The beech forest walk

Description

This walk passes through one of the most handsome beech forests on the Aigoual. Since the massif was reforested in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it has slowly grown in vigour and health in the foresters’ care. The beech tree first settled the Aigoual massif over 4,000 years ago. It likes altitudes above 1,000 m here, with the sufficient moisture that the frequent fogs bring, as well as north-facing slopes that avoid the excessive heat of summer. This environment also favours many animal species, including the boreal owl, which returned to the massif in the 1990s.

Difficulty

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

Getting there

Start: Col de Montals, Arphy (30).

Sources

• Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/73299-Le-sentier-de-la-Hetraie). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 99 m, Parc national des Cévennes