Mons, Piste Vert to La Pomarede, St-Martin-de-l'Arcon, La Coste, Gorge d'Heric. A walk in the Languedoc.

Mons, Piste Vert to La Pomarede, St-Martin-de-l'Arcon, La Coste, Gorge d'Heric. 7.5km. 2H. Easy. Starting in Mons from the car park beside the church follow the blue markers down the little lane through the fields with pretty views of the Juar valley to the piste vert. 

Turn left and walk towards La Trivalle where there is an auberge, a lovely bakers that sells wonder snacks at lunch time and bread for a delicious picnic. There is also a village shop selling local cheese, fruit and other items for the rest of your picnic needs. 

Keep heading along the piste vert and you will cross the first bridge with lovely views up into the gorge (ignore the blue marker on your left). Cross the bridge and through the first tunnel, it's quite long but lights will come on as you enter. Now you cross the next railway bridge over the road this time, with more fantastic views of the valleys. After a while you come to the second railway tunnel and after this there is a choice to continue on the piste vert or to follow the blue trail to your left just before a group of boxed stones marking a small under passage which takes you through fields near the river and joins the route as it goes under the main road. 

Follow the blue markers if you chose to do this or keep on the piste vert until you come to another area or boxed stones where there are some signs on your right for activity centres. Turn right here and go down the wooden steeps to join the blue route beside the bridge that passes under the road. Now go uphill past the horses to the activity centre and cross the road. Go up beside the building and around the little path beside the tree top adventure centre to come out in the little hamlet of La Pomarede. 

Turn left at the car park there and follow the road to the first left turn (at the moment there is a route barrée sign across the little road but take it anyway). The track goes through the woods in open areas with lovely views, a perfect spot for a picnic on a little wall overlooking the beautiful Orb valley. 

Now you come to the beautiful little church at St Martin de l'Arcon and at the junction turn right and left onto a yellow marked route (ignore the blue route markers now). Follow this route through the woods and old vineyards to La Coste. The path goes to your right up a slope before entering the hamlet and right again as you join the road. 

Go straight through the hamlet and turn right and quickly left down a little passage marked yellow to a small stream. Cross the stream and follow the path until it drops onto a large track. Turn right and then left onto the small path once again. Lovely views of the valley here before entering the woods again. It's a pretty path with stone walls and will bring you out in the Gorge d'Heric at a tiny bridge. 

Turn left and cross the bridge, then left again to reach the road to the gorge. Turn right onto the road and follow it until you come to some railings beside a house on your right. 

Turn right here and follow the red/yellow signs back to Mons through the pretty chestnut woods on old tracks.