HIKE 6

Montferrand castle (Hérault)

Built during the XIIth century on an older fortress, Montferrand castle is situated on a spur at the eastern extremity of the peak St-Loup crest. The remnants of the two surrounding walls, the outhouses, the dwellings, the water tanks and the keep still fiercely stands up on the edge of the north breathtakingly cliff. The path to the castle comes from the south where the slope is far gentler, allowing everybody to go up discovering this beautiful medieval castle.

In short...

Length: 5,5 Km (3.4 mi)

Difference in height: 215 m (705 ft)

Time: 2 h

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

Difficulties: no.

Seasons: Autumn, Spring, Winter.

Equipment: light hike, water.

Water: no.

Signs: red and white (GR - Grande Randonnée).

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

Profile

Access

Montferrand castle location is near St-Mathieu-de-Tréviers, 25 Km north of Montpellier.

From Montpellier, take the D17 to Claret, Corconne. Pass Prades-le-Lez. At the beginning of St-Mathieu-de-Tréviers, pass a roud about and continue until a fork. Go left on the D26 to go into the St-Mathieu village. The castle direction is indicated. Follow signs until the gate of Mas de St-Aunès. Don't pass the gate but go down rightward on a earth lane and park.

Itinerary

(numbers refers to the map and the photographs)

(1) The hike starts at the south-west end of the car park, on a large signposted path (red and white: GR 60).

(2) The path climbs to a water reservoir and turns right (north) just before it. While going up, one can see the Montferrand castle ruins, our jaunt's target. Around the path we find a Mediterranean vegetation typical of chalky and worm soils: oaks, cistus, rosemary, pistachio trees. The path is quite large, and one can distinguish on places the gashes made by the heavy rimmed with steel waggons that were used to climb to the castle in the old days. The path seems first to go directly to the castle, but its direction changes to west after some twists.

(3) We arrive on a little clearing. The GR 60 still continues westward. We leave it and go right on the path to the castle.

(4) At the castle, explore the ruins, beware of shaky stones. Those who wants to climb up to the keep should follow the south rock face where it is. A groove between the cliff and a big rock is the way. The view from the top of the castle is sublime, west on the peak St-Loup, north on the Hortus cliff as well as east on the Montpellier plain.

Way back same itinerary.