Circuit - Les Roches

Between low dry-stone walls and olive groves, this walk takes you on a tour of the typical hillsides of the Eygues gorges. Overlooking the gorges, the trail follows the ancient Roman road, carved out of the rock and passing over several bridges, the remains of which can still be seen today. An immersion in the heart of the Eygues valley's landscape identity, under the watchful eye of the vultures that nest here.

From the lower entrance to the village, start off at the small crossroads where the "sentier des Oliviers de Villeperdix" sign is located.

1- Go down the small asphalt road and pass the cemetery, leaving it on your left. Go down the road for 500 m and, after three bends, reach the Pibou stream at a concrete ford. Cross the stream and climb up the asphalt to the first bend of this climb. At the signpost, leave the tarmac and turn left onto the downhill path.

2- Follow this little path for 450 m, first slightly downhill, then alongside low dry-stone walls and gradually uphill, until you reach a cairn. At the cairn, turn left onto the ridge. The path then curves back down, crosses a gravel pit and rejoins the stream at the bottom of the valley. Cross the stream and take the right-hand path along the opposite slope until you reach the old Roman bridge under a bend in the D 570 road. Climb up to the road at the "Pont Romain" signpost.

3- Go right down the D 570 for 250 m and, at the ruined house, leave the tarmac to take the left-hand track which climbs up into an old olive grove. Follow this path, which becomes a footpath and climbs up among dry-stone walls until you reach the crest of the hill. When you reach the track, follow it to the right, and 80 m further on, the path descends to the left towards the village.

4- Follow this path down to the left into a small valley, then up again to reach the first houses below the village, between olive and cherry orchards. Turn right onto the D 570 and cross it from side to side, returning along a small tarmac road to the Villeperdrix cemetery. At the corner of the cemetery, turn right up to the village.

Route also available on the Geocaching app:
https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCAND88_villeperdrix-sentier-des-oliviers