HIKING THE TWO LAKES TRAIL - GR® DE PAYS ENTRE DEUX LACS AVÈNE – SALAGOU

1

Ceilhes
In Ceilhes, take time to stroll through the medieval alleys of the village and soak up the calm of the place. A lovely maze, a magnificent church, beautiful doors, a refreshing fountain: what a beautiful village! After enjoying the banks of the Bouloc water body and the pleasures of the beach in good weather, alternating trails and tracks in the cool atmosphere of a north-facing forested slope lead you to the heights of the lake’s east bank.

2

Mont Redon
A little over 750m altitude, it is the summit of the area. Here too, the panorama over the lake and the rolling landscapes of forests and pastures is stunning! From Mont Redon, you can see far in all directions. Another beautiful panorama awaits on the descent to the hamlet of Rouvignac (take the detour to admire the beautiful church and cemetery). The descent path on a comfortable track allows reaching the lake shores. A small climb then brings you to the viewpoint on the dam.

3

Monts d’Orb Lake Dam
Created in 1962 for hydroelectric production and regulating the Orb river’s course, Monts d’Orb lake is 6 kilometers long with an area of 190 hectares. An old lead and silver mine lies now submerged under the lake: mines and their exploitation were a source of wealth for the Orb valley from Antiquity until the 1950s. It’s time to leave the lake by crossing the pretty hamlet of Brès to descend towards Avène.

4

Avène and its thermal baths
Avène’s economy was based on significant mining activity from Antiquity until 1954. Today, it is mainly nature that provides Avène with one of its benefits: water from the depths of the Languedoc earth. After wandering through the pretty narrow streets topped with magnificent arches of this circular architecture village, nestled in an Orb river meander, the path reaches the Thermal Baths site: peaceful, relaxing... like the wellness and beauty product range of the Avène brand. Beyond the thermal area, you will find a magnificent hotel and an excellent restaurant! The establishment is engaged in a genuine eco-responsible approach: using local products, innovative architectural and technical choices saving energy... The wellness break is welcome because after: it climbs! After crossing the pretty hamlet of Planes and admiring the old communal oven, the path switches to a more Mediterranean environment to reach the hamlet of Saint Barthélémy, then passing close to the Dalmerie hamlet.

5

La Dalmerie and its Orthodox monastery
An Orthodox monastery in the heart of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park? No surprise. Peaceful and well-preserved, the area invites contemplation and many communities have settled between Monts d’Orb, Larzac, and Escandorgue. A few kilometers as the crow flies, in Roqueredonde, you can visit a Buddhist temple (Lerab Ling, one of the gems of Lodévois and Larzac). It is possible to detour to admire more closely the Saint-Nicolas Orthodox monastery before a steep climb leading to a wonderful panorama over the Monts d’Orb, Escandorgue, and the Gravezon valley. Change of atmosphere: you descend south-facing into a new valley that will hold beautiful surprises.

6

Joncels
After admiring a beautiful railway viaduct and crossing the hamlet of Joncelets, a comfortable track leads to Joncels with views over a pretty valley: Mediterranean atmosphere and vineyards... this is the South! A village of superior interest, Joncels overlooks the Gravezon valley and is crossed by narrow streets with picturesque houses. A stop for pilgrims heading to Compostela from Lodève, Joncels preserves remains of a Benedictine Abbey dating back to the 8th century and, in the Middle Ages, one of the most important in Languedoc. After crossing the cloister, the path heads towards Lunas, following the Arles route to Compostela.

