The Cirque de Navacelles is large amphitheatre-like valley, or valley head, formed at the head of a glacier by erosion.
It is located near Saint-Maurice-Navacelles, a commune of France in the Hérault department of France in Occitainie in southern France.
The cirque is very isolated, with only a few small village communities living in the surrounding area. The nearest notable settlement is Millau, located at the confluence of the Tarn River and Dourbie rivers - a two hour drive away.
Recently, the cirque has seen increased visitor numbers, due to the recent completion of the A75 autoroute. This allows easier transport to the area. Furthermore, the famous bridge, the Viaduc de Millau (which bypasses the town that gives it its name) brings even more visitors to the area, many of whom wish to "venture" further into the countryside.
After the cirque's formation by glacial erosion (approx. 3 million years ago), a river channel cut through the base of the valley, creating an oxbow lake (a loop) in the Vis river. The Vis is a 57.9 km long river in south-central France, tributary of the Hérault River. The lake later dried up, leaving deposits of silt
Silt and peat. This created what is the only patch of arable land for many, many miles around.
