It wasn’t all relaxation while staying at the Ecole d’Olargues in Olargues. You can’t come to the Montagnes du Caroux area of the Haut-Languedoc National Park and spend every minute by the pool or swimming in the river. Well, you can, but should you? Really? This area has some excellent hiking trails and a short distance away, close to the attractive village of Mons, is one of the highlights of the region: Les Gorges d’Héric.
It was August and the temperatures were hitting the high 30Cs in the afternoons, so with a degree of trepidation I got up early, filled my water bottle, and set off for the start of the Gorges d’Héric trail. I parked at the official car park only to realise that I’d forgotten my water bottle. They didn’t sell bottled water at the cafe, but the woman running it gave me a large glass of water and told me there was a cafe at the other end.
The other end is the tiny and mostly abandoned mountain village of Héric. The path is well maintained and largely paved, and it leads you through the dramatic landscape of a gorge carved deep through the rock by the River Héric and millennia of wind and rain. The river cascades down the gorge over large boulders, forming enticing pools – some with turquoise waters – that make excellent spots for a cooling dip.
The summer months had been hot and dry, so there wasn’t much water in the river, but I can imagine that after rain it could become a raging torrent. The path follows the river, occasionally crossing from one side to the other, and when you reach the village there are numerous routes on rough trails that will take you deeper into this fabulous region. I returned on the same route, a walk of 10km with just over 300m of ascent.
It was still early and on the way to Héric I more-or-less had the trail to myself. It was very peaceful, just a slight breeze, the running water and birdsong for company. The trail twists and turns as you climb upwards, the first part of the gorge is narrow, but the steep rock faces on either side of the path begin to widen the further you walk. Soon, every turn in the path seems to offer incredible views.
I was soon in the village, little more than a collection of stone houses, some abandoned but also some that are still occupied. It’s tiny and you could walk through it in less than a minute if you didn’t stop at the cafe that is only open during the summer season. I had a drink and then went to look around the village. There were a couple of people tending to a good looking crop of vegetables in a field, but otherwise I saw no one.
This would change on my return journey. The good thing about walking back on the same path is that you get to see the impressive rocky peaks that surround the gorge from a new perspective. It was getting pretty hot by late morning and I fully intended to take a dip on the way back, but as I descended I started to meet people heading up the hill.
A trickle became a flood the further I went, and every spot in the river where there was a pool had been occupied by groups of people. Towels were laid on boulders and people were sunbathing. It was a bit like being at the beach. Picnics were in full swing. It’s not surprising as the gorge is easily accessible, but the scene that greeted me at the car park – which had felt remote earlier – was a long queue of cars waiting for a spot.
It was exactly the opposite of the peace and calm of this beautiful place when I had set off a few hours earlier. I was happy to leave and get back to Olargues for some lunch and a swim in the infinity pool at Ecole d’Olargues. Tranquility was quickly restored.
