Park in Saint Barthélemy-Grozon in the car park in the centre of the village.
(S/E) Take the D533 towards Saint-Peray for 200 m, then turn left onto the D238 towards Gilhoc-sur-Ormèze. After the bridge over the Ruisseau de Fay, the road climbs gently to the Col du Mazel (633 m).
(1) Continue down the D238 for 5 km to Gilhoc-sur-Ormèze. Carry on straight through the village (100 m) until you reach a crossroads.
(2) Take the road that climbs to the right towards Saint-Sylvestre, leading to the Col de Mayres (603 m).
(3) Immediately after the pass, turn right onto the D269 towards Alboussière for 200 m, then turn right onto a small road that climbs steeply towards the Serre de Blanchard (a small sign indicates “Grozon”).
(4) At a place called Ravier, continue right along this small road with two hairpin bends – first to the left, then to the right – and pass the 714 m altitude. The road descends slightly to a first junction; continue straight on towards the hamlet of Nas. Turn left at the Maisonnas fork in the road and cross the small wood to the Jayes junction. Turn left, then take a right-hand bend to rejoin the D533 road from Lamastre to Saint-Peray (D533). Turn left to pass over the Col des Fans (758 m).
(5) Descend for 2.5 km to the Col de la Rouveure (626 m).
(6) Just after this, leave the D533 and take the small road on the left, going over a small hill, then descend to the Col du Serre junction (599 m).
(7) Turn right onto the D369 and rejoin the D533 once more in the village of Alboussières.
(8) Turn left, drive through the village and follow the road down to the bridge at 515 m.
(9) Bridge over the Duzon. The road climbs for 2.5 km to the Col de Leyrisse at 587 m.
(10) At the pass, turn right towards Vernoux-en-Vivarais via the D14, and easily cross the Col de Ponsoye (604 m).
(11) Continue for 2.5 km until you come to a small road on the left signposted for the Loubières stopover lodge.
(12) Take the left-hand turn to climb this kilometre, with gradients that really burn your thighs, but the summit is soon reached and, after a short descent, turn right onto the D279.
(13) Pass close to the source of the Embroye (stream) and carry on to La Croix-Saint-André.
(14) Carry on straight ahead for 20 m past the cross and take the road on the left, towards Vernoux-en-Vivarais, which leads back onto the D14 at the Col de la Justice (679 m).
(15) Head downhill to the left towards Vernoux-en-Vivarais for 3 km and, before entering Vernoux, take the D105 on the right, which leads to Châteauneuf-de-Vernoux. Pass through the village and, at the exit, at a fork in the road, take the road on the right. After a shaded climb, the road reaches the final pass on the route, the Col du Pialou (818 m).
(16) Phew, that’s it – all that’s left is to head back down this little road, first passing a road on the left, then, at the hamlet of Le Cros, climbing very slightly to the left and continuing until you rejoin the D533.
(17) Turn left to reach the starting point almost without pedalling (S/E).