Mont Liausson - Hike of the Cirque de Mourèze – loop from Mourèze

What a great route, but you should be sure-footed and bring decent hiking boots with good soles and lots of water 🥵 I drank 5 liters that day, 2 liters 💧💧 of them on the hike and 3 afterwards until I was balanced again 💧💧💧. 32% gradient with the rocky ground is not easy 🥾🥾

Today I made a very nice hike, again from one of the recommended Rother guides. We started at a parking lot, which is there precisely because of this natural spectacle (3 € for the day). I started around 11 a.m. when it was really warm. But that doesn't scare me on hikes in the south, to be honest, I like that. You might walk a little slower and drink (and carry ...) a little more water, but the shimmering heat makes for scurrying lizards and the special, aromatic smell for which I gladly accept 10 degrees more. The tour is manageable for an occasional hiker, but I barely managed a short part of the descent. It was so steep that the profile of my shoes made me slide while standing. So focus down so that you don't roll over and hold on to every trustworthy tree. But, I also know that from the south: there are more or less sprightly seventies around that you could really worry about. But they can do it. My respect to the tough French. You will be rewarded with indescribable stone formations that were sculpted by erosion. I was always torn - take more photos or stop because you can't capture it in the picture anyway. Exciting: Every now and then you have to find your way, many have emerged over time and the markings are not always helpful. Tip: If you follow the yellow marking, for example, the yellow cross means that you should not go along here. :-)

Difficult course, especially since we had showers. The dirt stuck to the shoes and the rocky headlands were slippery. The scenery is splendid and the view of the lake incredible.

Sweaty mountain tour that felt twice as high and twice as far ... but very beautiful rock formations and great views of the lake and the surrounding area. The village of Moureze is very romantic ... with nice residents. The climbs and climbs are pretty steep but great and varied in nature everywhere.

Actual elevation gain = 422 m (recording issue) Dominated by the rocky ridge of Mont Liausson, the Cirque de Mourèze offers a beautiful stroll through a fairytale landscape where the dolomite forms veritable natural sculptures amidst a chaos of upright rocks. A challenging climb leads to the summit of Mont Liausson to enjoy an exceptional panoramic view of Lake Salagou: a highlight of the Grand Site Salagou – Cirque de Mourèze!

An impressive circular hike through the unique rocky landscape of the Cirque de Mourèze with its bizarre dolomite formations. The trail leads along narrow paths, partly through the rocks, and past viewpoints with magnificent views of Lake Salagou. It's especially beautiful in the morning or late afternoon.

If you are on holiday in this region, it is somehow a must to visit the Cirque de Mourèze. More than 150,000 visitors come here every year to walk the circular path and watch the stone spectacle. We join in. But it is worth it! The start is quite harmless, you gradually gain height, make a detour to the Belvédère de Mourèze and the view opens up to the first rock formations. So beautiful! We continue, the path becomes narrower, rockier and dustier and then you have to climb a bit. But you are rewarded with wonderful views of the village of Mourèze and the area, from which rocky peaks and all kinds of stone shapes rise up everywhere. The trail continues upwards, now without scrambling, it's more like climbing stairs on naturally formed steps made of rock, then it continues under low trees, always upwards, which isn't quite as much fun in sunny, warm weather - and today without wind. But the effort is quickly forgotten once you're at the top and can enjoy the view of Lac du Salagou from there. It's a good place to rest and have a picnic. From now on it goes steadily downhill, sometimes more, sometimes less steeply; then you reach the village. It's very small and old and pretty, and it's hard to imagine so many people rushing through here. After a coffee we continue on the last stretch, we make another detour to the Parc des Courtinals to look at a few more rock teeth and figures. The last bit of the trail goes back on the familiar entry route and soon we reach the car park and this really great tour is over. What I really liked, besides the rocks and the views of the area, were the paths. The nature and variety of the paths. Sometimes made of rock, sometimes rooty forest floor, gravelly, dusty, sandy, earthy, stony. Up and down, flatter, steeper. Really great!

A very pretty walk among rocks with incredible shapes and sometimes improbable balance. The view of Salagou at the top of Liausson mountain is the icing on the cake. Taking care to wear good shoes is a big challenge.