Alzon in the Vis Valley: Walking Routes and Heritage

Alzon lies in the upper Vis Valley, halfway between the Aigoual massif, the Causses, and the Vis gorges. Distinctive streets and old façades shape the village. This gives you two tangible themes to consider when planning your trip: the village’s built heritage and trails that explore its forests and landscapes. When looking for a hotel in Alzon, consider which of these themes you’d like to spend more time on.

Heritage in the village and along the trails

The Église Saint Martin dates back to the 11th century and retains numerous Romanesque elements. Another historic building is the Chapelle des pénitents, completed in 1730. Its façade is adorned with a statue of a hooded penitent. The Pont de Saurel also connects architectural history with the village landscape: this 12th-century Romanesque bridge spans the route between the village and the hamlet of Mas Del Pont.

The Croix oratoire de Saint-Guiralhet is also part of the area’s cultural heritage. It served as a resting place for shepherds on their way to Mont Saint-Guiral. Those interested in older buildings and their connection to the surrounding area will also find related themes on “La Ronde de tunnels en viaducs.” The circular route showcases railway architecture as well as older structures along the Roman road known as the “Chemin du Pont de Paris.”

Two circular routes with different highlights

“La Ronde de tunnels en viaducs” is a tourist and cultural circular route of about seven kilometres around Alzon. The route passes through three tunnels and over two viaducts. Along the way, it offers views north towards the forest and south towards the Causse de Campestre. The route is accessible to everyone, takes about two hours, and is suitable for walking or mountain biking. The tunnels are unlit; take this into account when planning and check local trail conditions before setting out.

“Autour de Cazebonne” is a very easy, yellow-marked circular route of 2.5 kilometres around the hamlet of Cazebonne. The walking time is about two hours and 30 minutes. The two routes therefore differ not only in their focus but also in their stated time estimates: “La Ronde” is longer, yet is listed as taking about two hours; the much shorter Cazebonne loop is listed as taking about two and a half hours to walk. When planning your walk, compare both the route length and the stated time for each one.

Forest history and nature along the trail

The “Autour de Cazebonne” trail illustrates the forest’s development, from afforestation at the beginning of the 20th century to today’s forest management. The surrounding area includes the Arboretum de Cazebonne, established in 1903 on 3.4 hectares. It is part of a network of ten arboretums created during the major afforestation projects in the Aigoual massif. This loop brings together a specific site from the history of afforestation and the forest’s development today.

The wildlife along the stream is also part of the nature theme: the stream beside the “Autour de Cazebonne” trail is a habitat for brown trout, which reproduce there, as well as for white-throated dippers. The Arboretum de la Vis offers a viewpoint overlooking the cascades of the La Fabrié stream. Here, the contrast is clear between deciduous woodland of oaks and chestnuts and planted stands of Douglas fir and Atlas cedar. Those looking to include forest history, landscapes, and biodiversity in their trip will find a range of ways to explore these themes.

Getting to Alzon

According to the municipality, Alzon can be reached directly via the A75 from the west or the D999 from the east. Check road conditions before setting out. You can then plan your journey around whether you’d rather spend your time in Alzon exploring the historic buildings in the village or the circular trails and forest themes.

Discover more destinations: Barjac, Saint-Julien-de-Cassagnas, Langlade, Saint-Siffret, La Capelle-Et-Masmolène, Euzet, Vauvert, Anduze.

View the main travel overview: Gard.