Vals-les-Bains - Thieure circular

The spa town of Vals-les-Bains is nestled in a partly volcanic landscape that is quite steep and dominates it mainly between its north-west and north-east. In the hills, the old agricultural settlements are still clearly visible in the valleys and on the slopes. Thieure is a hamlet perched on a promontory overlooking Vals. A steady climb leads to it. The landscape is the reward.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.64 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 590 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 582 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 562 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 251 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park (except in case of flooding) in the Volane car park, north of the town centre.

(S/E) Exit via the north bridge, turn left onto Rue Jean Jaurès, the main shopping street, and follow its northern extension, Route d'Oubreyts. Walk along the cemetery on your left, then the pumping station. Leave the crossroads and the hamlet of Meysonnent on your right.

(1) About a hundred metres further on, at the Autuche crossroads, turn right, then, about twenty metres on the left, take a path that climbs up to Guibourdenche. At the road, cross over to the other side (do not continue along the road) and continue along a path that passes between the houses. Take the path on the right, which climbs steeply with a series of hairpin bends.

(2) When you reach the Route des Ayres, continue north, keep right at the crossroads and leave the hamlet on your left (wash house).

(3) Just after the hamlet, take the path diagonally to the right, which begins a descent to L'Aulagnet Haut. Before reaching the hamlet, after passing a ridge, take thePR® marked path on the right, which plunges between the trees, crosses a stream and then emerges next to a house in the hamlet of L'Aulagnet Haut.

(4) Join the track at the bottom of the hamlet and descend to the right for 50 metres, then turn left down the steps to reach Aulagnet Bas and the D243. Cross this road and, before the river, join the path on the left that crosses the Besorgues 20 metres upstream from the road bridge.

(5) After the river, begin the steady climb with winding passages. Keep right and climb up to La Vieille Église,

(6) Turn right at the next crossroads after the hairpin bends. Take a break if necessary. Continue to the hamlet of Thieure.

(7) Opposite the entrance to the hamlet, to the right of the houses, begin the steep, winding descent to Pont de Bridou. You will come to the D578, the road to Antraigues. Follow it to the right for about 100 metres. You will come to a three-way junction, with a bridge over the Volane ("Pont de Bridou") in sight.

(8) Do not cross this bridge. Stay on the street to the right, on the right bank of the Volane. Find the path that runs along the Volane, still on the right bank. Follow it until you reach the Besorgues road, D243, near the Pont de l'Ocre.

(9) Follow the D243 on the right until you reach Pont Neuf.

(10) After crossing the bridge over the Besorgues, take the path on the left which first runs alongside the Besorgues, then the Volane, joins the Chemin de la Rompude, runs alongside the cemeteries and fire station on the left, and finally returns to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 251 m - Car park at - Volane (rivière) - Affluent de l'Ardèche
  2. 1 : km 0.97 - alt. 325 m - Carrefour d'Autuche
  3. 2 : km 1.93 - alt. 486 m - Route des Ayres
  4. 3 : km 2.29 - alt. 516 m - Les Ayres
  5. 4 : km 3.63 - alt. 383 m - Aulagnet Haut
  6. 5 : km 3.88 - alt. 334 m - The - Bézorgues (rivière) - Affluent de la Volane
  7. 6 : km 4.34 - alt. 414 m - La Vieille Église crossroads
  8. 7 : km 5.33 - alt. 562 m - Thieure
  9. 8 : km 6.65 - alt. 307 m - Pont de Bridou
  10. 9 : km 7.76 - alt. 289 m - Pont de l'Ocre
  11. 10 : km 8.34 - alt. 306 m - Pont Neuf
  12. S/E : km 10.64 - alt. 251 m - Volane car park

Notes

For the most part, the route follows the yellow/white markings.

Alternative route: at (7), after arriving in Thieure, keep to the right and either at the end of the hamlet on the left or at Croix des Gardes, take the path that descends directly to Pont de l'Ocre.

Alternative route: in (9), despite a yellow and white cross, you can take a shortcut by taking the path on the other side of the D 243, crossing the bridge over the Besorgues, going around the houses to rejoin the path above.

Worth a visit

The hike offers a beautiful view of the landscapes and numerous hamlets located in the vicinity of Vals-les-Bains. Beyond the fame of a village such as Antraigues, many other places characteristic of rural Ardèche settlements are also worth visiting. The route is located in the commune of Asperjoc, which has no main town (the town hall is located in L'Aulagnet). This oddity reflects the very scattered nature of the habitat in this area, which is still strongly marked by its agricultural past (and sometimes still its present).

Thieure is a good place to stop for a break, a picnic, or to admire the old houses, the bread oven, and the landscape (view of Vals).

