Chames Patroux along "ruisseau du Tiourre" (stream) and through Combe Longue for the trip back

Description

Car park at "Chames" bus stop on "route des gorges", pleasant little village above the road.

(S/F) Take the trail heading up towards the hamlet's chapel, follow the road after the chapel then take the non-waymarked trail with a "no entry" sign! Stunning view over the meandering Ardèche River and the Révaou rapids after Pont d'Arc. The trail overlooks the road then towers through the Tiourre valley. View over "Bas Moulin", leading to Tiourre's canalised spring.

(1) The trail heads straight to Tiourre's canalised spring (round-trip). Cross the stream near the cairns and follow the well-marked trail winding through the coniferous woodland (non-waymarked, but some cairns). There is a rocky section which requires some concentration.

(2) The trail leads to a rocky path. Follow the path downhill to the left, section with a deep trench. Keep heading downhill towards Pissevieille stream. The path goes along a high fence.

(3) Ford across the stream (be careful during rainy weather). Keep to the path along the fence.

(4) The main path heads right at a right-angle, cross the ditch and continue on a path a little less obvious along Fonts stream.

(5) Ford across the stream. At the next crossroads, turn left onto a White and Yellow waymarked path leading up to Patroux hamlet.

(6) Take in the view, continue towards Patroux.

(7) At Patroux hamlet, on the plateau, at a tarmac road, you'll reach the GR4 waymarked on the EDF concrete electricity pole (White and Red) and the PR (White and Yellow). The PR pole located on the other side of the road no longer has any indications. Keep heading left until the next crossroads.

(8) Take the tarmac road on the left then at a turn, leave the road heading straight towards a trail with large a GR and VTT (mountain bike) marking.
From this point on, follow the GR trail waymarked White and Red. Leave the PR (White and Yellow) which heads off to the right a little further ahead, leading to Saint-Remèze.
Go left. Several potential turns. Stunning view over the valley and the trail below, which you took a bit earlier.

(9) Head left at "mât de Mayre" (post), then 50 m further, to the right, continue on the GR4F. Leave the plateau and head down to "Ravin de Combe Longue", White and Red waymarked trail. At "mât Bois du Roi", continue on the GR towards Pont du Tiourre 4.2 km ahead.

(10) Head off to the left at "mât Combe Longue", Pont du Tiourre 3 km ahead, follow the non-waymarked trail. Next head downhill on a rocky path until a junction with a cairn on the left.

(11) View over Pont d'Arc, continue due south reaching a trail crossroads.

(12) Take the path on the left heading back to Chames. There's a sign written in Red on a narrow metal plate nailed to a tree a bit further on the right. From the chapel, head down the trail leading to the car parl. Go through Chames hamlet then right returning to the car park (S/F).