Écotay-l'Olme walks

After passing through the hamlet of Celle, a pleasant hillside path descends to the Charavan river, then climbs back up to Quérézieux, surrounded by deciduous trees. The descent offers a splendid view of Bard, then of Vieil-Écotay nestled at the bottom of the valley, with its beautiful stone houses, castle, church, wash house, and two rivers that meet under a magnificent little stone bridge.

A short family route offering a chance to explore the heights of Champdieu with unobstructed views of the Forez plain.

This route passes near an ancient volcano, Mont Sémiol, which offers beautiful views of the Forez plain from its heights, then continues to the Fraisse Chapel at an altitude of 1,012 metres.

A beautiful walk to the high pastures, passing by the shepherd's hut de Garnier and the beautiful Chorsin waterfall.

An easy hike around the Prabouré ski resort.

Marols and Montarcher are two villages in the south of the Forez region, classified as "Villages and Towns of Character" by the Loire Departmental Council. Both have well-preserved medieval architecture, particularly their fortified churches. Montarcher is a small village perched on a promontory and offers a magnificent panoramic view from Mont Blanc to Mont Mézenc. The hike is mainly through forest and partly follows the "Chemin des Brigands" (Brigands' Trail).

This is an easy hike that we did with children aged 7 and 10. Maximum duration: 2 hours.

A magnificent walk, classic in the Monts du Forez, offering a change of scenery on the high pastures at altitude, but with fairly gentle gradients.

Day hike with little elevation gain in the Monts du Forez and the wild Hautes Chaumes. It is advisable to climb to the summit of Montiallier for the view. This can be done in winter with snowshoes and even cross-country skis. Great spot for snowkiting at the Col des Supeyres.

A magnificent and fairly easy circuit. Shaded in its first section, it allows you to discover the beautiful Chorsin waterfall and then reaches the plateau of tall grasses before quickly returning to its starting point. The circuit is well signposted with information panels.

A walk through Forez on waymarked trails.

A walk along good paths in the countryside with a few animal encounters.

Walk in Montrond-les-Bains along the banks of the Loire to the Deux Becs nature reserve.

The Prépieux Pond serves as a bird sanctuary and is a great place to observe local and migratory birds.

This hike takes you along sunken paths in the heart of the forest, old paved trails and tracks across meadows, culminating in a view of Montarcher standing on its rocky spur. Magnificent crosses dot this circuit.

This circular walk passes by two must-see sites in the area: the Creux de l'Oulette and its waterfall, and the volcano of Montpeloux, a former basalt quarry converted into an open-air geological museum. At the end of the itinerary, you'll find a beautiful path along the Ance River.

A beautiful trail with, halfway through the hike, the discovery of the Montpeloux volcanic crater and its many informative panels (geology, history of the volcano, fauna, flora, etc.), an undeniable bonus for curious children!

The Trois Ports hike is signposted and extends to Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert. It is an easy walk along a beautiful path on the banks of the Loire.

An open-to-the-sky Sunday stroll in the sun Canal du Forez.

An ideal hike to do in the morning to enjoy the coolness of the undergrowth, sheltered from the rising sun. You will overlook the Chalmazelloise valley, the Haut Lignon valley and, in the distance, the summit of Pierre sur Haute. Your attention will be drawn to the numerous blueberry fields.

A circular route in Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert that runs along the Loire to the Grangent Dam with breathtaking views of the Loire Gorges.

The lodges or shepherd's huts, located on the Hautes Chaumes, were summer pasture buildings from May to October. To get to the start of the hike, after passing the hamlet of Nermond, 200 m away, in a straight line, at the crossroads of this road with the Route de la Combe on the right, turn more to the right and take a stony path, heading for the calvary. Park at the bottom or in the cornfields on the left-hand side of the uphill path.

A mini-hike to discover a pretty village and the remains of its castle, beautiful houses and pretty street signs.

A walk, perhaps with the family, to discover the remains of the Viverols fortress and, in April, to marvel at the meadows covered with daffodils.

This route through the Loire Gorges offers beautiful panoramic views.

Circular starting from the village of Chambles with beautiful views of the Loire Gorges, passing by the medieval Essalois Castle, the Monts du Lyonnais, the plain and the Monts du Forez.

An easy, mostly shaded walk with beautiful views of Lake Grangent at the start and the rest in the forest. The route is dotted with informative and entertaining signs about the flora and fauna. The site is currently being restored to a natural forest after being planted with Douglas firs in the last century. Ideal for family walks and/or hot weather.

An easy hike that shortens the PR®4 (yellow markings) and offers shaded trails rising above Usson en Forez. It is not particularly difficult and offers beautiful shaded sections. The climbs are not particularly difficult and are mostly in the woods. The few sections on roads are in areas with little traffic

This is a challenging hike with significant elevation gain, but the beautiful panoramas and views of this little-known region are well worth the effort.

Located on the outskirts of Saint-Étienne, on the border between the Loire and Haute-Loire departments, the Loire Gorges, a 4,000-hectare nature reserve, charms visitors with its peaceful wooded landscapes, remarkable flora and fauna, rocky outcrops, beautiful Lake Grangent, medieval castles and traditional villages.