Chirols - Sainte-Marguerite - Aubignas circular

Starting from the Pont de Veyrières silk mill eco-museum, climb towards Chirols and then the Sainte-Marguerite Chapel, a summit bristling with various antennas and the highest point of the route, offering a magnificent view of the Coiron and the Ardèche Cévennes. Return via the Revescu ridges, with views over the plateau, and descend via the hamlet of Aubignas to the starting point.

Details

369621
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.49 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 738 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 730 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 982 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 348 m

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Pont de Veyrières silk mill eco-museum.

(S/E) At the car park exit, at the hiking signpost, head towards Chirols. Leave the road after a hundred metres and take the path on the left marked in white and yellow.

(1) When you reach Chirols, cross the square (church, town hall), cross the road and take the alley opposite. Take the path up to the left, then the path on the right. Be sure to follow the markings at all times.
At the road, cross and continue on the path opposite into the woods. Join a path coming from the left that leads to the last houses in Romégières.

(3) Follow the tarmac road on the left, then at the hairpin bend, continue straight ahead on the dirt road marked "réserve d'eau DFCI Sainte-Marguerite" (Sainte-Marguerite firefighting water reserve).

Continue to follow the white-yellow markings. Pass a sawmill on your right, then further on, a DFCI water tank. Continue along the path until you reach a large open space. At the crossroads, head towards the hiking mast and, before you reach it, turn onto the path going up to the left.

There are large white and yellow markings at the start, then the path enters a dark pine forest. After a fairly steep climb, the forest thins out and you cross a lighter wood before reaching the first antennas.
Ignore the markings and climb towards the watchtower, which is manned in summer to monitor possible forest fires.

(4) Pass in front of the "Chapelle Sainte-Marguerite", a place of pilgrimage in September. Continue past the chapel towards a green sign marked "Juvinas - Chirols" and descend towards the forest via the unmarked path.

Join the white-yellow marked road that connects Sainte-Marguerite to the Col de Font Rognon. In the bend marked on the right, you will find a green sign indicating the path that cuts across a large hairpin bend, which is quite steep at the start.

(5) At the mast, take the dirt track towards Juvinas. Follow the white-yellow markings after a first climb, then a second and a fairly long flat section.

(6) Just before the Col de Hautaizac, leave the markings and continue on the wider path that descends to the left. Continue along a ridge path offering a beautiful view of Sainte-Marguerite on the left and the Libonès valley on the right. Cross the Col des Monges. The path is stony, not always very easy but clearly visible.

(7) Leave the ridge line before the rocks (viewpoint). The path descends to the right and then enters a chestnut grove.

(8) At Col des Champs, turn left towards a dry stone wall. Go through the gap in the wall and continue along the path through the meadow. Continue downhill on the path that enters the woods, arriving at the road at the Champs d'Aubignas stopover lodge. The end of the path shown on the map to reach Aubignas is no longer visible.

(9) Turn right. You will join the white-yellow marked trail. Continue on the marked trail that follows the road.

(10) At a place called Barricaud, join the winding road, which you will cross several times.

(11) At the hiking pole, turn left onto the Chirols path. Cross the road again and continue along the marked trail. Join the Chirols road and turn right to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 348 m - Car park of the Ecomuseum of Silk Reeling near the - Fontolière (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 433 m - Chirols
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 618 m - Romégières _ on the left
  4. 3 : km 4.88 - alt. 839 m - Ste Marguerite signpost
  5. 4 : km 5.76 - alt. 982 m - Ste Marguerite
  6. 5 : km 6.52 - alt. 852 m - Font Rognon signpost
  7. 6 : km 7.67 - alt. 890 m - Col de Hautaizac (1887m)
  8. 7 : km 8.83 - alt. 781 m - Leave the ridge line
  9. 8 : km 9.17 - alt. 738 m - Col des Champs (738m)
  10. 9 : km 9.52 - alt. 671 m - Champs d'Aubignas stopover lodge
  11. 10 : km 10.32 - alt. 580 m - Barricaud
  12. 11 : km 10.71 - alt. 500 m - La Gonthier hiking pole
  13. S/E : km 11.49 - alt. 350 m - Car park at the Ecomuseum of Silk Reeling

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Agnes84
Agnes84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with autumnal scenery.
Thank you.

