Ventalon

Key facts

Distance: 8.7 km
Ascent: +452 m
Descent: −405 m
Estimated time: 2 hr 50; hiking
Difficulty: Easy; official rating
Route: Loop; back to the start

Profile and gradient

under 10%
10 to 20%
over 20%

Description

This walk at the foot of the Bougès mountain range takes you onto the Languedoc draille (drovers' road) and over the watershed between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. It has beautiful views onto the Cevennes, the Aigoual massif and Mont Lozère. 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: From "La Croix de Berthel”, walk to “St Maurice de Ventalon” via : - “Les Bastides” - “Plo de la Nassette“. - “St Maurice de Ventalon”, - Then “Col de Malpertus”, - “Le Grand Cougnet”, from there go to “Signal de Ventalon” via “Sous le Signal de Ventalon” and then come back to “Le Grand Cougnet”. - Then “Draille de Ventalon”, "La Croix de Berthel”. This hike is taken from the guidebook Mont Lozère, Pays des sources, Sommet des Cévennes, published by the Pôle de pleine nature du Mont Lozère.

Difficulty

Official rating: easy, by Parc national des Cévennes.

Before you go

Steep path at first. Make sure your equipment is appropriate for the day's weather conditions. Remember that the weather changes quickly in the mountains. Take enough water, wear good shoes and put on a hat. Please close all gates and barriers after yourself.

Getting there

Start: La Croix de Berthel, Pont de Montvert - Sud Mont Lozère (48).

Sources

Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/40194-Ventalon). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
Official elevation gain: 452 m, Parc national des Cévennes