The Sandy Hills – Pays de l’Herbasse

Car park at the Pont de Chabran.
Mountain bike route no. 12.

(S/E) From the car park, take the wide gravel track. Pass through Les Bâties and, at the next junction, take the track on the left to reach Balayer.

(1) Carry on straight ahead and follow signs for Combe du Frêne.

(2) At Combe du Frêne, turn left and take the very enjoyable descent leading to Combe Oternaud. Follow the signs for Bois de Sizay.

(3) At Bois de Sizay, turn right, cross the road with care and take the path opposite which climbs uphill – a bit of a workout, but great fun. Follow the signs for Combe de Sizay, Le Nordmann and then Gros Chêne.

(4) At Gros Chêne, turn right. At Champ Guinot, take the path opposite – a climb that’s quite challenging both technically and physically. At the top, you can stop to admire ‘the thousand and one peaks’.

(5) Turn left onto the D584, pass through Champs des Côtes and continue on to Mont Froid.

(6) Take the track on the left leading to Ratières.

(7) At Ratières, take the road on the right towards Saint-Avit, then the track on the left that leads downhill.

(8) Turn left onto the D53 – take care – for 900m, then turn right twice until you reach Claveyson.

(9) Continue left along this wide track, which can be a bit sandy depending on the time of year, for about 2 km until you reach the road.

(10) Take the path on the left which climbs into the woods and continue to Saint-Andéol.

(11) At the priory, take the path leading down to the right. At the bottom, take the sandy path leading back up to the D53.

(12) Turn right onto it – take care – andquickly leave it via a path on the right. Join the D53 road and follow it to the right for 150m – take care.

(13) Turn left, then right onto a path that leads uphill. The first section is a bit steep through the woods, then descends into a field of fruit trees. Continue until you reach a junction with the D53.

(14) Turn left onto the road – take care – and take the path leading down to the left. Pass Les Fauries and turn left to join the D584 at Bramaret.

(15) Follow it to the right, then turn left and right onto the Allée du Haut Ponant. At the bottom, you’ll come out onto the main road which leads to the Pont de Chabran if you turn left (S/E).

We strongly recommend taking the IGN map referred to on these pages with you. Mountain bikers must be self-sufficient; professional guides are available if required. Emergency number: 18 or 112.
For further information, contactthe Ardèche Hermitage Tourist Office: 04 75 08 10 23