A walk in Menhir Country

Description

A walk that explores megalithism, one of the most mysterious phenomena of the late Neolithic. 5,000 years ago, groups of humans settled the Cham des Bondons plateau and marked the landscape by erecting megaliths (imposing stone monuments). With almost 200 standing stones identified so far, this site has one of the most important concentration of menhirs in France. The five-kilometre trail showcases some of the monuments and has panoramic views over the Causses plateaux. The path goes downhill on a wide draille (drovers' road) that has a superb viewpoint over the Causses plateaux, before gradually reaching the Chabusse plateau and the hamlet of Les Combettes. After a quick there-and-back within the hamlet itself (exhibition in a former oven building), you gently go uphill again in Les Cades valley, a Natura 2000 site, on a wide track that winds between pastures and pine forests.

Difficulty

Official rating: very easy, by Parc national des Cévennes.

Getting there

Start: Parking, Saint-Étienne-du-Valdonnez (48).

Sources

• Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/38011-Balade-au-pays-des-menhirs). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 193 m, Parc national des Cévennes