Aubrac hiking trail - Chemin de Saint Guilhem le DésertChemin de Saint Guilhem le Désert in Aubrac
©Hiking on the Chemin de Saint Guilhem le Désert in Aubrac
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The road to Saint-Guilhem le Désert

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  6. Chemin de Saint-Guilhem le Désert

The 240 km long Chemin de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert starts in Aumont-Aubrac and reaches the village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. It crosses several natural areas between the north of the Lozère département and the south of the Hérault. It passes through the heart of our destination via the GR6: St-Germain-du-Teil, Banassac, la Canourgue, les Vignes, le Rozier… An opportunity to stop off in our villages along the way.

Getting there
All about

the Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert road

Le chemin de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is :

  • A GR starting in Aumont-Aubrac and ending in St-Guilhem-le-Désert (one of France’s most beautiful villages)
  • 340 km of GR® trails
  • Approx. 6000 m D+.
  • 12/13 days of hiking in total.
  • Numerous stages and villages for accommodation and supplies.
  • Specific GR markings: white and red.

A LITTLE HISTORY :

This ancient sheep transhumance route linked the Montpellier hinterland to the volcanic plateau of Aubrac. Each season, shepherds drove their animals from the parched garrigues to the fresh green pastures of Aubrac. But the Chemin de Saint Guilhem is also an itinerary used by pilgrims since the Middle Ages, who made the detour to the Abbey of Gellone to pay homage to the relics of the Holy Cross and Saint Guilhem, before continuing on to Santiago de Compostela or Rome. (source: official website of the Chemin de Saint-Guilhem)

Hiker on the Camino de CompostelaHiker on the Camino de Compostela
©Hiker on the Camino de Compostela|© B. Colomb Lozère Sauvage pour PACT Aubrac.
Discover the village of Sainte-Enimie and its churchDiscover the village of Sainte-Enimie and its church
©Discover the village of Sainte-Enimie and its church
A couple on the Causse in the fieldsA couple on the Causse in the fields
©A couple on the Causse in the fields|Rémi Flament
GR736 Gorges and Tarn ValleyGR736 Gorges and Tarn Valley
©GR736 Gorges and Tarn Valley|Clara Ferrand
    panorama causse méjeanThe Causse Méjean, towards Nîmes le Vieux.
    ©The Causse Méjean, towards Nîmes le Vieux.|Benoit Colomb

    DID YOU KNOW?

    The route is dotted with numerous witnesses to the past: villages, farms, churches, crosses, bridges and, at the finish line, the Gellone Abbey in the village of Saint-Guilhem…

    A change of scenery guaranteed

    On the GR de Saint-Guilhem

    From the high granite plateaus of Aubrac and its green high-altitude meadows, head for St-Guilhem-le-Désert, passing through the Lot Valley and its little Lozère Venice(La Canourgue), then on to the Causse de Sauveterre and the mythical Gorges du Tarn, then the Causse Méjean, the Cévennes National Park and the Mont Aigoual massif, and finally the famous Cirque de Navacelles.

    TOURINSOFT TRACE

    A tour of discovery

    At your own pace and according to your desires, cover three hundred kilometers of pure pleasure in one go, or step by step… Enjoy landscapes that are both exotic and varied.

    What are you waiting for to try the adventure of the Chemin de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert?

    La Canourgue place des Lavandières and canals.La Canourgue place des Lavandières and canals.
    ©La Canourgue place des Lavandières and canals.|© B. Colomb Lozère Sauvage Pour Pact Aubrac

    GOOD TO KNOW!

    The route to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert includes the GR 60 and the GR 6 (variant), and La Canourgue is at the crossroads of the two GRs (GR 60 to Ste Enimie or the alternative route Chemin de St-Guilhem par le Rozier GR 6). It’s important not to take the wrong GR from the village, depending on which direction you choose.

    Practical information, your itinerary

    the GR de Saint-Guilhem

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