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Vernosc-lès-Annonay is a village in the north of the Ardèche department, not far from the town of Annonay.
Go behind the village church (Rue d'Abraham) and park in the car park next to the building. The hike starts from this point.
(S/E) Head towards the side where the church entrance is located and cross the road to take Rue du Fraisse opposite, passing between the houses. Continue along this street until you reach the first intersection on the right, Rue du Pré d'Avas, which you should follow. Leave the tennis courts on your left.
At the next intersection, turn left and continue for about 50 metres until you reach another intersection, where you will turn right onto Rue de Lalie. After a right-hand bend, you will reach another intersection, where you will turn left. Continue for about 20 metres and turn right onto Rue du Coteau, which slopes slightly upwards. Continue to the end of the road.
(1) Continue along a dirt track in the same direction. Pass a turn-off on the right and arrive at a crossroads at the bottom of the valley.
(2) Turn sharply left, ignoring the straight path up the steep slope. Continue slightly downhill along the Ruisseau de la Vauzelle stream. A private property sign along the path may lead hikers to believe that the path is private, but this is not the case. The sign indicates that it is the fenced-off area that is private. The path continues with a hairpin bend to the right.
(3) Continue uphill, keeping straight ahead and ignoring the paths branching off to the left (not shown on the map). The path will eventually join another path that is more or less well paved. Follow it to the left. Pass the first intersection, then at the second intersection, do not turn right or left, but take the narrow path straight ahead that joins the old railway line, which is now paved and has become a greenway.
(4) Take this path on the left and continue straight ahead until you reach a bridge over the old railway line.
(5) Go under the bridge, continue for about 20 metres, then take the ramp on the right that leads to the top of the bridge. Turn right to cross over the greenway. Continue straight ahead and cross the hamlet of Clémencieux until you reach Place du Grand Champ.
Turn right and ignore the two streets on the right to continue straight ahead through the hamlet via Rue des Ravellles. After the last houses, leave this street and take a dirt track on the left and continue along it.
When you reach an intersection, turn left and continue for about 50 metres until you reach a dirt track on the right.
(6) Take this downhill and walk between two low stone walls at the beginning, then it becomes very stony and rutted. During the descent, you will come to a first and then a second fork. Take the right-hand fork each time, downhill, until you reach a road.
(7) At the side of the road, there is a hiking signpost. Cross the road and take the wide dirt track opposite, which descends until you reach the River Cance. Cross the river on the submersible bridge, then start climbing to leave the valley via the path opposite, ignoring the property entrances. Continue climbing until you reach the flat section at an intersection (Chemin de l'Avernée).
(8) Turn onto the dirt track on the left and walk until you reach the next intersection. Turn right, arrive near a house, walk alongside it, taking the Chemin du Champlat on the right. At the next intersection, leave this road for a dirt track on the left (Chemin du Vieux Pont) which leads to a stream.
(9) Cross the Embrun on the stone bridge and continue along the path. Go straight through the hamlet of Brèzenaud. Pass a hiking signpost and continue straight ahead towards the last houses in the hamlet, where you will see a cross. Continue along the dirt track opposite (Chemin de Vignet).
You will come to a fork in the road. Take the right-hand path and continue straight ahead, ignoring the paths branching off to the right and left, until you reach an intersection.
(10) Continue straight ahead on Chemin des Tisseuses, ignoring the turnings on the right and left, until you reach a roundabout and the village of Quintenas. Cross the roundabout and take Grande Rue opposite, continuing to Quintenas church.
(11) From the small village square, take the time to look at the fortified church of Quinteas. Continue along the buildings on your left and, after passing the church, turn right and then, about thirty metres further on, turn left onto Chemin des Cités.
When you reach a stone wall, leave the path and turn left to join the main road. Cross the road carefully (it is busy) and, on the other side, jump down from a low wall onto the side road. Follow it to the left and walk until you can turn right onto Route de Seytenas. Continue to the first intersection.
(12) Turn right onto Chemin des Pensées and continue straight ahead until the paved section ends. Continue on the dirt road until you reach a paved road with a cross.
(13) Take the road on the right and continue straight ahead until you reach a road junction. Continue straight ahead on a dirt track running alongside the fence of a large property. At the end of the track, join a road and take it on the left. Ignore the turnings on the left and stay on Chemin du Vignet, which climbs uphill. Ignore a turning on the right and continue until you reach a fork in the road, where there is a hiking signpost (Le Vignet).
(14) Turn right and follow this dirt track between the houses in the hamlet. At the end of the track, you will reach a road. Turn left and follow this road, ignoring any turnings on the right or left, until the road ends. Then continue along a dirt track. You will come to a fork in the road; keep left. Continue until you reach a crossroads with a tourist information sign.
(15) Cross the intersection and continue straight ahead. After 20 metres, turn left onto the path leading downhill (signposted Chemin du Moulin de la Cance). Follow this zigzagging path downhill until you reach the suspension bridge.
(16) Cross the bridge over the Cance, taking the time to admire the landscape, then, after the bridge, turn right uphill. When you reach an intersection, turn left and, a few metres further on, turn right onto the uphill path made of stone steps and lined with a wooden log barrier. Join the (D270).
(17) Turn left, pass by Roche Péréandre, and take the time to admire this geological feature.
(18) After passing Roche Péréandre, you will see a dirt track on the right, where there is a hiking signpost (Le Raviney). Take this winding uphill track and continue straight ahead, ignoring the tracks on the right and left, until you reach a tarmac road.
Continue straight ahead and cross the village of Vernosc-lès-Annonay to reach the church (S/E).
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Difficult 
Easy 
