Cros de Géorand - Three streams and a dam

At the confluence of three streams, the Gage, the Sagne-Morte and the Tauron, EDF built a dam known as the Gage dam (Moulin de Peyron on IGN maps) in the 1950s to supply the Montpezat-sous-Bauzon power station. I suggest you take a tour of the dam starting from Cros-de-Géorand, following a hiking route suggested by La Montagne Ardéchoise. You will discover magnificent landscapes as well as paths through beech woods that are over a hundred years old.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.73 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 502 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 495 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,187 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 953 m

Photos

Description of the walk

At Cros-de-Géorand, there are numerous parking spaces between the church and the wash house, or to the right of the church where you will also find the Info-Rando sign.

(S/E) From the car park, follow the D302 towards Tauron, which you will cross. Follow the departmental road, marked with yellow and redGRP® signs. Turn left at the hairpin bend, then take the path going uphill immediately on the right. Go through two gates.

(1) At the crossroads, take the path on the right towards Le Poyet. Leave the yellow-red marked path and follow the white-yellow markings. After 150 metres, climb up to the left to the signposted viewpoint, where you will find a landscape interpretation table. At the foot of the greenhouse, on the opposite side from the arrival point, you will see the Lapalisse-sur-la-Loire dam, which also supplies Montpezat. There is a view of several wind farms.

Return to the marked trail and turn left. Continue along this trail, which descends to the Croix de Montlaur, of which only the original base remains (a small cement cross on the base). Follow the paved road on your left.

(2) At the hairpin bend, take the dirt track on the right and, after about 70 metres, follow the path that descends to the left, continuing to follow the signposts. You will pass through an avenue of tall beech trees towards Sagnelongue (a beautiful house). Reach a small pass on the ridge path.

(3) Leave the road and take a path on your right that descends steeply through the woods. Follow the white and yellow markings at the intersections. On the last part of the descent, before the ruined mill at Fédarié, there are two paths which merge and arrive at the same point before the small bridge over the Gage. Cross the bridge and climb up the path, following the signposts to reach a tarmac road (hiking pole).

(4) Turn left onto the road towards Cros-de-Géorand via La Chapelle. After about 50 metres, turn right onto the road that climbs uphill. After a big bend, there is a beautiful view of the Gage reservoir (currently empty due to works - September 2016). 200 metres before the hamlet of Le Poyet (very beautiful houses to see in the hamlet), take the signposted path on the right which descends through hazel trees and then beech trees and leads to a fork.

(5) At this fork, take a detour to see the Vernède chasm. Take the marked path on the left that climbs along the Gage, which it overlooks, to a viewpoint over the gours a few dozen metres below.

(6) Turn around and return to the previous fork.

(5) Take the marked white-and-yellow trail downhill to the left. The descent is quite steep in the last section, then cross the Gage on a footbridge. Climb up opposite and make a long traverse along a balcony.

(7) At the first trail junction, turn right to descend to the Sagne-Morte stream. Ford the stream and climb up opposite to join a forest trail.

(8) At the double signpost, Eau et la Force, make a detour to the right (600 m currently, 400 m when the dam is full) to see the other side of the dam. Return to the fork and climb up the forest path marked Blanc-Jaune through a spruce plantation.

(9) The path becomes grassy when you reach the chapel. Go through the gate and continue to follow the signs.
Cross a meadow, descending to the right, then continue to follow the marked trail, which becomes less easy before crossing the Boyer stream. At the start, the path climbs gently opposite, then steeply before reaching the road (picnic tables at the top).

(10) Cross the road, continue towards a house, pass underneath it on the right, then take the road on the left which returns to the starting village (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,042 m - Parking at Cros-de-Géorand. Near - Tauron (
  2. 1 : km 1.13 - alt. 1,176 m - Chaumely hiking pole
  3. 2 : km 2.56 - alt. 1,134 m - Hairpin bend approximately 200 m after the cross
  4. 3 : km 3.77 - alt. 1,077 m - Small pass on the ridge path
  5. 4 : km 4.9 - alt. 1,021 m - Le Poyet hiking pole
  6. 5 : km 6.79 - alt. 1,042 m - La Vernède hiking pole
  7. 6 : km 7.35 - alt. 1,077 m - Vernède chasm
  8. 7 : km 8.57 - alt. 1,067 m - Below La Rochette, trail junction
  9. 8 : km 8.85 - alt. 1,015 m - Forest path junction
  10. 9 : km 10.37 - alt. 1,116 m - La Chapelle
  11. 10 : km 11.26 - alt. 1,071 m - Picnic area
  12. S/E : km 11.73 - alt. 1,042 m - Car park at Cros-de-Géorand

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 27 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Perret Christian
Perret Christian

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike with beautiful panoramic views, woodland, hundred-year-old beech trees, flowering broom... our group loved this hike.

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5074139767
5074139767

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike that can be done in summer as it is mostly shaded. There are several superb viewpoints: right from the start, at an old castle, there is a beautiful view of the village and also of the landscape on the Palisse dam side. There is also a beautiful view of the Gage dam lake. The landscape is very varied: ridges, forests, lakeside...

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urbe
urbe

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A MUST-SEE, PARISH SPECIFIC TO BRITTANY, WITH SUPERB VIEWS

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R&S
R&S

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike in a very wooded area

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duduchois
duduchois

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

superb hike, well explained, really enjoyable. Our group thoroughly enjoyed it

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chris07marcheur
chris07marcheur

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk around the Gage dam. No difficulties, some beautiful views. A remarkable avenue of enormous beech trees, several hundred years old.

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alma88
alma88

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike that alternates between numerous forest trails and pastures.
In the forest, magnificent hundred-year-old beech trees caught our attention.
Access to the dam is closed by a gate.
Thanks to the author and Visorando.

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tgnmm
tgnmm

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk alternating between forest and meadows.

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Marie.Dan
Marie.Dan

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views of the chasm (well worth the detour), but a little disappointed not to have access to the water along the lakeside trail.

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CFrancois
CFrancois

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very good signage. Follow the "sentier de l'eau et sa force" (water and its power trail).
A varied and enjoyable route.

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picotel
picotel

Out of curiosity, we did this route again last week: not a soul in Cros de Géorand, but quite a few people on the route.
As an alternative, we set off from the private road at the dam, which saves time when coming from Yssarlès.

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la dindonne07
la dindonne07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant walk, very shaded but with lovely views. We met several residents of Cros de Géorand
who were always very welcoming.

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mijopres
mijopres

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

nice, easy route; beautiful views

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Dadfrancis
Dadfrancis

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very interesting and enjoyable hike: varied terrain, views of mountains, valleys, lakes and rivers... a beautiful little village with friendly locals, perfect for a break.

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Romain33
Romain33

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very pretty and varied hike on the Ardèche plateau.
The village of Cros de Géorand is typical of those found in this area.
There are many sections in the woods, which are ideal in hot weather. There are several beautiful views of the surrounding lakes and the Ardèche mountains.

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