The Gorges de la Vis
A deep canyon, very cold water, and the Foux resurgence.
The Vis is a tributary of the Hérault that has cut into the causse for kilometres, leaving a narrow, deep canyon between the Causse du Larzac and the Causse de Blandas. The road that follows it up is one of the finest in the area, cut into the hillside with the river below and walls rising straight up on either side.
The most striking point on the route is the Foux de la Vis, a karst resurgence where the river emerges literally out of the cliff after an underground course. The volume of water coming out of the rock is remarkable, and the old mill beside it, the Moulin de la Foux, gives the scale. It is a short stop but a memorable one, and it is accessible to everyone straight from the road.
The Vis is also a swimming river, with a number of reachable pools and beaches. One thing to warn the group about: the water is markedly colder than the Hérault, because it comes out of the ground a few kilometres upstream. Even in August, getting in is a moment of truth. That is also what makes it wonderful on a scorching day.
Several paths run along the gorges or drop in from the causse, with sometimes serious height gain, the climbs back out are in full sun with no shade on the plateau, which is not a trivial matter in summer. For a family outing, stick to the accesses from the road.
The gorges combine naturally with the Cirque de Navacelles, which sits on the same river a little further upstream: one day, one road, and no need to make the drive twice.
