Loop of the Chanet Dolmen and the Gourmier Bivouac

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From the plateau to the river, this short and fairly easy route will also allow you to discover the vegetation of the gorges, notably the Phoenician juniper.
The elevation gain is at the end of the route, and the concrete track from the Gournier bivouac to the starting point is very steep. The route is well shaded.
Pay attention to point (3).

Details

n°2486207
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.87 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 906 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 928 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,037 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 203 ft
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Photos

Chanet dolmen
Climb up from Gourmier to the starting point
View of the ledge
The Dolmen

Description of the walk

Access - Take the Ardèche Gorges tourist road (D290). At the junction with the D590, follow signs for Saint Remèze, then take thefirst road on the left (unpaved) which leads to the forest house in Saint Remèze, the starting point. (N 44.350178° / E 4.479755°)
Please note that there are no signs; the house is located at the foot of a mobile phone mast that is visible from a distance. There is a shaded car park and picnic tables.

(S/E) First, follow the path that leads to the Dolmen du Chanet towards the north-west. There are well-marked yellow and white signs.

(1) At the crossroads, turn left towards the south-west and follow the road to the D290

(2) Cross the D290 road, climbing slightly diagonally as the two paths are not opposite each other. Continue south-west until you reach the dolmen.

(3) Once you reach the dolmen, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the gorges. Then follow the path that leads to the Bivouac de Gourmier with the same yellow and white markings.
The trail runs along a ledge above the Ardèche Gorges, and some sections may be slippery after rain. Take extra care if you are with children. This section may be unsuitable for those who suffer from vertigo.

(4) Once you reach Gournier beach, head back up towards the Bivouac de Gournier.
Reach the Gorges Reserve guard building, where there is a water source in season.

(5) In front of the building, turn left, west, towards Maison Forestière (2 km), and climb up the steep concrete track leading to the bivouac.

(6) Go through the tunnel under the D290 road. Continue climbing northeast towards Maison Forestière for 0.8 km. The path, which is very stony but less steep, becomes a track. Follow it to the forest house (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,017 ft - Maison Forestière de Saint Remèze
  2. 1 : mi 0.67 - alt. 1,017 ft - Fork to the left
  3. 2 : mi 1.16 - alt. 883 ft - Crossing the D290
  4. 3 : mi 1.57 - alt. 617 ft - Dolmen du Chanet
  5. 4 : mi 2.61 - alt. 210 ft - Gournier Beach - Ardèche
  6. 5 : mi 2.8 - alt. 269 ft - Gournier campsite
  7. 6 : mi 3.47 - alt. 889 ft - Tunnel under the D290 road.
  8. S/E : mi 3.88 - alt. 1,017 ft - Maison Forestière de St Remèze

Notes

(3) Be careful, the path passes along a ledge

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 29 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
gerard.dussud
gerard.dussud

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route with a gentle, gradual descent down to the river. The return journey follows a concrete forest track that’s a bit steep but not too long. Beautiful views.

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Ouh là là
Ouh là là

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, fairly easy walk. There are a few tricky sections on the descent between the dolmen and the banks of the Ardèche, which may be difficult for people with reduced mobility or very young children.
A few information boards about the environment you pass through during the walk, perfect for learning something new or catching your breath. Stunning views of the Ardèche and the cliffs that flank it.
Best done out of season as I imagine this walk must be very busy during the tourist season.

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PhilRic
PhilRic
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very easy route with no major difficulties (just one steep climb, but on a cemented forest road) offering beautiful views of the Ardèche gorges, especially in the first part (descent). On the climb after the bivouac, don't hesitate to visit the caves on the cliff side (no risk involved).

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Jérémy J
Jérémy J

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike through woods to a lovely beach

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Trotti
Trotti
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. Halfway along the route, there are stunning views of the Ardèche gorges. You can picnic by the water. A reasonable level of fitness is required as the terrain is uneven and there is a long, steep climb.

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ChrisDegeest
ChrisDegeest
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route along the Ardèche. Very steep hill at the end!

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beabast
beabast
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, magnificent landscapes, opportunity to swim before the climb back up, which is a bit steep

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MissFlo
MissFlo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant walk, with a slight incline towards the end.
Passes through various places: forest, cliff edge... very nice.

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Netra
Netra ★
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike done in the opposite direction to the description, in order to take the steep cement track on the descent and enjoy a much less steep climb back up.

In addition, take the trail downhill from the Ardèche Gorges by following this hike from the Bivouac du Gournier.

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marchesante
marchesante
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route with a significant elevation gain.

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Laurenger
Laurenger
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Not many people out on Easter Sunday morning. A little disappointed by the scenery, even at the beginning of spring, as the vegetation obscures most of the views. I think it's best to do the hike in the direction indicated. The concrete section is really steep and I think it's better to do it uphill, even if it means taking breaks rather than starting at the very beginning

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DENEBED
DENEBED
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent route without any major difficulties. Beautiful landscapes. I did it a few years ago, but it was just as enjoyable this time around. Definitely worth doing again and again.

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dockerlascar
dockerlascar
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The concrete track is very unpleasant.

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Spycom
Spycom
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,

We had a great hike in the magnificent Ardèche Gorges. We loved it.

The first half of the route is not very physically demanding and offers magnificent views of the Gorges.

The second half is much less interesting in terms of views, but quite physically demanding with a very steep slope over a distance of between 1 and 2 km. We were two adults in their forties and two teenagers, none of us particularly fit, and we managed the climb. Not recommended for elderly people, young children or anyone who is not in very good physical condition, as the climb is quite strenuous.

Many people recommend doing it the other way round. Why not? The climb is less steep but much longer. And incidentally, when you're struggling to climb, you won't enjoy the views as much.

During the three-hour hike, between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in high season, we only came across four other groups of people, three of which were on the last two kilometres, after the bivouac. So there's no jostling.

It took us three hours with lots of photo stops and mini breaks to catch our breath on the climb back up.

Enjoy your hike!

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PALACIO
PALACIO
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Do it the other way round. It's a shame to have to stop and turn around to enjoy the scenery, and you'll avoid the steep climb back up on tarmac. We came across three local groups. They hadn't made the same mistake as us.

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