The best running trails around Neffiès

The Baumes volcano is the origin of basaltic flows that have shaped a plateau through a process of relief inversion. In addition to its geological interest, it is a natural viewpoint offering a pretty panorama of the surroundings.

Once at the summit, the effort is well rewarded: a magnificent 360° panorama opens up over the Cabrières mountains, the vast Languedoc plain, and the Mediterranean. In clear weather, the view extends as far as the Pyrenees and, sometimes, to Mont Ventoux. On the other side, while Mont Saint-Baudille can be seen in the distance, the relief of Liausson, the dolomitic cirque of Mourèze, the Lousses, and Mont Mars create a spectacular setting. The Pic de Vissou also tells a story: about 470 to 450 million years ago, in the Ordovician period, fine sediments were deposited in a marine environment before transforming into shales. In the Devonian period, between about 390 and 360 million years ago, the sea saw the formation of white limestones, rich in marine fossils, but also red griotte limestones, whose color is linked to iron oxides. In the Carboniferous period, about 350 to 330 million years ago, lydites, dark siliceous rocks, appeared, as well as fine sediments that would become shales. Then the formation of the Hercynian chain disrupted this whole area: the rocks were deformed and displaced. At Vissou, ancient terrains are thus found above younger terrains, testifying to a complex tectonic history. Erosion then shaped the current relief.

Les Crozes are one of those places that you only discover by leaving the classic routes. At the end of a small road lined with holm oaks lies a remarkably preserved hamlet. Its main treasure is the Saint-Martin church, mentioned as early as 990 and completed in the 12th century, whose beautiful pentagonal apse makes it a little gem of Languedoc Romanesque architecture. Also take the time to see the communal oven, restored in 1994, a testament to a time when the whole village came to bake its bread there.

At the turn of the relief, the lake of the Olivettes appears like a breath of fresh air in the landscapes of the Avant-Monts. The reservoir is set in a jewel box of limestone hills, where the lines of Pioch Perdut and Roc de Castel Viel structure the horizon.

A superb 360-degree viewpoint that is well worth it! Be careful if you choose to descend by any path from the summit, expect trails with difficulty levels S3-S4!

A demanding climb rewarded by the panoramic view at the top.

cave along the way

An incredible spot with its 360° view of the surrounding area.