Saint-Remèze brings together a range of things to explore: the multi-part Aven Marzal site, a guided nature hike at the Grotte de la Madeleine, and routes for hikers and mountain bikers. Wine-growing and a snail farm round out the options. This lets you choose your own focus for your stay—from caves and scenery to local sightseeing.
Caves and the underground world
The Aven Marzal Cave is 125 metres deep in total. The Aven Marzal site also brings together a museum of the underground world and the prehistoric zoo La forĂŞt des Dino! in one place. The visitor site therefore combines three elements: the cave, the museum and the zoo. If you want to explore different underground and prehistoric themes on an outing, this three-part offering provides a useful starting point.
The Grotte de la Madeleine lies in the heart of the Réserve Naturelle des Gorges de l’Ardèche. It features large cave chambers with richly coloured stalactite and stalagmite formations, as well as a sound-and-light show. The Grotte also offers a guided nature hike that combines a cave visit with the Gorges de l’Ardèche. The hike leads to the Belvédère de la Cathédrale, through the woodlands of Malbosc and to the Dolmen de la Maison forestière. Alongside the cave chambers, the offering therefore includes a route with named points of interest in the landscape. Check the seasonal schedule for this guided hike before your trip.
Hiking and mountain biking routes
The Saint-Remèze guidebook dates from 2017 and includes eight hiking routes and two mountain biking routes. The 2017 guidebook offered route sheets in PDF format and GPX tracks for free download. These details provide an overview of the two types of routes; for a specific outing, Loop 4 is described in particular detail. Check trail conditions and access locally before setting out.
The 2017 route sheet describes the 13-kilometre Loop 4, Serre de Barrès–Col d’Eyrole–La Dent de Rez, with panoramic views of the village and the Saint-Remèze plateau. According to the 2017 route sheet, the climb reaches La Dent de Rez at an altitude of 719 metres and offers a 360-degree panorama. According to the 2017 route sheet, the trail passes former cultivated terraces with dry-stone walls and through woodlands of holm oak and boxwood.
The options offer different points of focus: a guided nature hike combined with a cave visit and seasonal scheduling on the one hand, and the 13-kilometre loop with a summit climb and panoramic views on the other. You can weigh up which option best suits your stay based on the features described for each route.
Scenery, wine-growing and sightseeing
Saint-Remèze lies between the Massif de la Dent de Rez, the Réserve Naturelle des Gorges de l’Ardèche, the Plateau du Laoul and the Ibie. The Saint-Remèze vineyards are on the plateau at an altitude of 365 metres, within the AOP Côtes du Vivarais area. Their altitude and location within this appellation place the vineyards in the landscape around the village.
Another local sightseeing option is Les Escargots des Restanques, a snail farm in Saint-Remèze that offers visits. Check the visiting arrangements before you arrive. Alongside the caves and routes, wine-growing and a farm visit round out the range of local attractions.
Discover more destinations: Rompon, Vaudevant, Chandolas, Labastide-De-Virac, Barnas, Lavilledieu, Montréal, Mercuer.
For the broader travel overview: Ardèche.