7

Lunas
A charming village nestled at the confluence of Gravezon, Nize, and Dourdou! Lunas's history goes back to the Roman road that connected lower Languedoc to Rouergue. Probably succeeding a Gallo-Roman oppidum, the castrum Lunarenses is mentioned from 806 in a charter of the Gélone Abbey (the one of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert). The town is dominated by the Redondel rock, an old castle belonging to the Baron of Faugères, Viscount of Béziers. Razed in 1627, it was rebuilt on the edge of the Gravezon in 1641 by Henry of Narbonne. A true summary of Languedoc’s history, and a very pleasant cultural, refreshing, and gastronomic stop… A little detour to enjoy the leisure base of Prades and a break at the Saint-Georges chapel site, then a steep climb to reach the Dio plateau, regaining the welcome shade of the Monts d’Orb state forest. The path leaves the “Grandes Traversées VTT” of the Massif Central and Hérault to enjoy beautiful views over the Orb valley, reaching a magnificent panorama at the Montjoux paragliding take-off: Bédarieux, the Caroux…

8

Dio
A pleasant trail, then a visual shock: you arrive at Dio! Sheltered by white limestone cliffs and emerging from the red earth characteristic of the Salagou lake surroundings, the village nestles under the imposing silhouette of its castle, a real legendary fortress. Its construction began in the 11th century to defend the border between Aquitaine, then an English possession, and Languedoc. The castle, rehabilitated over the last twenty years by its current owner, hosts events and guided tours. The medieval hamlet is also being rehabilitated and houses several tourist accommodations. Friendly advice: stay at the Castelou, with Fred and Michel... Nature lovers, they are perfect hosts! On the way to Brenas, you finally catch sight of Salagou lake: a favorite spot is the passage of the Montbringues ridge...

9

Brenas
From Montbringues, a track gently descends to Brenas: don’t miss the very beautiful orientation table made by a local craftsman. Brenas is a 'special' place, a hinge between the Monts d’Orb and Salagou lake, with crazy charm. The village dominates the Salagou valley and its cattle and sheep farms that provide milk for Roquefort cheese. The source of the Salagou river is located at the Merquière pass, the commune boundary with Dio Valquières and Carlencas. On the descent after Brenas and the Mas bas, an impressive viewpoint overlooks a canyon of ruffes: in the background, the castellas of Mérifons, erected on a volcanic cone. In spring, the color contrasts are striking. The bright yellow of blooming brooms mixes with the green of evergreen oaks and the red of the ruffe: welcome to the Grand Site Salagou – Cirque de Mourèze!

10

Octon
Octon is a 'favorite' village, symbolic of the particular ambiance of the Grand Site villages. Its multicolored stone facades, wine cellars (Mas des chimères, Mas du Salagou, Trois terres…), and the charming fountain on the square give a Mediterranean air to this lively village during summer. Café de la Place or La Calade restaurant: two atmospheres in a relaxing setting just steps from the lake.

11

Banks of Salagou Lake
The end of the Two Lakes Trail is here: at the level of the Arcades campsite and the 'totem' of the Grand Traverse of the Massif Central by MTB. A remarkable viewpoint over Salagou lake offers itself to you: reed beds, Neck de la Roque... In summer, a few hundred meters to the left allow reaching the wonderful guinguette of the Nautical Relay: swimming, pedal boat or stand-up paddle... and a very nice table! Take time to chat with the friendly team of the nautical relay: passionate people, a bit crazy... like the landscapes of Salagou.

Our suggested “favorite” stages: - 1st day: Ceilhes - Avène (17 km) - 2nd day: Avène - Joncels (18 km) - 3rd day: Joncels - Dio (14 km) - 4th day: Dio / Salagou (18 km)
Another suggestion, as a randotrail over 3 days - 1st day: Ceilhes - Avène (17 km) - 2nd day: Avène - Lunas (22.5 km) - 3rd day: Lunas / Octon (25 km, plus 2.5 km to reach the lakeshore, as 'active' recovery)
GR® and GR® de Pays are registered trademarks of the FFRandonnée, designating routes marked with white-red signs under the name “GR®”, and yellow-red markers under the name “GR® de Pays.” These routes are creations of FFRandonnée. Unauthorized reproduction, as well as the GR® and GR® de Pays trademarks, constitute counterfeiting punishable by legal action. Find all the GR® on mongr.fr

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