Le Lèque Menhir

This is the tallest menhir in the Gard department, and the height is quite impressive when you come upon it.

Access to the standing stone of Le Lèque by foot only, beginning at the little hamlet of Le Lèque, 5 km north of Lussan.

The full loop is a 3 hour (10.1 km) hike, plus whatever exploration time you add. The route is a yellow-marked Petite Randonnée hike (PR27) and well signposted at every junction.

From the bottom of the hamlet is marked with the "Le Lèque" hiking signpost (286 m altitude). The counterclockwise route from there is 4.7 km to the Pierre Plantée (the menhir), via Plan de Bourget, Plan de Boeuf, Combe de Queue de Boeuf (236 m), and the Pierre Plantée (305 m).

The clockwise route to the menhir is 5.6 km, going north through the hamlet to Les Granges (the top end of Le Lèque, Le Quarton, le Table des Turcs, La Combe de Ruph, Merderis (198 m), and the Pierre Plantée (305 m).

The entire hike is pretty much flat except for the final climb (or descent) approaching and leaving the menhir. From the south it's a short but very steep 70 m vertical up stone and gravel to the Pierre Plantée. From the north, log "steps" line the short climb from the Merderis river bed (198 m), to the Pierre Plantée (305 m).

Le Lèque Lavender

There's a very nice lavender field at the southeast edge of Le Lèque hamlet. Our photo is from the month of March when we hiked through. It should be really lovely for a visit in July.