand Pic Saint-Loup.
The various courses of varying levels are accessible to a large public. They allow walkers and hikers to live an unforgettable adventure. Through typical small villages, mountain landscapes, moors or the Cirque de la Séranne, discovery is everywhere. The gorges of the Hortus, the Cévennes and the valley of the Buèges also leave visitors with memories of unrivaled tranquility, serenity and Mediterranean sweetness.
Four sumptuous courses
The first path allows first of all to realize the Tour de la Séranne to meet the villages. In the heart of the Hérault gorges, it will take 4 days to cover the 68 kilometers of roaming. Hikers thus rally Saint-Martin-de-Londres, Saint-Jean-de-Buèges, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and Puéchabon. Departing from Saint-Mathieu de Tréviers, another 4-day hike will then train athletes discovering the vineyards and the causse. An immersion in the heart of the landscapes shaped by agro-pastoralism and viticulture.
A third loop starting from Saint-Jean-de-Buèges meanders its way through vineyards and mountains, for 3 days and 55 kilometers. The magnificent medieval castle and the Lombard-style Romanesque church of Saint-Jean-de-Buèges, as well as the many surrounding caves, deserve to linger there for a cultural break. The loop from Les Matelles is also a 3-day crossing in the heart of the vegetation Mediterranean. Garrigues, holm oak forests and pine forests provide restful shade for courageous walkers.
A varied outdoor offer
Only 20 kilometers from Montpellier, the Pic Saint-loup and the surroundings therefore constitute an extraordinary green lung. They offer a multitude of possibilities for lovers of outdoor sports. Mountain biking and hiking are popular with Hérault residents and holidaymakers throughout the year. But other activities delight athletes, in the heart of this territory which benefits from a particularly mild Mediterranean climate.
To continue the journey, the Thaurac via ferrata attracts lovers of vertigo. Its monkey bridge, its Tibetan bridge, its zip line and its limestone chimneys are exceptional. For the more adventurous, the Saint-Loup peak also offers on its north face many vertiginous climbing routes. They are perfectly well equipped and signposted. Only five kilometers from the Pic, the Ravin des Arcs canyon is then ideal for a canyoning outing with a majestic arrival on a superb natural arch. To end the extreme adventures, the paragliding flights departing from Causse de l'Hortus offer exceptional panoramas.
Heritage and art of living
After exceptional sports and cultural days, many accommodation and catering places finally allow visitors to take a well-deserved gourmet break. Gastronomy, oenology and local products thus satisfy summer visitors with all the Mediterranean flavors.
The GR de Pays du Grand Pic Saint-Loup is an enchanted Languedoc interlude between sport, nature and heritage. Don't wait any longer to plan your trip.
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