Climbing in the blistering sun
Starting point for the walk is Aire des Gorges de la Nesque, a motorhome site and recreation area near the pond Plan d’Eau de Monieux. There is plenty of space to park, even in the shade of a tree for those who are a bit early.
The first kilometre on a narrow asphalt road to the village of Monieux is relaxed. Nice to warm up a bit. In Monieux I had hoped to find a shop to buy an ice-cold cola for on the way. But the village is tiny and deserted. And yet I manage to lose track of the walk. Eventually, in the dead-end street in front of the church, I find a path with the signpost: Attention Passage Escarpé. It is a rocky goat path that winds steeply uphill. Not the route from the hiking guide, but actually much nicer. Soon I’m on the main hiking trail GR 9 and can follow the signs to Chapelle St-Michel.
The path runs high up the mountainside, overlooking the valley. This is the toughest part of the route. For more than a kilometre, it goes steadily up in the blistering sun. Then there is about the same length of downhill to catch your breath again.
In the shade of the gorge
After crossing the D942 comes the most spectacular part of the walk. You zigzag down the gorge and end up on paths with overhanging cliffs above you. At the very bottom of the gorge lies Chapelle St-Michel. The chapel is built under a huge overhanging rock and uses that as a roof. I sit down on a stone next to the chapel to have a drink. Among the overwhelming natural beauty, I find the shapeless greyish chapel an odd dissonance.
On the other side of the dried-up river, the path climbs up just as spectacularly. Here you walk in the shade of the gorge wall, with views of the sunlit opposite side. Once out of the gorge, it is another 2½ km walk back to the starting point. This fairly flat stretch without vistas is ideal for a brisk pace. Back at Aire des Gorges de la Nesque, it has meanwhile become pleasantly busy. It is Saturday afternoon and many French people have come here for a picnic. There is even a small kiosk open. Finally the ice-cold cola! And with a crêpe to go with it, I can’t think of a better way to end the beautiful hike.
Hiking map
- At the starting point of the walk there is more than enough free parking space on the grass. Places in the shade are scarce, though.
- Along the way there are clear signposts to Chapelle St-Michel and Monieux. Still, it is advisable to bring a map with you, as the walking route itself is not marked.
- Even with a map, it can be a quest to find your way in the streets of Monieux. You have to enter the dead-end street in front of the church. There, on the right side, is the walking path uphill.
- Do you want instagrammable photos but don’t want to take a long walk? Then you can descend into the gorge from the D942. From there is 1,200 metres there and back to Chapelle St-Michel. If you also take a section of the opposite gorge wall, it’s a maximum of two kilometres. Note that there are only a few parking places along the road, you’ll need some luck with that.
Scenic route through the gorge
There is also a beautiful scenic route through Gorges de la Nesque. This D942 between Monieux and Villes-sur-Auzon is 22 kilometres long and follows the northern edge of the gorge. The most famous viewpoint along the route is Belvédère de Castellaras, where you should definitely make a stop to admire the natural beauty. As soon as I park along the road, a wild boar comes sniffing at the car.
When you drive the route from Monieux, the last few kilometres offer views of Mont Ventoux in the distance. If you drive from Villes-sur-Auzon, you have to look in the rear-view mirror for that panorama.
