MTB 3 - Descent on the drovers’ road
Key facts
- Distance
- 6.9 km
- Ascent
- +74 m
- Descent
- −364 m
- Estimated time
- 35 min
- mtb
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- official rating
- Route
- Point to point
- ends elsewhere
Profile and gradient
- under 10%
- 10 to 20%
- over 20%
Gradient along the route: 5.9 km under 10% and 1.0 km at 10 to 20%. Elevation from 1,217 m to 1,549 m over 6.9 km.
Description
This circuit leading downhill (370 m) from the summit of Mont Aigoual to the village of L'Espérou offers a variety of environments on tracks and paths in the vast state-owned Aigoual forest. Signposts will guide you all along this route. In the description below, the signposted place names and/or directions are given in bold italics between quotation marks: From the car parks at Mont Aigoual, "Sommet du Mont Aigoual" make for L'Espérou, via the crossroad - “La Source”, - “Le Pontet”, - “La Baraquette”, - “La Sapinière”, - “Balcons de l’Aigoual-Parking”, - “Prat Peyrot-Station”, then - “Le Fangas”, - “Col de La Serreyrède”, - “Le Trévezel”, - “Serre de Favatel”, - “Col de l'Espérou”, - “Montlau “, then - " La Halle" and - “Halle de l’Espérou”. This circuit is taken from the guidebook Massif de l’Aigoual, published by the Communauté de communes Causses Aigoual Cévennes as part of the collection Espaces naturels gardois and the label Gard Pleine Nature.
Difficulty
Official rating: moderate, by Parc national des Cévennes.
Before you go
- Before setting off on a trail, check that it is suitable for your activity and level of ability. Mountain-bikers must wear helmets; protective gear is recommended. Respect other trail users and stay in control of your speed and trajectory. Be careful in winter: strong winds can cause snowdrifts. Keep an eye on the forecast: violent storms and sudden floods can be dangerous. For your safety, do not venture into hunting areas, hunts in progress are indicated by signs (“Chasse en cours” or “Battue en cours”). Respect property, livestock and other users of the area. Biking off-road is prohibited.
Getting there
Start: Mont Aigoual, Val-d'Aigoual (30).
Sources
- Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/39912-Descente-de-la-Draille---VTT-n3). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
- Official elevation gain: 74 m, Parc national des Cévennes
Nearby tracks
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)MTB 11 - Descent to Meyrueis, graded red
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · Point to pointOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)MTB 12 - The ridges of the Vallée Borgne, graded red
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · Point to pointOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)MTB 15 - The Aigoual forest- graded red
Cévennes, Meyrueis (48) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)MTB 9 - The 5 Bonheur passes
Cévennes, Meyrueis (48) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)MTB 2 - a carpet of green
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)MTB 10 - La Luzette, graded red
Cévennes, Dourbies (30) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes