Hérault gorges

the Hérault Gorges Grand Site

The source of the Hérault lies at an altitude of 1400m, in the heart of the Cévennes mountains. In its first 10 kilometers, the impetuous young torrent descends more than 1,000 meters in altitude.
At Valleraugues, the river calms down a little as it enters a deep valley. As it progresses towards the limestone hills of the garrigues, the relief becomes less rugged and the Mediterranean climate takes hold.

Over the millennia, the river and its floods have eroded the rock, carving out gorges. The narrowest and most spectacular are at Saint Guilhem le Désert.
From April onwards, the clear, calm waters are inviting for a swim. Canoeing and kayaking are the perfect way to get away from it all.

There are many sites not to be missed: the village of Laroque, the bridge of Saint Etienne d'Issenssac (17th century), the Grotte des Demoiselles, the medieval village of Saint Guilhem le Désert, and finally the Pont du Diable, where the Hérault, confined in a narrow, vertiginous canyon, frees itself in the plain, quietly making its way to the sea.