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
User 1830963
• Edited:

We had to redo the trail markers, we couldn't finish the hike and had to turn back.

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Thierryb26
Thierryb26

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike done in the opposite direction to that indicated, with two variations:
- Direct climb to Thieure from wpt 9
- Instead of taking the Autuche road to reach Vals les Bains, I returned via the Col de Longe Serre.
Many passages through chestnut groves, remnants of the past: stone paths, low walls, terraces...
Overall, the paths are not in very good condition, quite damaged by wild boars, with lots of large stones, making this hike a little challenging for some.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this hike.
The hamlet of Thieure is a pleasant place to take a break.
As for the "shortcut" between waypoints 9 and 10, it seems to be maintained, but I didn't see any markings. The route via the new bridge is still marked. That said, I only saw three vehicles driving at a reasonable speed on the RD.
In the end, 13.5 km and 700 m of elevation gain, I didn't encounter any other hikers.
Thank you for this suggestion, which I found inspiring.

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Shalva
Shalva

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

There is a very long climb, which is somewhat steep in places. In the chestnut grove, the path is steep and slippery due to the dead chestnut leaves. The section after Thieure is easier, with some pretty stretches along the Volane.

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Mich0726
Mich0726

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hi, hiking on this beautiful winter day is great, even too warm for this hike, which requires quite a bit of effort overall. Just a small problem on the descent between 3 and 4: wild boars have ravaged a large part of the trail, which is already difficult due to its incline, but you can get through without too much trouble. At point 9, there is no longer a cross, and instead the trail is marked for the shortcut.
Enjoy your hike, everyone.

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sisi1969
sisi1969

Yes, the passage is completely impossible, and if I advised hikers not to go there, it's because the trail is not maintained along the entire hike, at least not the first part that we did.
I'm really sorry, but I think it's important to warn people; I sincerely wish someone had warned me!

Kind regards.

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boninmi
boninmi
• Edited:

Hello sissi1969,

Between 18 February and 14 July, the vegetation certainly had time to grow. But to the point of blocking the path?
In any case, a detour via the road allows you to reach Aulagnet Bas, even if it means taking a slightly longer route. I therefore think it's a bit excessive to advise against the hike and give such poor reviews for a hike that is otherwise enjoyed by many.

Thank you for reporting the problem.

Best regards.

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sisi1969
sisi1969

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Above all, do not attempt this hike. Halfway through (Laulagnet Haut), it is impossible to continue and cross over to Laulagnet Bas. The small passage is full of brambles and the vegetation has taken over.
We had to take the road back.
I reported this to the Aubenas Basin Hiking Officer, and they are due to deal with the problem next week.
Be careful ;-)

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sylvie-chat
sylvie-chat

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely walk, we highly recommend it.

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pb07
pb07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2022
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, mostly on old paths with a well-paved slanting street. However, there is one tricky section with a path that is difficult to see above Aulagnet Haut.
We also found an Archer's Anthurus near the edge of the Volane, between the Bridou Bridge and the Ocre Bridge.

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nomade46
nomade46

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very interesting circular that allows you to discover the chestnut forests typical of the Ardèche with beautiful views. The yellow and white markings are clearly visible. The trails often follow old paved slanting streets. This hike can be done even in the height of summer as it is mostly shaded.

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JO NAPOLI
JO NAPOLI

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I confirm that there is a dangerous section on the D243 between points 9 and 10. The road is narrow, with regular car traffic and excessive speed (around 11 a.m.). Hikers are in danger on this section.

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Kraftval
Kraftval

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thanks to Boninmi for this pleasant hike, which had some lovely little surprises in store for us. Don't be put off by the start of the route, which is admittedly along a busy road. We recommend enjoying the whole route without choosing any alternatives. It's the perfect spot for a picnic when you arrive in Thieure (there are two benches with a superb view). Finally, if you're (very) lucky, you might spot an unusual mushroom: an "Anthurus d'Archer", first seen along the trail between Aulagnet Bas and Thieure...

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boninmi
boninmi

If you stayed on the road and turned back, you didn't do the hike. So why post reviews, which are inconsistent to boot, at the risk of discouraging other hikers? This road is usually quiet, and certainly wasn't busy at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, 6 April. Did you take the wrong route? As for the municipality, it has no connection with a description in Visorando and any associated development.

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val idee
val idee

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Unfortunately, this route is very busy with cars. The route starts at the side of the road with no protection or pavement and heavy traffic. I gave up and turned back. What is the local council doing about this? The route was registered in 2018 and no improvements have been made since? Do not go there with children.

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jmef
jmef
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, the explanations are clear.

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