Around Saint-Paul-le-Jeune and the poetry trail

Saint-Paul-le-Jeune is situated in southern Ardèche on the D104, on the border with the Gard. Head to the village centre and park in the car park in front of the church and the village town hall. The walk starts from this point

(S/E) Opposite the church entrance, turn right onto Rue Gaston Roussel. After about a hundred metres, you’ll reach a fork; leave Rue Gaston Roussel and turn left onto Rue de La Source. At the end of this street, turn right onto Rue de l’Ancien Abattoir. Pass Impasse de La Soucherie on your left and continue to the right to join the D251 (Route de Banne).

(1) Follow this road to the left. About a hundred metres further on, pass a junction and continue straight ahead. About fifty metres later, continue straight ahead on Route de Banne, leaving Route du Petit Brahic on your right. Continue until you reach a stone cross.

(2) Take the dirt track on the left, ignoring the one heading uphill to the right. Continue along this track through the woods. It will become a tarmac road (Chemin de la Deveze). Continue along this track until you reach a left-hand bend. Carry on in this direction and, at the end of the bend, turn right onto Ruelle de l’Estrangladou, ignoring the straight-ahead route.

(3) Walk straight on between the houses in the hamlet of Les Rousses. After the last houses, the tarmac section ends and becomes a dirt track. Continue along this track until you reach another tarmac section, where you should continue straight on, ignoring a road on the left. You will reach a hairpin bend in the road.

(4) Leave this road and take the dirt track that appears on the right at this bend. Continue along this track through the woods (Chemin de Champval or ‘poetic path’), staying on the main track and ignoring all turnings to the right or left

(5) Pass the spring and continue along the same track. Pass a water collection point and continue along the main track through the woods until you reach a tarmac road.

(6) At the first junction, turn left downhill, reach Impasse de la Brousse and turn left. At the next junction, turn left and reach a small bridge.

(7) Head left along the banks of the La Claysse stream, follow the path for about a hundred metres, then retrace your steps.

(7) Return to the original direction and continue straight on until you reach the town hall square and the starting point of the walk (S/E).

Shops and restaurants can be found near Place de la Gare, along the D104.

Along the poetry trail, a few quotations inscribed on wooden panels invite the walker to reflect.