HIKE 3

Peak St-Loup (Hérault)

This mountain is probably the most popular of the Montpellier region, and on sundays walkers are numerous there. We propose to go up to the summit of the peak from where the view is superb, and then to go round it because the impressive clives of the north face deserves to be seen closely.

In short...

Length : 10 Km (6.2 mi)

Difference in height : 463 m (368 m + 95 m) (1519 ft: 1207 ft + 312 ft)

Time : 3 h 45

Map : IGN 2742 ET (1/25 000).

Difficulties : the slope of the shortcut indicated point (6) is steep.

Season : Autumn, Spring, Winter.

Equipment : light hike, water

Water : no.

Signs : red and white (GR - Grande Randonnée), yellow (PR - Petite Randonnée), red (shortcut).

Advice : avoid to go there on sunny sundays if you don't like crowd.

Profile

Access

Peak St-Loup is 25 Km north of Montpellier.

From Montpellier, take the D986 to Ganges. Before St-Martin-de-Londres, at the crossroads with the D113 that lead leftward to the prehistoric village of Cambous, go right to Cazevieille. Pass the village of Cazevieille. Just outside, on the left, there is a car park for the numerous visitors of the peak.

Itinerary

(numbers refers to the map and the photographs)

(1) The departure of the hike is at the north-west end of car park. A notice indicates GR 60 and distances : peak St-Loup 3 Km, St-Mathieu-de-Tréviers 7 Km. Another notice indicate that the peak area is classified as 'natural site' (protected by law). A picnic table is near here, under the shade of a magnificent oak. We follow the GR path, red an white signs.

(2) A fork: go right to follow the GR. We start to climb on the south side of the mountain The vegetation is those of garrigue : little green oaks (little shade), cistus albidus, pistachio trees. Further a track with no signs go to the right and down. We stay keeping our path, wher several types of signs are visible : red and white for GR, but also red and yellow quite rubbed out and red points.

(3) We arrive next to the fork 'La Croisette' (that means 'little crossroad'). To go up to the peak's summit, go left on the stonny path that goes up amidst oaks. A yellow arrow, painted on a stone indicates 'pic' (peak). The ascent is steep but not difficult. Nevertheless be careful not to loose the right way because the path divides itself into numerous branches. We recommend to follow on the signposted pass (red an yellow) instead of going on one of the numerous "shortcuts" created in the long run by speeded up hikers. That way, you'll avoid to damage the ground (avoiding "human erosion"). Garrigues'ground are so fragile...

(4) We arrive then at the summit (658,2 m - 2160 ft). There is an hermitage on the narrow crest and a watchtower for forest fire surveillance as well. The summit itself is surmounted by a gig iron cross. The view goes far : eastern, the Mediterranean littoral, northern, the Cévennes chain and the Aigoual massif, anfd northeastern, the Séranne mountain, the very south end of the Larzac plateau. Closer, the surrounding garrigues and the villages of the Montpellier region. Northern, the crest dominates the vertiginous sheer cliff of the north side of the peak St-Loup, far below, one can see a track : that is the way we're going to take to go round the peak. Eastern, the Hortus cliff seems very close, it's difficult but possible to distinguish the ruined walls of the Vivioures castle, situated at the left end of the cliff.

(5) The way down is the same that the way up until the La Croisette fork. There, go left, following the going down and east GR path. On the way down, we get a nice view on the ruined castle of Montferrand, on the eastest end of the crest.

(6) On the way down there is a stone cairn. There is a fork. The left path (red circles signs) leads to a possible shortcut of our journey. If you use it, you cross an unnamed pass, follow the cliff's foot, and go down on the other side on a steep muddy track. This track meets the main path that must be taken leftwards to north-west.

(7) If you don't take the shortcut, you just continue on the GR. It meets further and lower another path, yellow signs (PR), that must be taken leftwards to cross the Pousterle pass (357 m - 1762 ft). Then this path goes down on the north side of the St-Loup peak, where vegetation is thicker: forest replace garrigue, the boxtrees, absent on the south side, become numerous under the trees. The hortus mountain is just in front of us, as well as the ruins of the Viviourès castle.

(8) After a while, we go out of forest to arrive on meadow. A bit further, there is fork: go to the left, to north-west, on the GR (yellow signs). There are a red points signs too. The path climbs again, and the peak's clives are now on our left. They show an impressive sheer rock face, appealing for numerous climbers.

(9) The path then stops going up and meets another path, as preeceedingly, turn left to north-west, always on the PR. The meadow, scattered with brooms, give place up to the forest, now made up several species of oaks. Don't follow the paths that go rightwards to the valley, not signtposted.

(10) Leaving the forest, we meet a path going left, to the St-Loup peak. It's the GR 60 that we meet again, and which continues westward merged with the PR. Go to the left: the path climbs along the north side of the peak, first into the forest, then it twists upwards at the foot of the cliff, now less high than they were previously.

(11) A flat place amidst oaks : we're at the path. Avoid the yellow-signposted path that goes left, stay on the GR (red and white signs) and go down. Further, we go below the ruined tower of Cazevieille. The path bring us back to the village. At the road go left to meet the car park.