Circular route from Lablachère to Rosières along the edge of La Baume

Departure from the large car park of the "La Perle d'Eau" inter-communal swimming pool N44.458574, E4.22

(S/E) Leave the car park next to the transformer and join the Chemin de Pays (yellow and white markings) which starts about ten metres to the right (sign prohibiting motor vehicles).

(1) When the Chemin de Pays turns right, take the path on the left. At the end, turn left, go down to the tarmac road and follow it to the right.

(2) Pass the "Plaine des Mures" sign and the Chemin de Pays (return) on your left. Head towards "Barbouillet - Saint-Alban Auriolles" (yellow and white markings) and you will come to a three-way junction.

(3) Follow the yellow and white markings to the left, towards "Les Grads de Perret - La Lauzette - Joyeuse".

(4) A hundred metres or so before a building, the Chemin de Pays (yellow and white markings) branches off in two directions. Turn right towards "Barbouillet - Saint-Alban Auriolles" then keep right at the three-way junction and continue to the next junction.

(5) Follow the Chemin de Pays to the left, then at the next intersection, continue straight ahead towards the villas of Guilhaumon. The path climbs after crossing a beautiful track marked on both sides by "private property" signs.

(6) Pass in front of the Mas de Guilhaumon (or follow the Chemin de Pays which goes around it via the road on the left). Follow the path to the tarmac Route des Grads and turn right (yellow and white markings). After the last villa, the path is no longer tarmac (sign saying "no entry except for fire brigade, operators and residents"). The yellow and white markings continue. Continue straight ahead until you reach the edge of the embankment overlooking the Baume valley. Join the start of a path on the left.

(7) About ten metres before the first fork (signposted "Trail"), leave the Chemin de Pays and take this path which descends towards Garel.

(8) Take the road on the left. Leave the hamlet and the Garel lodges on your right. The road then runs alongside the Baume. Pass the vineyards and the entrance to a house on your left and find a path that descends into the riverbed on your right.

(9) Go down this path and cross the ford. Be careful! The submerged stones are very slippery, so choose the flattest ones, and if there is too much water, stay on the road until you reach Rosières.
Once you have crossed the ford, take the road on the left.

(10) At the crossroads, turn left and follow the road to "Plage de Tourasse" (Tourasse Beach), just past the church in Rosières, which is said to be the oldest in the Vivarais region. Small signs marked "accès rivière" (river access) invite you to continue to the footbridges that allow you to cross the Baume dry-shod.

(11) Take the small staircase between two metal railings at the corner of a small car park. Go down the large staircase to the chaos of large flat rocks. Small concrete footbridges allow you to cross the Baume. Look for the yellow and white markings. Reach the road and follow the markings, a few metres to the left, then to the right, Chemin de Paveyrol, towards Paveyrol and Le Freyssinet.

(12) At the three-way junction, turn left and you will come to a three-way junction where the Chemin de Pays takes the tarmac road. Continue straight ahead along Impasse Côte du Coullet. A path leads off to the left of the white gate at the end of the cul-de-sac and takes you back to the road and the yellow and white markings of the Chemin de Pays. Take this road on the right until the next bend in the road.

(13) Leave the road and continue straight ahead on the Chemin de Pays (signposted "no motor vehicles"). Join the road at the top of the "Côte de Freyssinet".

(14) Take the path (Chemin de Pays, yellow and white markings) immediately on the right, towards "La Plaine des Mures - Lablachère". Follow the markings along the cliff edge to the road and rejoin the route you have already taken.

(2) At the "La plaine des Mures" signpost, take the road on the right for about ten metres, then leave the markings to follow the same path as on the way there. Don't forget to turn at^{the second} path on the right, then take the marked path on the right and head for the La Perle d'Eau swimming pool car park (S/E).