Ventalon en Cévennes

Embed this item to access it offline
A series of reasonable elevation gains, through pasture on the ridge and in the Luech valley, which here forms a sort of cirque. Handsome views south towards the end.
A series of reasonable elevation gains, through pasture on the ridge and in the Luech valley, which here forms a sort of cirque. Handsome views south towards the end.

4 points of interest

  • Architecture

    The hamlet of L'Espinas

    Built on a transport route used throughout the centuries, the hamlet of L’Espinas was a stopover for travellers and itinerant shepherds and their livestock moving between the plains and highland pastures. It lies on one of the branches of the Jalcreste draille, the ancestral drovers’ road that follows the ridge.
  • History

    In the days of the Camisards

    The cemetery contains the graves of Protestants, whose religion was banned by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes until the French Revolution and who therefore had to bury their dead on private land. The hamlet of L’Espinas is among the places of remembrance of the Camisard War (1702-1704): the revolt by the Protestants of the Cévennes against Royal Catholic rule.
  • History

    Castagnols

    (origin of the name: chestnut orchard).
    An important village long before Vialas, located close to a traffic artery on the ridge, Castagnols was the parish seat until 1684. The canons of the collegiate chapter at Bédouès benefited from the substantial revenues of its priory, founded by Guillaume de Grimoard, the future Pope Urban V. The inhabitants of Castagnols later strongly supported the Reformation. The Catholic church was burned down during the Camisard era. After 1970, Cévennes enthusiasts rebuilt it from the ruins.
  • History

    Le Villaret mine

    In around 1920, a baryte mine brought much-appreciated income to over 20 families. “Transport was by tractor carrying a crate that contained 2 tons of baryte and pulling a trailer that contained another four tons. That way, we transported 6 tons per trip to the train station at Génolhac, and, when all was going well, we did two trips per day, so a maximum of 500 tons a month” ( Aristide Vignes).


Description

Follow the waymarks for trail #26.
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 “Relais de l’Espinas” go to “Castagnols” via “Draille de l’Espinas”, “Pradiguas”. At “Castagnols”, head for “Soleyrols” via “La Tranchée”, “Légaou”, “Rieutort”. At “Soleyrols”, go to “Col de Chalsio” via “Ruisseau du Villaret”, “Le Villaret”, “Sous le col de la Baraquette”, “Col de la Baraquette”. At “Col de Chalsio” return to “Relais de l’Espinas” via “Draille de l’Espinas”.

This trail is taken from the guidebook Mont Lozère – Pays des sources, Sommet des Cévennes, published by the Pôle de pleine nature du mont Lozère.
  • Departure : Relais de L’Espinas
  • Arrival : Relais de L’Espinas
  • Towns crossed : Ventalon en Cévennes, Vialas, and Pont de Montvert - Sud Mont Lozère

Forecast


Altimetric profile


Recommandations

Before committing yourself to a circuit, ensure that it is suitable for your activity level and ability. Remember that the weather changes quickly in the mountains. Please close all gates and barriers behind you. Stay on the marked path.

Information desks

Office de tourisme Des Cévennes au mont Lozère

le Quai, 48220 Le Pont de Montvert sud mont-Lozère

https://www.cevennes-montlozere.com/info@cevennes-montlozere.com04 66 45 81 94

Tourism'house and national Parc at Florac

Place de l'ancienne gare, N106, 48400 Florac-trois-rivières

https://www.cevennes-gorges-du-tarn.cominfo@cevennes-parcnational.fr04 66 45 01 14

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.

On site:  exhibitions, video projections, events and shop Open year-round

Find out more

Tourism office Coeur de Lozère, Mende

BP 83, place du Foirail, 48000 Mende

https://www.mende-coeur-lozere.frmendetourisme@ot-mende.com04 66 94 00 23

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 Des Cévennes au mont-Lozère, Vialas

48220 Vialas

https://www.cevennes-montlozere.com/info@cevennes-montlozere.com04 66 45 81 94

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 July and August

Find out more

Access and parking

From Pont-de-Montvert-Sud-Mont-Lozère or from Vialas, to La Croix de Berthel on the D 998, then to Relais de L’Espinas on the D 35 (the “Route des Crêtes” or ridge road).

Parking :

Relais de l'Espinas

Source

CC des Cévennes au Mont Lozèrehttp://www.cevennes-mont-lozere.fr/
Parc national des Cévenneshttp://www.cevennes-parcnational.fr/
Pôle pleine nature Mont Lozère

Report a problem or an error

If you have found an error on this page or if you have noticed any problems during your hike, please report them to us here: