Explore Mandagout through its hiking trails, forests and agricultural history. Chestnut and holm oak forests are part of the landscape; several trails lead to sweet onions and showcase the history of the terraces. The village is within the membership area of the Cévennes National Park and is home to several ZNIEFF areas of special natural interest. This means that nature and traces of historic agriculture go hand in hand as you plan your trip.
Hiking through forests, with options for different time frames
The Sentier des Cascades d’Orgon starts in Cap de Côte in Mandagout and leads through the Aigoual forest. Coniferous forest and small stone bridges are among its features; retaining walls were built during reforestation in the late 19th century. The trail thus connects the forest with a built trace of this reforestation. It can be combined with the Sentier de l’Écureuil for a five-hour day hike. For a shorter outing, there is Espace Ceven’Trail N°23: the route is 2.2 kilometres long, includes 500 metres of elevation gain and has a stated duration of 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Sweet onions and historic terraces
The Balade Site Remarquable du Goût de l’Oignon Doux starts and ends in Mandagout. This interpretive trail focuses on sweet onion farming in the Cévennes. The Sentier de l’Arboux descends to the hamlet of l’Arboux and then climbs back up to the sweet onion fields. The Faïsses are terraces where mulberry trees were grown during the heyday of silk production. The trails thus showcase two agricultural themes from different periods: earlier mulberry cultivation and sweet onions. Espace Ceven’Trail N°9 also focuses on terrace farming. This challenging figure-eight loop runs through the Mandagout valley; along the way, you can discover sweet onion cultivation on terraces.
The temple and local history
The temple in Mandagout dates from 1892 and bears a republican motto. The former temple in the hamlet of Beaulieu is older: it dates from 1648 and is now an art studio. The original Saint-Grégoire church stood next to the castle and was destroyed during the Wars of Religion. These sites represent different chapters of local history: a temple with a republican motto, a former temple now used as a studio, and a destroyed original church.
Compare hikes to plan your day
For planning your time, compare the 1 hour and 10 minutes for Espace Ceven’Trail N°23 with the five hours for combining Cascades d’Orgon and Écureuil. The onion trails also differ in their routes: the Balade starts and ends in Mandagout, while the Sentier de l’Arboux descends to the hamlet and then climbs back up to the onion fields.
Discover more destinations: Le Vigan, Vézénobres, Anduze, Souvignargues, Ners, Saint-Just-Et-Vacquières, Aubais, Aiguèze
For the broader travel overview: Gard.
