Le Ronc rouge

Architecture and village

History and culture

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This walk is on a section of the GR® 44B long-distance path and explores caves, a chapel and pretty views.

2 points of interest

History
Saint Lawrence’s chapel
Every year on 10 August, pilgrims come to thank St Lawrence, once reputed to cure oral diseases. Detailed archaeological study would be necessary to elucidate the mystery of this chapel. A priory belonging to the Abbey of Saint-Andéol-de-Robiac, located in the village, is believed to have stood on the chapel site. The Romanesque chapel, of which only a few traces remain, was probably built between the 11th and 13th centuries. The various types of stone-setting show that, since then, it has been reworked many times, although we do not know when exactly. St-Lawrence’s chapel was stripped of its bell, which is now on the rocky spur that overlooks it.
History
Slag heaps
These heaps are made up of the waste from coal mining. In mining days, the slopes were black and several dozen metres high. Today adapted vegetation covers them, allowing them to blend into the landscape. The slag heap concerned has recently been flattened and used to backfill the track. It is no longer covered by vegetation.

Description

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 "BESSÈGES", head towards "ROCHESSADOULE" via "Bessèges-pont", "La Cantonnade" and "Les Traverses Hautes". From here, you can make a detour to "Les Traverses" to see a cave that contains a petrified tree. Continue to "Plaine de l’Homme Mort", "La Pinède" and "La Rompude" to see the chapel, bell and viewpoint, requiring a short return trip to the chapel. Continue to "Patte d’Oie du Ronc Rouge" and take the fork towards "Conrocs". The return to "BESSÈGES" goes via"Le Baldy", "Le Grand Baldy", "Les Taillades", "Le Crassier", "La Cantonnade" and "Bessèges-pont".

This hike is taken from the guidebook Cévennes Haute Vallée de la Cèze, published by the Communauté de communes Cèze Cévennes as part of the collection Espaces Naturels Gardois and the label Gard Pleine Nature.

Departure : Bessèges: opposite the church
Arrival : Bessèges: opposite the church
Towns crossed : Bessèges, Robiac-Rochessadoule

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

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

Information desks

Tourism office CezeCévennes, Bessèges

50 rue de la République, 30160 Bessèges

https://www.tourisme-ceze-cevennes.com/

besseges.otc-ceze-cevennes@orange.fr

04 66 25 08 60

This office is part of the National Park's associated tourist-information network, whose mission is to provide information on, and raise awareness of, the sites and events as well as the rules that must be observed in the National Park's central zone.
Open year-round

Find out more

Tourism office Cèze-Cévennes Saint-Ambroix

Place de l'ancien Temple, 30500 Saint-Ambroix

https://www.tourisme-ceze-cevennes.com/

stambroix.otc-ceze-cevennes@orange.fr

04 66 24 33 36

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Transport

Bus stop: Mairie
liO is the regional public transport service of the Occitanie/ Pyrénées – Méditerranée region. It facilitates everyone’s movements by prioritising public transport. For more information, call 08 10 33 42 73 or go to www.laregion.fr