Belvederes of Blandas

In the arid Causses of Larzac to the north and Blandas to the south, the river Vis has carved out an impressive green furrow, dominated at its heart by a hill. This is the Cirque de Navacelles, a geological curiosity shaped by 600,000 years of patient labor.Straddling the departments of Gard and Hérault, the Vis river has carved out its bed in the limestone of the southern causses (Blandas and Larzac), forming vast meanders. Over time, erosion of the rock has enabled the river to cut its course as short as possible, abandoning its former bed. Thus was born the Cirque de Navacelles. To discover it in its entirety, don't miss the 300m-deep descent to the bottom of the cirque. Here, in a green oasis on the banks of the Vis waterfall, lies the village of Navacelles. A botanical trail, accessible to all, has been laid out here. Today, the cirque de Navacelles is a member of the Grands Sites de France, and boasts over 250,000 visitors a year. Since 2011, it has been nestled in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Causse & Cévennes). The heritage of the Cirque de Navacelles Grand Site The joint work of man and nature, the former has used all its power to sculpt the material and shape the site's geological outlines, while the latter has patiently created the "finishing touches": built islands, roads, bridges and paths, low walls supporting the terraces, all at the cost of laborious work to shape the relief. The Cirque de Navacelles Grand Site boasts a magnificent heritage of archaeology, geomorphology and agropastoralism. Hiking and outdoor activities The Grand Site du Cirque de Navacelles is a territory where nature and heritage reveal themselves to those who take the time to observe, listen and smell... Free walks are a wonderful way to discover the fauna and flora, as well as the heritage: lavognes, pastoral enclosures, old bread ovens... Reference books are available to help you discover them (cartoguide, rando-fiche...). THE BELVEDERES OF BLANDAS Situated just 3 minutes from the village of Blandas, the belvederes offer three breathtaking viewpoints over the Cirque de Navacelles and the Vis gorges. The Maison de Site houses a tourist documentation area, a permanent exhibition on agropastoralism, a film showing archaeological discoveries made on the Causse and in the Cirque de Navacelles, a local produce store and a restaurant serving local produce. The facilities are accessible to the disabled. Since July 2013, the "Chênes", "Doline" and "Cascade" lookouts on the Causse de Blandas offer visitors an overview of the grandiose geomorphology of the Cirque de Navacelles and establish a respectful dialogue between Man and Earth. Site accessible to four types of disability.

Tourist information office, souvenir and terroir store, interpretation areaTourist information office, souvenir and terroir store, interpretation area