Col de Bès (Saint-Martial)

Key facts

Distance: 8.0 km
Ascent: +439 m
Descent: −376 m
Estimated time: 2 hr 35; hiking
Difficulty: Moderate; official rating
Route: Loop; back to the start

Profile and gradient

under 10%
10 to 20%
over 20%

Surface and path types

Surface: Paved 37%
Dirt & gravel 63%
Path types: Trail 63%
Road 37%

Description

A hike through the typical scenery of the first foothills of the Cévennes. 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 at "ST MARTIAL - L’Ost", walk to “COL DE LA TRIBALE” via: - “St Martial - Village”, - “Draille de la Tribale”. At the crossroads “Col de la Tribale”, turn left towards : - “Col de Bès”, “Le Bès”, “Les Vernèdes”, - “Triaire”, “Draille de la Tribale” and “St Martial - Village”. This walk is taken from the guidebook Autour de Ganges et Sumène published by the Communauté de Communes des Cévennes Gangeoises et Suménoises as part of the collection Espaces Naturels Gardois et Héraultais.

Difficulty

Official rating: moderate, by Parc national des Cévennes.

Before you go

Make sure your equipment is appropriate for the day’s weather conditions. Take enough water, wear sturdy shoes and put on a hat.

Getting there

Start: Saint-Martial, Saint-Martial (30).

Sources

Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/98322-Le-col-de-Bes). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
Surface and path types: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, extract of 28 October 2026, matched to the track every 10 m (openstreetmap.org/copyright)
Official elevation gain: 439 m, Parc national des Cévennes