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WALK 3

Roc de L’Esparon

Start point	Village of Molières-Cavaillac
Height gain	378m
Difficulty	Moderate walk – uphill to start and a short scramble to the Roc de L’Esparon
Time	3hrs 30mins
Maps	Cartes IGN No. 2641 Top 25 Mont Aigoual/Le Vigan 1:25,000
How to get there (from Le Vigan)	From Le Vigan take the D999, direction Millau, for 4.1km. At Cavaillac turn up right on the D272, signposted Bréau-Salagosse/Molières-Cavaillac, and then shortly after left on the D790, which takes you to the village (7km from Le Vigan). Pass a little park bordered with rosemary bushes and turn up left and park in an open area at the top.
Signposting	Signposting : Good – follow PR20 posts and yellow splashes which are very clear most of the way round

This is a delightful walk through three lovely villages with a spectacular view down the valley surrounding Le Vigan.

There is an interesting legend concerning three brothers who came from the Château de L’Esparon, called Alban, Loup and Guiral. On her deathbed their mother begged them to marry into local families and produce heirs. Unknown to each other each of the three fixed his sights on the same beautiful girl, called Irène, and played court to her. Unable to choose between them she decided she would tell them they had to go to the Crusades to prove which one was the bravest. This they did but on arriving home they found to their consternation that in the meantime their loved one had died. United in their grief they decided to become hermits and exiled themselves to live on the summits of three local peaks – Saint-Alban, Pic Saint-Loup and the Mont St-Guiral (Walk 14).

(1) Follow the road up from the parking (Chemin de la Filature) and then as indicated by yellow splashes bear up right towards the church (Place de l’Eglise). Go down on a narrow road to the left of the church (not the Rue de L’Eglise right beside the church) and then left again on the Rue Mènard where there is a yellow arrow. Follow the road round right which goes under an attractive stone porch to the Place Bellevue (ancient gateway to the village) where there is a good view into the Arre valley.

(2) The yellow splashes direct you down out of the village, and after about 270m, where there is a small iron cross and a post with‘PR.20 (3)’on it, go up to the right (10mins).

This is a wide stony track along the top of old terraces with a wall on the right, which goes gently upwards. There are cherry trees (delicious to eat if you do the walk in early June) and some old olive trees; otherwise it is an open path, so there are sweeping views into the valley below and later on you can see the outskirts of Le Vigan.

(3) The path bears up to the right initially between stone walls (15mins) and then continues climbing steadily along the top of former terraces. It narrows and becomes stonier as it enters scattered oak woods, continuing along the side of the hill, and eventually flattens off. It goes through a wooden barrier and starts gently climbing again.

(4) Where there is a yellow cross on the path ahead and a low barrier of stones, bear up to the right by a wooden post, PR20(4) – (the straight path does in fact go directly to the village of Esparon but has been closed because of rock falls). The path is narrow and climbs up quite steeply. Follow the yellow splashes carefully. Bear left at the top by a wall and go over a smart new stile to reach a wider track.

(5) Bear left here (yellow cross on tree right) and a few metres later bear left again at another intersection. The wooded area is scattered with rocks. Where the path turns a corner you get your first view of the rocky outcrop of the Esparon, which looks unusual as it appears to be a pile of jumbled boulders with trees on the top – and looks tricky to get to the top of!

Follow the yellow splashes along the path which initially goes through stone walls and then, after veering left, climbs steeply upwards – there is a short rocky scramble over some boulders and you arrive at a flat spur (1hr 5mins). From here you can see the valley coming in from the right and opening out as the Coudoulous river (not visible) comes down from the north to join the waters of the Arre. The scattered buildings are the outskirts of Le Vigan – all around are rolling hills covered with forest.

(6) Bear right on a defined path which goes underneath a big rock and round the bottom of the Esparon hump where there are some stately cedar trees – there are lots of yellow crosses telling you not to go to the left and attempt to climb it, though it is surely possible. At a fork go right down the side of the hill. You can see a big farm down on the right and, shortly after, the village itself on the left as the path meets the narrow road going into the hamlet (1hr 15mins).

It is worthwhile exploring the short winding streets of Esparon to admire the ancient houses, which have been tastefully renovated.

(7) At the little Place du Village turn down right just before the low wall of the half-renovated bakery. (Note: this shortcut is easy to miss because of the renovations, so if you cannot find it continue down on the road – you can see the col below quite clearly). The grassy shortcut path soon crosses the road and continues down to reach the Col de L’Esparon (1hr 25mins) at an intersection.

(8) Cross the road to meet a signpost at the Col de L’Esparon. Take direction La Bernadette 3.8kms, Bréau-et-Salagosse 4.9kms. The jeep track passes a house up on the left and soon enters cool chestnut forest. Ignore any turnings off and keep to the main track, which is wide and flat – just after the turning DFCIG-59 look for a bevy of white beehives in a small clearing to the right.

(9) Where the track meets pine trees look for a signpost indicating right down a narrow path. There is a red/yellow cross on the track ahead. The path goes down medium steep through tall grasses and pines to reach a jeep track in a clearing.

(10) Go down right on the jeep track.Careful – do not take the track immediately after to the right. Further down go through a barrier (sign here indicating‘Fôret Dominale de L’Aigoual’). When the jeep track veers to the right, go straight on to a narrower track. Continue round a wide tree-covered gully, where you can distinguish on the surrounding slopes the bright green chestnuts from the more muted oaks and, sticking out like pylons, the darker pine trees. The path crosses a rivulet, which runs through the gully and eventually goes out into the open through a grassy area with lots of broom and heather.

(11) At a junction (2hrs 20mins) where there is another post, PR20(8), turn right as indicated and descend gently to reach the village of Bréau-et-Salagosse. The view opens out and you get a beautiful view of the valley and surrounding hills.

(12) At the top of the village in the Place Prisonnière go left following yellow splashes (ignore red/yellow cross) which take you down the long quaint village street. Go right at an iron bench just before entering the Place de la Mairie, where there is a charming auberge, Les Quatres Saisons (2hrs 35mins).

(13) Go left in the Place and then right down the Ancienne Voie Romaine which turns into a narrow cobbled track with high walls each side. This is part of an ancient Roman road, which went from the town of Nîmes to Millau. It reaches the D272 after a few minutes.

(14) Walk a few metres to the left and take a path down right just before the road turns (2hrs 45mins). This is another wide, shady sunken mule track, which joins the road again.

(15) Go right and cross a bridge over a dry riverbed. Turn a corner and take the second turning to the right at a new signpost Les Vignes indicating Molieres-Cavaillac 1.3kms.

There is a warehouse left and further up a number of new houses. At the end of the houses the road becomes a jeep track. Continue up keeping to the right and where it goes into a field take a narrow rocky path right (there are yellow splashes here). Shortly after keep left (right goes up over a field to a half-finished house). The narrow balcony path is undulating along the side of a hill in and out of woodland, past a ruin to the left. You have completed a circle and the rocky Esparon hump is now straight ahead.

(16) The path goes down between high banks to a road. Go right to reach a signpost. Following yellow splash go up right on to a wide jeep track. A few minutes after, on a wide corner, go straight ahead on a narrow path and follow signs on left which take you up by a small park to the entrance of the village. Retrace your steps to the parking (3hrs 30mins).