Montselgues - Fereyrolles route

A beautiful hike through the chestnut trees, starting from "Le Sentier des Morts qui tue les Vivants" (The Path of the Dead that Kills the Living).

Technical sheet

42559
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.96 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 577 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 570 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,043 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 490 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Montselgues car park.
(S/E) Pass in front of the La Fage lodge. Turn right onto the road that leads to a large crossroads of paths about 1 km away.

(1) Take the dirt track opposite to reach the Prat-Clos farm. Go around it, following the JB (Yellow White) markings. Begin a steep descent along the path with the rather uninviting name: Chemin des Morts qui tue les Vivants (Path of the Dead that kills the Living). Wind your way down to the village of Chamier, which you reach by crossing the bridge over the Chamier River.

(2) Take the road on the left for about 1 km to reach a path marked with a sign: L'Oratoire.

(3) Turn right onto this path to reach the houses of the Oratoire and then the meadow on the edge of La Borne.

(4) Enjoy this pleasant spot, then return to the previous crossroads.

(3) Turn right onto the road and continue to the village of Féreyrolles.

(5) Cross the village and, at the water point on the left, take the path which also climbs steeply to reach the plateau. You will come to two wooden chalets.

(6) Join a wide track to return to the crossroads at the start of the circular.

(1) Follow the same route back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,024 m - Montselgues car park
  2. 1 : km 0.71 - alt. 1,041 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 2.74 - alt. 586 m - Chamier
  4. 3 : km 4.03 - alt. 539 m - Oratoire crossroads
  5. 4 : km 4.47 - alt. 492 m - Meadow on the edge of the - Borne (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 5.91 - alt. 564 m - Féreyrolles
  7. 6 : km 7.18 - alt. 995 m - Les Deux Chalets
  8. S/E : km 8.96 - alt. 1,026 m - Montselgues car park

Practical information

There is little water on this route, but there is a fountain in Féreyrolles.
An interesting spot after the Oratory for a picnic under the chestnut trees and beside the Borne.

In the nearby area

Explanation: The Path of the Dead that kills the Living. This path was used by the inhabitants of Chamier who came to bury their dead in the cemetery of Montselgues. One winter's day, the path was covered with ice, the pallbearers slipped and the coffin fell, killing one of them.
See the chestnut groves that produce the famous Ardèche marron glacé.
The irrigation channels that water the surrounding land.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Pluy
Pluy

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

After a slightly steep descent through a forest of chestnut trees and ferns, be careful not to slip. When you arrive near the river, the path is a little less well marked but it's a very pleasant spot for a picnic then comes the most difficult part: the long, winding climb of about 500 metres to the village. But you'll be rewarded with superb views all the way, and when you arrive, you'll be a little out of breath but happy to have completed this walk

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RydArdech
RydArdech

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Route taken at the end of October in beautiful weather. Magnificent views but the trail was a bit wet and sometimes slippery on the descent.
Passed through Chamier, which was impressive after the mudslide in March that destroyed a few houses
Wonderful return trip after Fereyrolles, with splendid views of the Cévennes mountains.
A very beautiful hike.

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edmondguevara
edmondguevara

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Part of the hike (from 1 to 2 – the postman's route) is a long and difficult descent which, in another era, was the path used to carry coffins from the hamlet of Charmier to the cemetery in Montselgues.
i was told that at the time, people used to say, "where the dead killed the living"

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barnab26
barnab26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Thank you to those who maintain this mule track.
A very beautiful route, but definitely one to avoid in wet weather.

We started at point 5 (Féreyrolles) (note that parking is limited, with few spaces available), point 6, the junction of the circular route, and descended to Chamier before returning. We had someone over 81 years old with us who was concerned about the descent to Chamier. We did not do the section to Montselgues or to the Oratory. In a fortnight's time, the chestnut grove will certainly be magnificent with the autumn colours.
Everything went very well, there were six of us.
In terms of time, we were closer to six hours. But we could have done better; we enjoyed the scenery.
The scenery is magnificent, and we were lucky to have very good weather.

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mnc
mnc

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The route is not long in terms of kilometres, but the descent is steep and long. The walk along the riverbank to see the stone balls (494 m altitude) is refreshing, but then you climb back up to 1016 m in one go. So it took us 5 hours in total, a little longer than on the route map.You need to be in good shape, as it may discourage novice hikers. We took advantage of this route to test the 'give your position' feature. It worked very well and the person was able to follow us on their computer from home. We will therefore take up this option when we subscribe to the club. Thanks to Visorando. Doing the hike in this direction has the advantage of offering a view of the valley on the way up, as the descent is through woods and chestnut trees, so the view is a little restricted.

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Guy Robert
Guy Robert

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Apart from what we consider to be 'too much tarmac', we think that doing the route in reverse (as we did) is much more enjoyable and less tiring, especially after a rest. We had a picnic just after the Oratory on a recently developed site, but not exactly on the route – so for you, between 4 and 3 – a perfect rest spot facing south with the sun.
Thank you for your work.

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népalaise
népalaise

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

exceptional hike with a meal by the water, superb river. The climb up to the plateau via the winding path is straightforward.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, lea-sc
Perhaps if you had had the map, you would have found a way around that plot of land. In any case, you did well not to confront the bull

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lea-sc
lea-sc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 23, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : N/A
Route interest : N/A

For our part, right at the start of the hike (just after the Prat Clos farm), we had to stop because the path led into a closed field with a huge bull waiting for us at the entrance (surrounded by calves, so potentially dangerous), so we turned back discreetly . It was a shame because the hike looked beautiful...

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Coralie W
Coralie W

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 25, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike starting from Fereyrolles, to tackle the climb before it gets too hot. The climb is in the shade of the trees, and fairly easy with the zigzag path. You can clearly see the change in vegetation at higher altitudes once you leave the woods. Lovely views of Lozère opposite and the Borne valley. The descent to Le Chamier requires caution, as some of the rocks are unstable. At L'Oratoire, take a short detour to the riverbank for a refreshing break.
A very beautiful and enjoyable hike!

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2800MGO
2800MGO

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

At the start of this hike, the horizon is blocked by Mont Lozère, below which lies the medieval village of La Garde Guérin and, further down still, the Chassezac and Borne gorges. A long descent in the shade of chestnut trees leads to the hamlet of Chamier. A short stretch of road and a path following a clear water channel take us to the hamlet of Fereyrolles. A winding stone path with a steady slope takes us up to the wooden chalets. Once on the plateau,
it is easy to find the village of Montselgues. A beautiful hike, without any particular difficulty, to be repeated in the autumn.

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anouckauperin
anouckauperin

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Two small corrections to the description: the residents of the oratory advised us to stay on the road to Fereyrolles (at 4) because the path is blocked by fallen rocks; therefore, do not go down to La Borne (a very pretty spot, however, which is worth a detour!)
Furthermore, the path that climbs back up to the plateau (at 6) is indeed near a water source, but it is located in the village of Fereyrolles and not at the exit.
A very beautiful hike. Thank you!

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prud
prud

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 11, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

An easy route, except for the elevation gain, with beautiful views of the entire region.

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michaux martine
michaux martine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 04, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful route, caution is advised at the start of the descent, technical sections, relatively difficult hike, beginners should avoid venturing there
Avoid starting too late in the day when it is hot

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Lucky84
Lucky84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 12, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Great route with very varied landscapes. Mountains, valleys and plateaus.

The climb is quite steep, it's true, but short. We did the route starting from Fereyrolles to begin with the difficult part and finish with the easy part.

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