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Elo Xygène
Elo Xygène

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Quite shady except for the ridge. The second part is prettier because the flora is more varied. The small walls are bucolic.

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HUPAT
HUPAT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Done today, 12 April 2024, in intense heat!!! The climb up to the chapel is very pleasant, with magnificent views, where we had lunch. The return trip is along pretty paths offering beautiful views of the surrounding hamlets. A lovely day, ending with afternoon tea on the terrace at Les Co'pains.

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droneit
droneit

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views from the ridges. There was a cool breeze at the chapel, but the beautiful sunshine allowed us to admire the snow-covered Alps.

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hrosay
hrosay

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very good, airy; beautiful views of some of the Ardèche peaks. A light breeze at the summit on the ridge road.
Be careful though, we did it backwards (you have to be careful at the start) and we don't regret it... Perfect GPS
Time taken including an hour's picnic.

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BORIS MARVIER
BORIS MARVIER

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, achievable in 3 hours and 15 minutes at a good walking pace, without too many breaks.
Be careful at point 3: "Large white and yellow markings at the start, then the trail enters a dark pine forest." The white and yellow markings are missing, but you just need to take the fairly steep path uphill—there's only one!

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nicole lacroix
nicole lacroix

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Quite steep climbs, but the scenery is worth it.
Everything was very well described, we walked using the IGN map without GPS.

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jefjo
jefjo

I haven't done these hikes yet, but I'll comment on them as soon as I have.

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Poyou
Poyou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We completed this hike yesterday in just over 3 hours and 15 minutes (good walkers). A superb walk along the ridges and through the chestnut groves. Magnificent 360° view at Sainte Marguerite! Be careful with the markings at the start: follow the yellow and white markings, which you leave shortly before Sainte Marguerite and then find again later. Be sure to follow the marked trail.

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thueyts
thueyts

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

tracked with GPS without any problems

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ANNE2669
ANNE2669

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant circular with a 360-degree panorama at St Marguerite Chapel (although the summit is marred by all the antennas). A beautiful section along the ridges with magnificent views of the surrounding valleys.
Caution for those with sensitive knees, as the rapid descent on the paved slanting street can be painful.

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Agnes84
Agnes84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We had a wonderful time, beautiful paved slanting streets, charming hamlets, the first flowers, magnificent views at the top of Sainte Marguerite and a pleasant descent along the ridge with views of the Montpezat valley. The only downside was the forestry work and the new track through the pine trees before reaching the summit.
Thank you very much for this route.

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bibi
bibi ★

I just recalculated the elevation gain and it is indeed less than previously stated... and looking at the minimum and maximum altitudes, we are closer to the truth with an elevation gain of 700m...
If the GPS was equipped with a barometric altimeter, it is possible that all the small ascents and descents were added, which could significantly increase the elevation gain...

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ANNE2669
ANNE2669

Thank you for your prompt reply.

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Fontasse
Fontasse

Hello Anne,

the cumulative elevation gain of 1,150 m is given by my GPS for what I did that day.
I deliberately left the data from my GPS on the route and did not use the data recalculated by the system (an option available in the Visorando description).

See the Visorando forum for the method used to calculate altitudes, which systematically underestimates them due to the map's altitude grid, which gives the average altitude of the location rather than the altitude of a peak through which the path passes (if I understand correctly!).

If you open the original route file on Google Earth, you get a cumulative elevation gain of 850 m...
Hiking friends who also have GPS devices consistently find a cumulative positive elevation gain of over 1,000 m.
Who is right?
Have a good day
Christian

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