Le Chambon - Petit Paris circuit

This circuit allows you to see the famous Gargantua's balls.

Details

n°42572

Creation:
07 Oct 2013

Last update:
13 Apr 2026

Last review:
13 Apr 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 11.83 km
Average duration: 5h 20
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 672 m
Descent: - 668 m
Highest point: 1,143 m
Lowest point: 503 m

Country: France
Area: Massif central
City: Sablières (07260)
Start/End: N 44.540386° / E 4.051302°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2838OT
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Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the entrance to the hamlet of Le Chambon.
(S/E) Walk slightly up the road and turn left onto the path marked JB (Yellow White) indicated by a slate sign saying "Le Mas". Join the D220 just before the hamlet of Le Mas.

(1) Take the path on the right, ignoring the road. Begin an easy climb to reach Drystone Shelter de Bousquet.

(2) Continue on almost flat ground to reach the houses of La Fouette.

(3) Here, you will find the red and white marked^{GR®4 trail}. Take it to the right downhill to the drystone shelter, where it joins the^GRP® Tour de la Montagne Ardéchoise trail. Climb a little to reach Le Petit Paris.

(4) Continue along this shared trail to reach the large Cayres farm via the plateau.

(5) Turn right at the next crossroads to join the D4, follow it to the left for a few metres before descending to the right via the GR^®. You will reach another crossroads.

(6) After crossing the Drobie (river), turn right onto the path marked JB: Yellow White), leaving the^GR® here^. Pass two farms (Les Granges) and then begin a steep descent on the left bank of the Drobie stream. You will reach the hamlet of Les Fourches.

(7) Cross it and stay on the^PR® to reach Le Chambon and the starting car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 503 m - Chambon car park
1 : km 1.35 - alt. 601 m - D220 crossroads
2 : km 3.55 - alt. 984 m - La drystone shelter de Bousquet
3 : km 4.63 - alt. 1,036 m - La Fouette
4 : km 5.52 - alt. 1,061 m - Petit Paris
5 : km 7.13 - alt. 1,133 m - La Ferme des Cayres
6 : km 8.04 - alt. 1,104 m - GRP PR crossroads. After the - Drobie (rivière)
7 : km 10.59 - alt. 634 m - Les Fourches
S/E : km 11.83 - alt. 503 m - Chambon car park

Notes

There are no water sources on this route.

Worth a visit

The Gargantua boulders are visible above the hamlet of Vialaret. These are enormous round granite rocks that are now somewhat hidden by chestnut trees.
On the moor above Petit Paris, magnificent rocks seem to have been scattered here, creating a truly beautiful scene.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 21 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5

Route interest
4.9 / 5

Marc LB

13 Apr 2026 at 09:18 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Stunning views along the route. There’s a spot for a swim at the end of the route, below the campsite, with a waterfall and a huge pool on the River Drobie.

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marie claude b

12 Nov 2025 at 15:32 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent and very varied route, descending to the beautiful Chambon with its autumn colours.
We set off from Montselgues 19 km Elevation gain 900 m 8 hours (including numerous stops to admire the scenery);
Be careful in Petit Paris, as the path branches off to the right of the road in the bend

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denisvallee

29 Oct 2025 at 08:55 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Be careful when descending towards Chambon from the plateau; turn left and not towards Cayres.
A very beautiful, interesting and varied hike.

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Malopa07

21 Feb 2024 at 18:43 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, even if the long descent is steep.

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ludovic.sauvajon

05 Oct 2023 at 06:35 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A wonderful discovery in a little-visited area.

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cyrille.pan

25 Aug 2023 at 12:16 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you very much for this hike, which allows us to have a good time as a family.

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vidal daniel

17 Apr 2023 at 11:41 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A minor issue in the village of Petit Paris. The GR trail is poorly marked, and we missed it and had to pick it up again further on. Beautiful scenic route at the end of the loop

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polo84

31 Oct 2022 at 17:10 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb route with autumn colours.
Varied landscapes between the chestnut groves below and the open summit areas

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baroulaïres

11 Apr 2022 at 12:20 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent route that we had already travelled in early July 2016.
We did it again with our hiking group this Sunday.
The climb is long but steady, and the landscapes are superb with their different rock formations.
The descent is long and arduous because it is very rocky, but the beauty of the site makes the suffering worthwhile!

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Dédé SAKADO

04 Nov 2021 at 19:36 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike in a landscape reminiscent of Corsica with beautiful autumn colours.
It took us longer than expected due to a few hesitations along the way, but it was well worth the effort.
The descent into the Drobie Gorge is superb.

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bececoste

11 Aug 2021 at 08:28 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

A beautiful hike, like all the others around Montselgues.
We had already done the section up to the Cayres farm, which was common to two other hikes.
However, we regretted not following the route anti-clockwise, as the descent would have been gentler. This is a personal opinion that may be useful to those who prefer steep climbs on rocky terrain to steep descents of the same type.
Another point to note: when you reach the track at point 3 at La Fouette, you need to take it on the left for about ten metres, as the path is on the right just after the house.
Furthermore, once on this path, just before reaching the road, there is a wooden gate in poor condition that we did not notice; you must go through it (and not continue along the path that turns right and runs alongside the road) to take the path on the other side of the road.
Finally, between points 5 and 6, after leaving the D4, do not turn right immediately towards Sablières, but continue straight ahead for about 300 metres, at which point you turn right to follow the Drobie river on its left bank.

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Alain0726

24 Aug 2020 at 17:04 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike. A pleasant, fairly steady climb through the woods. The descent is also shaded, a little steep, and requires good footwear. An interesting route due to its numerous rock formations, particularly the Montselgues chaos at a place called Le Petit Paris.

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martinou07

22 Jun 2020 at 18:03 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a superb hike, completed for the third time in five years at different times of the year, and always with the same level of enjoyment. The Drobie waterfalls were magnificent.
It should be noted, however, that it is difficult due to the elevation changes (long climbs and long descents...)

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saint victor

03 Jun 2020 at 09:39 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike through varied landscapes. No particular difficulty. Ideal at this time of year with all the flowers in bloom. For your information, my GPS recorded 13.9 km.
Thank you for this great route.

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joorange

17 Jun 2019 at 16:01 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2019
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It's a very beautiful route that I had already done in 2011.
The description I didn't use is a bit brief. You have to be very careful not to miss the yellow and white markings.
I think the classification as a moderate hike is a bit generous. It's true that for experienced hikers, it doesn't present any major difficulties, even if the descent is very "rough", but the average hiker may encounter real difficulties.
In the book where I found it, it was classified as difficult.
And as always, the elevation gain given by the Visorando software is probably a little underestimated.

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