The 4,000 Steps
Key facts
- Distance
- 23.0 km
- Ascent
- +1,324 m
- Descent
- −1,204 m
- Estimated time
- 7 hr 45
- hiking
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- official rating
- Route
- Loop
- back to the start
Profile and gradient
- under 10%
- 10 to 20%
- over 20%
Gradient along the route: 10.5 km under 10%, 10.5 km at 10 to 20% and 2.0 km over 20%. Elevation from 352 m to 1,506 m over 23.0 km.
Description
This is an emblematic trail from Valleraugue to the summit of Mont Aigoual. It uses the former postman's path to reach, after 1,220 m of height difference, the highest point in the Gard department. Exceptional panoramic views in clear weather! 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: Starting from "Valleraugue - Office du Tourisme", until you reach - "Belvédère des 4000", make for Mont Aigoual by - "Roc Noir", - "Rocalte", - "L'Estivel", - "Plo Caballa", - "Casalis", - "Valat de la Fageole", - "La Fageole", - "L'Apollon", - "Menhir de Trépaloup". From here, you can hike to "Mont Aigoual" via "Mont Aigoual - Sommet" and return the same way. At the crossroads "Menhir de Trépaloup", direction - "COMBE RUDE", - "Font de Trépaloup". Follow the GR® 6 -7- 66 hiking-path to - "Combe de Lambert", - "Cap de Brion", then join "Aire de Côte" via GR®6 - "La Fayssolle", - "La Termède", - "Le Coulet". - "Montée du Bédil". - At "Aire de Côte", return to "Valleraugue" via - "Le Fageas", - "Combe Première", - "Le Châtaignier" and - "Foyas". This walk 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: difficult, 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 good shoes and put on a hat. Please close all gates and barriers after yourself.
Getting there
Start: Valleraugue, Val-d'Aigoual (30).
Sources
- Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/39567-Les-4000-marches). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
- Official elevation gain: 1,324 m, Parc national des Cévennes
Nearby tracks
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)Le sentier du Ciel
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)Col d'Elze
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)Versant méditerranéen de l'Aigoual (4 jours)
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · Point to pointOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)The cart trail
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)Taleyrac
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes
© OpenStreetMap, SRTM · OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)L'oignon doux - sentier de découverte
Cévennes, Val-d'Aigoual (30) · LoopOfficial rating by Parc national des Cévennes