Chaumiène - Montlaur - Peyralade

de fr

A beautiful circular along a very pretty trail offering splendid views of the valley, the village of Mayres and the mountain range on the opposite side for most of the climb.
A superb panorama awaits us at the summit, where we can see the Mézenc and Gerbier de Jonc, among others. Further in the distance, the Alps stand out in the background.

Details

n°2465508
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.92 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 907 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 906 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,353 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 576 m
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Photos

Ascent trail and view of the valley
View of the peaks from the path up the hill
Ascent trail and view of the valley
Peyralade mineral spring

Description of the walk

Access: Village of Mayres between Aubenas and the Col de la Chavade, towards Le Puy on the N102. Park in the car park on the left, just after the bridge over the Ardèche.

(S/E) From the car park, return towards the bridge but do not cross it. Just before the bridge, take the path marked 'Banne'. This path is marked in white and yellow.

(1) At a fork a little further up, take the path towards Chaumiène and stay on it. The path is very steep at the start and especially in the last section before reaching the plateau at Rocher Girat, topped by an iron cross.

(2) Continue following the yellow markings on the left towards Mayres via Vieux Mayres. The trail ends at a track near the Chaumiène cross.

(3) Immediately descend by taking the path on the left towards Mayres.

(4) Before reaching the N102, take the path that branches off to the left towards Montlaur Castle.

(5) Make a round trip to the castle ruins and the Chapel of Saint Médard. Back on the trail, continue to the right towards the Peyralade spring.

(6) At a fork, turn right at the Source sign. You will pass a small sheepfold.

(7) A few metres further on, on the left, is the path leading to the spring.
This is a short detour that is not to be missed, if only to taste this mineral, carbonated and ferruginous water. There is very little flow, but enough to fill a small glass: the effect is surprising!
Retrace your steps to find the path towards Mayres. As you approach the houses, follow the red signs that lead to the N102 (take care), which you take on the left to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 577 m - Car park after the bridge over the - Ardèche
  2. 1 : km 0.35 - alt. 606 m - Chaumiène sign
  3. 2 : km 3.23 - alt. 1,330 m - Rocher Girat
  4. 3 : km 4.48 - alt. 1,284 m - Croix de Chaumiène
  5. 4 : km 7.22 - alt. 741 m - Château Montlaur sign
  6. 5 : km 7.85 - alt. 748 m - Crossroads towards the castle and chapel
  7. 6 : km 8.8 - alt. 789 m - Source sign
  8. 7 : km 9.47 - alt. 795 m - Crossroads towards the Peyralade spring
  9. S/E : km 10.92 - alt. 577 m - Car park after the bridge over the Ardèche

Notes

This hike can be considered difficult only because of the very steep slope on the way up, but it is easily accessible to any good hiker (no climbing, no ledges, etc.).

This proposed hike is a variation of the climb to Croix de Chaumiène du Vr MALRIF.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 8 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 27458849

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike is technically challenging due to both the elevation gain and the type of trail. There is a steep climb over rocky terrain through broom bushes, which should be avoided if you are prone to vertigo. The descent is gentler and often through woods. A magnificent hike with beautiful views of Mayres throughout the ascent. In my opinion, it is more difficult than the Rocher d'Abraham on the opposite slope, which I did 15 days earlier. It took me 6½ hours, including breaks. Thank you to the user for their advice on avoiding the main road.

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Yvan Eymard
Yvan Eymard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's a steep climb, but with unobstructed views and what a reward once you reach the top with this panorama of the Haute Ardèche mountains. Respect to the elders who built these magnificent stone paths.

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ceros
ceros

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike. To avoid the N102, we took the new Himalayan footbridge at the mill that crosses the Ardèche (see hike trail no. 62353062).
For the return trip, we took another, more pleasant route (see hike no. 62353065), again to avoid the busy N102.
The departure point is then from the church square, adding 1.5 km to the route.

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Samuel P.
Samuel P.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The ruins of the hamlet of Chaumiene are not particularly interesting. It is important to follow the route anti-clockwise, as the descent via the Girat rock is certainly much more difficult than the ascent. It's great cardio exercise and the scenery gets better and better as you climb. The Gerbier de Jonc and Mezenc mountains await you at the summit. There are magnificent stone paths laid by our ancestors on the descent, plus walls everywhere...

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Paulo et magalon
Paulo et magalon

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 : Yes

A very beautiful hike, with a challenging climb. Magnificent passages over rocks and stony paths. Exceptional views over much of the route. The climb is not shaded, but the return journey is more so.
This hike is a real pleasure.

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acarien
acarien

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great! We're glad to have made it to the top! Beautiful scenery.

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daudrez
daudrez

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike with the first 4 kilometres being quite steep before continuing on a more "rolling" section until the end.
A very beautiful circular route with stunning views of the valley, the town of Mayres and the mountain range.
The paths are very clear and well marked.
I recommend taking this little detour to the spring near Peyralade.

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Pitometre
Pitometre

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

Hiking in beautiful landscapes

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