Champdomergue

Description

Champdomergue: a site of remembrance of the wars of religion and World War II. Here everything is a reminder of subsistence farming, where people grew their own vegetables and maintained the chestnut orchards: walled terraces that have now been colonised by holm oak; a former béal (irrigation channel) carved into the rock; a wall built from upright stones. At Champernal bridge, take the path on the right bank of the brook to join up with a disused railway. 1) Turn right onto the disused railway. 2) Immediately after the railway bridge, take the little path on the left that goes uphill via Rome to join up with a track on the ridge. 3) Turn right onto this track until you reach the road, which you take downhill through Leyris Bas. Past this hamlet and a spring, take the path that goes uphill on the left. You climb through a reforested area of pine, Douglas fir and spruce, crossing a forestry track several times. 4) When you reach the ridge track, take a track on the left to Champdomergue. Walk around the meadow on the left. At the road, turn right and go downhill to the pass. 5) Below the pass, take the track on the right. 6) At the first intersection, go downhill on the left and continue on the main track. Then take the road downhill to Altavias, La Borie and Soulatges. 7) Take the path downhill to Burjas, which runs above the disused railway. 8) Take the disused railway for 750 m. 9) Fork left onto a path that comes out on the N 106. Turn right onto the road to get back to your car.

Difficulty

Official rating: moderate, by Parc national des Cévennes.

Before you go

• Make sure your equipment is appropriate for the day’s weather conditions. Remember that the weather changes quickly in the mountains. Take enough water, wear sturdy shoes and put on a hat. Please close all gates and barriers behind you.

Getting there

Start: N106, virage en épingle sous La Blacherette (pont de Champernal), Saint-Privat-de-Vallongue (48).

Sources

• Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/43242-Champdomergue). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 482 m, Parc national des Cévennes