Wrapped in sun, swept away by wind, a minute away from the Salagou lake, the Mourèze natural amphitheater is a mineral maze. Our path goes all over the big dolomitic rocks that are rightly said ruin-shaped and climb up to the top of mount Liausson, from wher the view on the Salagou lake is beautiful.
In short...
Length : 5,5 Km (3.4 mi)
Difference in height : 325 m (1066 ft)
Time : 2 h 15
Maps : IGN 2643 O (1/25 000) and 'Randonnées au départ de Mourèze' (1/16 000), sold on the spot.
Difficulty : not any
Season : Autumn, Spring, Winter.
Equipment : light hike.
Water : Mourèze, Liausson
Signs : red, blues, yellow, no signs inside the amphitheater itself.
Mourèze is 8 Km west of Clermont-l'Hérault, 50 Km west of Montpellier and 51 Km north of Béziers.
From Montpellier, take the N109 road (A750 motorway to come) to Millau, until the branching off with the N9 (A75 motorway to come). Go then to Clermont-l'Hérault and in Clermont-l'Hérault, go toward Bédarieux by D908. After Villeneuvette, go right at the fork to Mourèze. From Béziers take the N9 toward Millau until Clermont-l'Hérault. There, go toward Bédarieux by D908. After Villeneuvette, go right at the fork to Mourèze.
(numbers refers to the map)
(1) Park in the picturesque village of Mourèze (there is a charge in summer). Then follow the roadsigns that indicates "cirque" (meaning circus, for natural amphitheater) . The start point of the hike is just out of the village.
(2) There, one find a paths fork : a narrow well marked path goes into a grove lewtwards. It continues north-west under the trees'vault. A little damaged sign indicate "col de Porte 45 mn" (Porte pass, 45 mn). It's our way back. Another large sandy path do nort-east: it's our present way. On its side, a notice describes the particularities of the Mourèze amphitheater.
Here we are in the maze. Try to follow the main path. The path first goes east, then pass in a little coomb between two big ruined rocks (about 10 m/33 ft high). it then turn towards north. It seems there is a choice between an infinite number of different path every step, but keep going north-east, staring at the top of mount Liausson.
(3) We leave the maze and the path becomes easy to follow, it is signposted in blue. Behind us, one can see the nearby maze as well as the Mourèze village with the ruins of its former castle set high up on an enormous dolomitic block. Vegetation is at man's size, scattered, and typically mediterranean : oaks, cistus, etc. The path turn toward east and climb on the mountain side.
(4) We then arrive at a fork, neglect the path that goes west (cliff path, red signs partly rubbed away) and go right continuing. The view on the mountains around Clermont-L'Hérault gets nicer and nicer and we can see to the south the mount St-Clair at the sea border (Sète).
(5) We skirt round an escarpment and then arrive at an important fork. We go left. A path goes down on the right, signed in blue, it turns around mount Liausson. As a little notice indicates, it leads to another path that goes to the D8 road and the Combasses gorge, deep gash in the mountain, east of the maze.
(6) Few time later, a new branch off. Go left, following the direction St-Jean, Mont Liausson as indicated on the spot. The path becomes steep. It first goes north-east, then north. It is signposted in red. During the ascent, the ground changes of nature: dolomitic limestones leave place to harder limestones that constitutes the top of the hill. Vegetation changes also: pistachio trees and box trees appears, oaks get bigger and gives a welcome shade.
(7) We arrive at the crest and meet a path east-west that follows it (yellow signs). Right, this path goes to Liausson's cave (easy cave beginning with a large room). We go up to left. On the crest, one can appreciate the large view. We see north the Salagou lake that seems so close, and in the distance the blue line of the Causse du Larzac (plateau). We see east the garrigues, peak St-Loup, and the seaside. We see west the Caroux mountain, and south rising up in the distance, the Pyrenees where it is possible to distinguish the silouhette of mount Canigou.
(8) We just follow westward the crest's path and forget all the going down path that we meet. We arrive then to the ruins of the little chapel St-Jean-d'Aureillan, then we still go to west. The view on the Mourèze's Maze down the hill is splendid.
(9) A cairn maks the summit, 535 m (1755 ft). It also the most western point of the crest, and just after, the path goes down. There are two signs : old blues signs and recent yellow ones (PR). Descent is abrupt, windy, few shady and oriented south-west in a first time.
(10) After 300 m (1000 ft) we arrive at a fork where notices indicate directions to go. The PR (yellow signs) continues north-west, to Porte pass. A track goes left (there is a yellow cross, that means that this path is not the PR). A notice indicates "Miel Blanc", "Les Orgues" and "Portique de Mourèze" (respectively 'white honey', 'the organs' and 'Mourèze's gate'). We go on that track, signposted in red (old signs). We're then amidst oaks that make a little shade. The view on the maze and the village of Mourèze it's now very different than before, when we were on the crest.
(11) A bit further there is a departure on the left. A track goes down steeply between rocks. A little signpost indicate "Miel Blanc" on this track. In fact, "Miel Blanc" is the name of a curious hole in the cliff that can provide a natural shelter in case of thundery shower. It's not far, and we can have a look on it. Then, back on the red signs path. Later, we border "Les Orgues" ('The Organs') and the "Portique de Mourèze" ('Mourèze's gate'). Then we go down north-west in the middle of stunted plants. puis redescent au nord-ouest, dans une végétation rabougrie. The descent is steep and can be a problem in case of stormy shower.
(12) We arrive then at the bottom of the Prats brook comb. There is a path that goes rightward to the lane that goes to the Porte pass, and leftwards goes to Mourèze. We go left. The pass is signposted in blue, goes south-east and away of the valley. The vegetation is scarce and the landscape is made of ruin-shaped rocks. We approaches the Maze. We leave the comb and can see Mourèze and its area, the path leads us back directly.e
(clic on the thumbnails to enlarge them: a new screen will be displayed by your browser. Just close it to come back here)
(1) Mourèze church (XIIth) and rocks around the village.
(2) to (3) the path in the maze. A dolomitic rock.
(7) View north from the summit of mount Liausson : Salagou lake.
(8) Ruins of the priory church St-Jean-d'Aureilhan.
(9) Cairn on the mount Liausson summit (535 m/1755 ft).
(11) Mount Liausson clives seen from the hole nammed "Miel Blanc".
Between (11) and (12) : "Les Orgues" ('The Organs').
The Mourèze maze is a particular geological site.
| The maze of rocks with these stranges shapes is the result of the long work of erosion on a particular rock called dolomite. Dolomite is a calcium magnesium carbonate mineral. |  |
| The intense fragmentation of the dolomite, as well as its pulverulent character allowed innumerable grooves to form and carve this ruins-like landscape. | |
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Disintegration of the mineral release little crystals of dolomite that becomes the sound that lies in the grooves. This sound is call 'grésou'. |
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The Phoenician juniper grows on the dolomitic rocks while in the sound grows a scattered vegetation of multiflowers heather and other unusual plants. |
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Created: 17 January 2000
Last modified: 11 July 2002
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