Cirque de Mourèze is a dramatic 300–340 ha bowl-shaped valley sculpted into dolomitic limestone over some 160 million years . Hard dolomite has withstood erosion while surrounding softer rock was worn away, leaving tall, fantasy‑shaped pinnacles up to 30 m high.
Over 70 named formations—like “The Oracle,” “The Sphinx,” “The Guardian,” and “Cerberus”—invite hikers to play at geology meets imagination.
The underlying terrain is a fine dolomite sand known locally as grésou, resulting from ongoing erosion .
Multiple marked trails (~1 to 4 h loops) guide visitors through close-up exploration or panoramic viewpoints. The Courtinals belvedere provides sweeping views over the cirque and an orientation table to help identify the formations.
It’s part of Natura 2000 conservation space and under biotope protection
The dry calcareous soil hosts Mediterranean scrub—rosemary, immortelle, multi‑flora heather—and seasonal wildflowers such as arméria de Girard