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

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, even if the return journey seems a bit long; luckily, in April the sun is just right, but be careful in the height of summer!

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Date of your route : Apr 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Review of the “Chame Patroux via the stream – return via Combe Longue” route (Ardèche Gorges)
The site is absolutely magnificent: river, cliffs, exceptional natural surroundings… no complaints on that front.

However, the route poses serious safety issues.

Right from the start, after about 4 km of almost continuous climbing, we reach a first point (a stream with a water intake). At this spot, there are no clear signs: several possible directions, no reliable markings. Several groups, including ours (5 adults over 50), hesitate and eventually follow the supposed route.

Very quickly, the path becomes extremely difficult: steep gradients, rugged terrain, culminating in a blockage with a rock face 2 to 2.5 metres high. Impossible for inexperienced hikers to cross. We had no choice but to turn back.

Back at the previous point, we tried another route. Once again, progress was difficult and there were no signposts at all. Upon reaching the place known as “Le Moulin”, the same problem: no directions. Several groups then followed the stream, thinking they were on the right path… before realising they actually had to cross the stream, with no sign to indicate this.

To avoid turning back again, we had to cross the stream and climb up to rejoin a path higher up. The rest of the route is particularly gruelling: a long climb (around 2 km), unstable ground, scree, and narrow passages.

In our group, two people were already struggling, and my wife, who had suffered a minor sprain at the start of the route, found it very difficult to continue. The situation could have required the intervention of the emergency services.

Points of concern:

Almost complete lack of signposting
Difficult or even impossible to find your way in some places
Technical sections unsuitable for an ‘average’ group
The route’s difficulty level was clearly underestimated

Everyone we met that day shared the same view.

Conclusion:
This route cannot be classified as “average”. It presents real difficulties and may endanger hikers who are inadequately prepared.
A reassessment of the difficulty level and urgent improvements to the signposting are essential.

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Date of your route : Dec 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Read the descriptions carefully to avoid taking the wrong turn.
The second part of the hike is a bit monotonous, with much of it taking place in the woods.
The views towards Pont d'Arc are obscured by vegetation.

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Date of your route : Oct 26, 2025
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 with views of the Ardèche mountains. The ascents and descents are very steady, making you forget the stones on the path. The route description is accurate. From the path on the right after point 9 to Chames, there were white and yellow markings.

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Date of your route : Oct 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hike very poorly marked
No shelter in places
Hike not particularly interesting visually as much of it is in the undergrowth
Very stony path
Do it once, but not twice
No difficulties in terms of elevation

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Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Be careful after heavy rain near the source of the Tiourre.

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Date of your route : Apr 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent hike! However, I had to make a long diversions, as the rock cannot be crossed with a dog. The diversions was worth it, there's a path along the Tiourre that was superb! My dog and I got an eyeful.
Just after the spring, take the path on the right opposite the kairn. Before the mill, there's a ford that takes you up towards Patroux, where you can rejoin the path or continue along the right-hand path after the mill, ford it and return to the path you took on the outward journey. To be done after the rains when the Tiourre is full of water.

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Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant circuit
Alternating shady and sunny paths
No major difficulties.
Disappointed for the viewpoints, for me there was only one at the end overlooking the Pont d'Arc.
On the other hand, there were a lot of pebbles, but I'd say that's typical of the Ardèche as I found them on every walk!

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Date of your route : Dec 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice walk. Lots of views. No difficulty

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Date of your route : Jun 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant climb up to point 2 with some magnificent views. After that, it's all stony paths and tracks until you get back to the village of Châmes, in undergrowth and with no viewpoints worth seeing. The description is very precise, but you need to find your way on a map, otherwise you can always use the GPS to find your way.

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Date of your route : Apr 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really great outing.

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Date of your route : Jan 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Perfectly described route. No wrong turns
Grey and gloomy skies. At the picnic site, shortly after Patroux, if the sun had been out we would have had a superb view.
In the Combe Longue, the moss covering the trees is worth seeing.
No nasty surprises along the way. It should be noted, however, that at the large cairn at point 11 the "sentier de Chämes" post has obviously been ripped out; a little further on, an identical post, also indicating "sentier de Châmes", points in the opposite direction to the walk. We ignored this and arrived in Châmes 5 to 10 minutes later.
Nice walk

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Date of your route : Sep 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is pleasant, with no major difficulties, but it must have rained in the Ardèche, because the fords got your shoes wet.
But you can't do this tour without paying a visit to vallon-pont-d'arc, a very pretty place.
I didn't see anyone on this walk.

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Date of your route : Jul 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I did this walk at the end of June 2022. The GR 4F route has changed significantly from point 9 (mât de Mayre). It no longer follows the route of the hike but heads west to return to point 10. We made a mistake, preferring to follow the GR. In the end the route was longer (~1.5 km) and with a bit of an extra climb, but the view of the Ardèche and Cévennes mountains was very nice. It was probably better than descending the combe longue ravine. On the climb up to the mât de Mayre, at around elevation 387, a small cairn indicates a small path to the left. Make your way back to the cliff overlooking the fault you used to reach the spring (nice view).
The path back to Chames from 10 is now signposted. (yellow and white)

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Date of your route : Feb 05, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Hello
I did this walk on 04 February 2022 (winter period without tourists).
Thank you for the description of the route. The GR (red) and yellow and white markers have been changed and no longer correspond exactly to the topo.
The description of the terrain helps a lot.
Is this route a few years old? The vegetation has grown a lot
This would explain the changes to the markings. (which are sometimes changed by local rules).
Thank you very much for your help.
I'm thinking of doing it soon with a group

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