Here’s the best canyoning for beginners in the Hérault. Whether you’re vacationing near Montpellier or Lac du Salagou, here are a few nuggets for discovering canyoning. We present our two flagship canyons ideal for introductory canyoning. All the ingredients are there for a successful outing: incredible scenery, accessibility and feasibility.
By definition, canyoning is a descent of a steep river made fun by a series of vertical crossings. These “fun” workshops include jumps of up to 10 meters, abseils on ropes and zip lines, and sliding down natural slides. We define our courses as beginner level when you can get out of the canyon fairly easily once you’re in, and when the difficulties can be avoided. Here is a presentation of the top introductory canyoning courses in Hérault.
Canyoning for beginners in the Hérault gorges
Canyoning for beginners, the canyon du diable in the Hérault gorges.
Description of Devil’s Canyon: (For reservations click here)
Our first canyon that brings everyone together is our all-round champion: the canyon du diable. Open from age 7, this canyon is close to Montpellier, but also to Clermont l’Hérault and the Lac du Salagou. The Hérault river, which flows through the gorges, makes this canyon possible all summer long. The Hérault rises at Mont-Aigoual and flows into the Mediterranean Sea at Grau d’Agde after 147 km. The water temperature in pre-season is around 18 degrees, and at the height of the season it’s 22 degrees. So it’s not a cold canyon. The canyon du diable is a mix of aquatic trekking and sensational rope courses.
It’s an atypical canyon in that its regular, high water flow makes it ideal for a wide range of water games. Floating” is one of them, and consists in letting yourself go in the main water vein with your feet forward. It’s a real pleasure to let yourself be carried by the current through the gorges. You can smell the lush natural surroundings and hear the birds singing, especially in the morning. It’s a great way to find yourself right in the heart of the wilderness and feel the power of the natural elements.
“Floating in Devil’s Canyon, our star canyon for beginners.
Accessibility :
It’s a very accessible canyon, with a 5-minute walk there and back. Before and after the summer season, we meet directly at the Clamouse cave. Parking is easy. For the summer period, a shuttle service is available from the parking des crayons in Saint-Jean-de-Fos. We have reached an agreement with the Communauté de Commune de la Vallée de l’Hérault to relieve traffic congestion on the route des Gorges in summer.
It takes around 35 min from Montpellier and the Lac du Salagou area to reach the canyon. From the beaches and Béziers, it’s a 50-minute drive. In all cases, whether from Montpellier or Béziers, you’ll need to take the A75 motorway and exit at Gignac or Saint-Guilhem-le-désert.
Feasibility of the route and the various workshops :
15-metre abseil in the Devil’s Canyon!
This beginner’s canyoning course is aimed at a varied, family-oriented audience. Even though it’s a beginner’s canyon, you’ll also find plenty of thrills. We call it a beginner’s canyon in the sense that all the difficulties can be avoided and are not compulsory. For the more adventurous, there’s the possibility of making jumps up to 9-10m high and doing them again! You can also climb over the water to get back to the start of the jumps. We call this “psicobloc”.
For rope workshop enthusiasts, there’s a superb 30 m zip line and a 15 m ejectable abseil. You’ll be equipped with a double lanyard harness so you can move around the wall in complete safety in “via cordata” mode. The interior of the canyon hides other secrets, as well as a few non-compulsory syphons for you to explore.
A 30-metre zip line that ends in the water!
What to do in the area
After or before your outing, you can take advantage of the many attractions in the surrounding villages:
- The village of St-Guilhem-le-désert, 2km away, is classified as “France’s most beautiful village”. Here you can enjoy a drink, visit the Romanesque art that permeates the area and visit the famous Gellone Abbey.
- the Clamouse cave, located just opposite the entrance to the canyon in the commune of Saint-Jean-de-Fos. It’s a world-class geological wonder. Several guided tours will be organized throughout the day to discover this natural gem.
- The argileum, also in Saint-Jean-de-Fos, is a clay museum that tells the fabulous story of the “potters of Saint-Jean-de-Fos”. This attraction recounts an old village tradition, with hands-on workshops organized all year round in the presence of local craftsmen.
Introductory canyoning in the Caroux massif
Canyoning for beginners in the Caroux massif. The Rec grand canyon, an array of natural slides.
Description of the Rec grand canyon: (For reservations click here)
The Rec grand canyon is a granite canyon, giving it a completely different natural ambience. The setting is spectacular, surrounded by wild vegetation. The water is clear and cool. The Rec grand is a small mountain stream that flows into the Orb. There are numerous hanging basins that act as natural swimming pools. Time has sculpted this canyon into a natural playground. The special feature of this course is its series of natural slides.
This canyon is ideal for spring through to July because of the water flow. We can sometimes extend it if a few summer storms restore the right water levels to the meter!
One of the many natural slides in this Rec grand canyoning course for beginners.
Accessibility :
Close to the Héric gorges and the village of Mons-la-trivalle, it takes 1h10 from Montpellier and 50 min from Béziers and Clermont l’Hérault. Appointments are made in front of the Mons-la-trivalle tourist office. A special area is reserved for professionals, who have organized their own parking spaces so that they can take advantage of personalized parking throughout the season.
Feasibility of the route and the various workshops :
The Rec-grand canyon is suitable for all levels. It is also one of our two canyoning courses for beginners, open to children aged 7 and over. The special feature of this course is its wild character, with a succession of natural slides. You can also try your hand at jumps of varying heights, the biggest of which is 7 meters high. The difficulties are not compulsory and can all be avoided. The return journey is on foot through a forest of holm oaks. It takes 15 min to walk downhill and 35 min to walk uphill back.
What to do in the area
- A visit to the Gorges d’Héric is a must when you’re in the Caroux massif. You can get there from a paying parking lot in summer. If you’re a keen hiker, there are a number of marked trails well worth the effort. You can also find a bucolic spot for a swim.
- If you’re looking for a weekend in the water, you’ll have the chance to go canoeing down the Orb. “Canoë Tarassac offers descents all summer long.
- To enjoy a drink, or a concert in summer, I recommend you go to the village of Olargues, listed as “France’s most beautiful village”.
A brief comparison of our two canyoning routes for beginners:
The canyon du diable is a more aquatic canyon with more jumps, rope workshops and whitewater swimming. Accessibility is very easy.
The Rec grand canyon is a wilder canyon, with a 35-minute return hike to consider. On the other hand, you’ll find plenty of natural slides and natural pools.
For more information on our introductory outdoor activities in the Hérault region, don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or via our contact form by clicking here.
