Hiking in Cité de Pierres of Montpellier-le-Vieux: trails, map and practical info

What you come for

The Cité de Pierres at Montpellier-le-Vieux is a 120-hectare geological park on the Causse Noir, inside the Grands Causses regional nature park, 15 km from Millau and 12 km from Le Rozier. It is privately owned and classed as a natural site. According to the operator, ticket sales and activities are its only income, which is why there is an admission fee.

The landscape is made of giant rocks, lanes, walls and cirques. According to the operator, a warm, shallow sea covered the area more than 170 million years ago and its deposits formed a limestone layer about 300 m thick; water seeping into cracks then carved these shapes. The site's trails total 8 km.

The five marked trails

• Le Belvédère: starts at the site entrance, 50 min one way. The easiest walk to reach the Porte de Mycènes, the emblem of the Cité de Pierres.
• Les Remparts: starts at the site entrance, 50 min one way. A steep panoramic ridge up to the Douminal summit (840 m), where there is an orientation table.
• Les Géants: starts at the Citerne roundabout, 30 min one way. An easy forest path among the giant rocks.
• Le Magnifique: starts at the Citerne roundabout, 30 min one way. A balcony above the deep Dourbie gorges, leading to the viewpoint called "Le Magnifique".
• Le Labyrinthe: starts at the picnic area by the Salle des fêtes, 1 h 20 one way. A forest path through a maze of 50 m-high rock fissures.

The operator announces walks of 1 h 30 to 4 h depending on the route and suggests linking two 2-hour walks with a break. The trail descriptions give neither distance nor elevation gain; a map is handed out at the entrance, and the trails are marked on the ground.

What to know before you go

• Season: open daily from 4 April to 1 November in 2026. Check the dates for other years before you come.
• Booking: strongly recommended for entry, compulsory for the tourist train and the via ferrata.
• Payment: tickets can be bought online or on site, by bank card, paper holiday vouchers (chèques-vacances) or cash. Reduced rates are available only on site, at reception, with proof of eligibility.
• Footwear: sports or walking shoes; in rain, good waterproof shoes, as some paths can be slippery.
• Strollers: the trails are not accessible to them. For toddlers, the operator suggests the tourist train and a baby carrier.
• Heat: the operator advises avoiding certain ridge paths, choosing the shade of the forest and walking early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
• Water: drinking water points are at the entrance and at the start of the trails.

With a dog

Dogs are welcome on all trails and on the tourist train, as long as they are kept on a leash throughout the visit and stay in the developed areas. Waste bags are available at reception on request. Pine processionary caterpillars can be dangerous to dogs: do not let your dog sniff or eat them, and call reception before your visit to ask about the situation. Some paths have stairs and small metal bridges; a nervous dog may need help. In high season the tourist train can fill up quickly: the operator says it may sometimes advise against the ride for very large dogs.

Site rules

No fires or smoking, put litter in the bins, do not pick wild flowers, do not touch the caterpillar traps, no running on the tourist train track.

Tourist train and other activities

The guided tourist train lasts nearly an hour and follows a 1.5 km track, with a stop at the Citerne roundabout. Online booking is compulsory. The site also offers treasure hunts, a mini rope course and relaxation areas, all included in the entry ticket. The via ferrata with ziplines is booked separately: €50 for adults, €45 for children aged 8 to 18, with the entry ticket included. There are two routes, a family one from age 8 and a sporty one from age 12.

A little history

According to the operator, Édouard-Alfred Martel explored the site from 11 to 14 September 1884 and nicknamed it the "Acropole des Cévennes". In 1886 the Club Alpin Français helped lay out the first trails.