Cirque de Navacelles

The Cirque de Navacelles is a large, dramatic cirque located in the Larzac causse region of southern France. It is tucked away in the deep gorges carved by the Vis River. The site is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of The Causses and the Cévennes.

The Cirque de Navacelles is famous for its massive, dramatic oxbow meander carved by the Vis River. The river once flowed in a wide loop before breaking through the limestone, leaving a curved cliff. A small hamlet and a historic chapel sit isolated at the bottom of this meander.

The cirque was formed over millennia as the Vis River carved a deep canyon through the limestone plateaus of the Larzac causse. Eventually, the river broke through a narrow neck of rock, creating its famous oxbow meander. This dramatic geological formation is located in southern France.

Yes, visitors can drive or hike down to the tiny hamlet of Navacelles, which sits at the very bottom of the oxbow meander. The village is located deep within the Vis River canyon in southern France. It is a popular tourist stop featuring old mills and a historic chapel.