Bourg-Argental - Les Sétoux

(S) From the campsite, head right, then cross the Deôme and follow the fitness trail on the right bank which runs alongside the Via Fluvia, following the^GR®65markings. Continue to the bottom of a fairly steep flight of steps leading up into the woods on the left. You can stock up on supplies by continuing right to cross the river via a footbridge and reach Carrefour Contact.

(1) Head left up the hill leading to the D29. Turn right and continue to the bridge.

(2) Cross the bridge over the Déôme to enter Bourg-Argental. Continue along Rue de la Résistance. At the stop sign, turn left towards Puy-en-Velay. Continue to Place de la Cité.

(3) Turn left onto Rue du Moulin towards St Sauveur en Rue. Pass the church and the police station and stay on the main road. Cross the bridge over the Argental, leave Bourg-Argental and continue carefully along the D503 until you reach a path on the right, leading to a path that branches off to the left.

(4) Head down this track towards the south-west. Stay on this track, following the red and white markings, until you reach the 90° left-hand bend in the road, just before the Mounes lodge.

(5) Head right onto the^GR®65, ignoring the^GR®42which goes left. Continue towards the hamlet of Badol. The path, mostly through woodland, joins a tarmac track via a few concrete steps.

(6) Continue to the right. Further on, pass a movable barrier prohibiting access to motor vehicles before joining a small road that crosses the Route de Badol at the entrance to the hamlet.

(7) Leave the hamlet on your right and continue along the small tarmac road. After passing under a stone bridge, you’ll arrive at the hamlet of Board.

(8) Continue on your way to the Viaduc de la Poulette. Just after this, pass under a^second stone bridge, then walk past a playground, picnic area and sports ground to reach the crossroads at the hamlet of La Gare.

(9) If you need to stock up on supplies, leave the^GR®65to the right to reach Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue (bakery and grocery shop on Rue de la Mairie).
Otherwise, continue straight on to reach the hamlet of Le Sapet.

(10) Continue in the same direction on the^GR® and cross the Déôme at the hamlet of La Chaussée.

(11) Turn left onto Chemin de Montgillier and continue to the Abri d'Aiguebelle lodge.

(12) At the hairpin bend, head north-west to go round the Rocher de la Garde via a long curve to the north, leading to a Y-junction.

(13) Ignore the^PR® and continue left onto the^GR®65. Pass the picnic area, heading north at the hairpin bend, and continue to the junction of^{the GR®65}with the^GR®7at the Col du Tracol.

(14) At the junction of^{the GR®s}, turn left and continue on both^GR®s. Let the^GR®7branch off to the left and keep right on the^GR®65towards Les Sétoux. You will reach the junction of^{the GR®65}and a^PR®.

(15) Continue south through a large clearing towards Les Sétoux.

(16) At the entrance to the village, turn right onto Rue de la Mule. Continue to Route de Riotord.

(17) First turn left then right onto Chemin Saint-Jacques; a little further on, you’ll find a lodge where you can look for a place to camp (E).
You can camp around the lodge if you ask the owner.

Provisions before (1) – there is a supermarket on the other side of the river.
Supplies in Bourg-Argental (3) and Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue (9) – grocery shop and bakery near the churches.

Camping or accommodation in Sétoux
Lodge Le Combalou, Dominique Chemin Saint-Jacques, tel: 04 71 61 96 41

The Via Fluvia
The Col du Tracol has long been a crossing point between the Forez and the Velay. Its name comes from the fact that it was a narrow passage where one had to ‘se tracouler’, meaning to ‘slip through’ between the walls. An old railway tunnel runs beneath this pass, the Tracol Tunnel, which is 2,300 m long.