Joncels dominates the Gravezon valley, and is crossed by narrow streets with picturesque houses. A stopover for pilgrims on their way to Compostela from Lodève, Joncels preserves the remains of a Benedictine Abbey whose origins date back to the 8th century and which was one of the most important in Languedoc in the Middle Ages. After crossing the cloister, the path heads towards Lunas, following the Way from Arles to Compostela. In Lunas, a pretty village nestled at the confluence of the Gravezon, Nize and Dourdou, detours are essential to enjoy the leisure centre of La Prades, and a break at the site of the Saint-Georges chapel, then it climbs steeply to reach the Dio plateau, finding the salutary shade of the Monts d'Orb national forest. We leave the route of the Grandes Traversées VTT du Massif Central and de l’Hérault to enjoy beautiful views of the Orb valley, to reach a magnificent panorama at the paragliding take-off point of Montjoux: Bédarieux, le Caroux…
A pretty path, then a visual shock: you arrive at Dio! Sheltered by white limestone cliffs and emerging from the red earth characteristic of the surroundings of the Salagou lake, the village nestles under the imposing silhouette of its castle, a true legendary fortress.