Circular route from Le Bessat to La Valla-en-Gier via the Bois de la Scie valley

Access to the start of the walk:
Park just past the church in Le Bessat, on the way towards the Col de la Croix de Chaubouret.
This will give you a chance to have a stroll around the village before setting off on the walk.

(S/E) From the church, follow the main street north-west (Rue du Féria), towards Saint-Étienne. When you reach a roundabout, take the cul-de-sac (Chemin du Thol) leading off to the right. Ignore the^first road on the right (which will be the return route).

(1) The start of the route is the^second signpost on the right, after the lodge building. It reads “Chamina Circular Route No. 9 – Château du Thoil”.
The path descends steeply through the pine woods, takes a left-hand bend, then offers a view of the Ban valley as it continues downwards. The path is sometimes obstructed by broom or even fallen trees (when I walked it, it was a very windy period!), but it remains passable.

(2) You eventually come out onto a small forest track, where you turn right to join a second forest track, which you follow to the left (marked with white and yellow signs and mountain bike symbols).
The track descends towards the bottom of the valley, makes a first hairpin bend, then a second where it crosses the Torrent du Ban and follows its right bank for a while, offering views of scree slopes on the left.

(3) Where the torrent is joined by a tributary, wade across the torrent (you may get your feet a bit wet!), then continue along the track which climbs up the other side of the valley.

(4) After a bend that passes over a second tributary, leave the road and head right onto a path that descends back towards the torrent (the white and yellow markings end here, but the mountain bike markings continue).
The path follows the stream for quite a while, sometimes crossing from one bank to the other.

(5) The path leads to a small hamlet (Sordel); follow the track on the right (mountain bike signpost no. 19). It passes between old, abandoned stone houses and continues along the stream, then climbs up the right bank.

(6) The path ends at a tarmac road (a sign indicating ‘la Scie du Coin’ and ‘Chemin de la Scie du Coin’ for the path you have just taken). Opposite, there is a junction where two roads meet; take the one on the left (hiking sign for “La Valla-en-Gier 1.6 km”, marked with yellow and white markings and VTT19).
This road descends slightly along the hillside, offering views over the valley and the lake at the Barrage de la Rive. The village of La Valla-en-Gier comes into view ahead of you.

(7) The road is circular, crossing over the River Jarret, then climbs towards the village.

(8) You’ll come out onto the village’s main street (the D2, which leads up to the Croix de Chaubouret), and head down to the left for about 100 metres.

(9) Between two houses on the right, a small flight of steps leads up to the Place de l’Église; then another flight of steps opposite (signposted ‘refuge pour randonneurs’) leads onto Rue de Luzernod, where you can see the Maison Champagnat (Marist Brothers’ Institute).
Follow this road as it climbs to the right, then turn left at the first junction (a small park with a statue of Abbé Champagnat), which leads to a stony path climbing up the hillside (marked in brown and white).

(10) Follow this path, keeping to the left at all times, cross the D2 and continue straight ahead (marked in brown and white, and also yellow and white: “la Valla 2”).
The path passes behind some houses and continues to climb.

(11) You’ll come out onto the D2 again (brown and white markings “Sentier du parc 10” on an electricity pole). Follow the D2 to the right until it reaches the hamlet known as “Les Pissorts”, about 400 metres further on.

(12) At this point, leave the road and take a stony path that climbs to the right (next to a cycle sign reading “Loire le département – Croix de Chaubouret, summit 5km”).
Pass through the small hamlet (two houses) of La Croix du Sabot, then continue straight ahead (hiking sign “Le Rot 2.8km”, brown and white markings “sentier du parc 10”).
Carry on climbing, then enter an area overgrown with broom as you skirt a pine copse.
Carry on along this path, pass another path which you ignore, then turn right and eventually join a small forest track.
This soon joins the D2.

(13) Follow the D2 straight ahead for about 400m. You will then cross a forest track at a place called Le Rot.

(14) At this junction, turn right (Chemin des Gouttes de la Gerbe), then take the path leading down to your left (hiking sign for “La Petite Chaumienne”, marked with brown and white “Sentier du Parc 10” signs). Head down the very steep slope through the undergrowth; the slope then levels out quickly and you’ll enter the woods.

(15) At a junction (hiking sign for “Le Bessat”, 1.5 km), follow the markings to the left.
Follow this path, which will cross others, then head back up towards Le Bessat after a left-hand bend. You’ll come out near a few houses and, not far from there, reach the path you took at the start (hiking sign “Le Rot via La Petite Chaumienne” / “Les Ruines du Château du Thoil”).

(1) Turn left here and walk up the village’s main street to return to the starting point (S/E).

“Copains comme cochons” café, Place de l’Église in Le Bessat, opens at 10.00, closed on Tuesdays.
Hikers’ refuge in La Valla-en-Gier near the church; cafés and restaurants in La Valla-en-Gier.

The walk is well sheltered from the sun, except between (7) and (10), where the going is also uphill. In very hot weather, it might be a good idea to reverse the direction of the circular walk, so as to tackle this section on the way down and in the ‘cool of the day’, then enjoy the shelter of the woods and the coolness of the Torrent du Ban in the afternoon.

Both villages are well worth a visit.
The Champagnat House in La Valla-en-Gier, where Father Champagnat founded the Marist Brothers’ house in 1817, can be visited by arrangement on site.