From Gervans to Larnage and Crozes-Hermitage

Over the Rhone balconies between grape vines and apricot trees, with pretty little streams.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.95 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 415 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 418 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 351 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 138 m

Description of the walk

Park in the centre of the village of Gervans in the square in front of the town hall.

(S/E) Follow Rue de Ruisseau in a north-east direction.

(1) The tarmacked road turns into a path once past the last of the buildings. Follow it upstream on the right-hand bank of the stream and then the left bank. Go under an electricity line.

(2) When the path becomes flatter and you find yourself in front of two paths, take the path climbing up to the right. After several successive bends, you will reach a crossroads of streets after you've passed under another electricity line.

(3) Take the road on the right which goes nearly in a straight line. Go past the Méjan houses situated on the right. A bit further on, you will reach an agricultural hangar on the left. Ignore the road on the right and continue straight on. The road curves to the left and then curves to the right.

(4) Leave the road and follow the path in the far left of the bend, going gently downhill. This well-waymarked path goes through forest and then grape vines.

(5) Continue on the cleared path heading straight on (not shown on the IGN map), and then curving towards the left to reach the 'Creux du Renard'. Ignore a path climbing to the left and instead follow the path going downhill to meet the stream. You need to cross over the ford twice (relatively easy) and go below the quarry buildings situated on the right.

(6) Follow Chemin du Kaolin, which turns into a road, until you reach a road going across it and climbing to the right.

(7) Turn right onto this road which then bends to the left until you reach a crossroads on a section higher up. Turn left and follow the road which goes downhill gently towards les Sautons. Go through the hamlet and follow the flat path, ignoring the path going down to the left.

(8) At a crossroads of electricity lines, go through the vines and then alongside them on the right on the edge of a forest. Go downhill towards the left between the vines on the left and a meadow on the right until you each the D163 road. Branch off to the right (take care) until you meet a crossroads 100m further on.

(9) Turn left towards the village of Crozes-Hermitage and go through it, going alongside the stream lower down on the left. Veer to the right in order to go in front of the church and go alongside a car park on the right. Take the road on the right and, at the bottom of the road, take the steps on the left to reach Rue du Balcon.

(10) Turn right onto the road which is flat at first, but then begins to climb to the left and ignore the road going downhill to the right.

(11) A little after the place called 'les Lavoirs', the road turns into a clear path which you can follow easily around the successive bends. In a sharp bend to the right, ignore the path heading off on the left. After having gone around some grape vines via the right and a sharp bend, the path turns into a road. Go between the buildings and the houses on the left and right, until you reach a crossroads.

(12) Turn left, almost at a 90° angle. After the successive bends, you will reach a crossroads. Turn left again at a 90° angle to follow Chemin Belvédère des Méjans. At the end of the road, you will reach a large grassed area. Next, take the small path going down between the oak trees. This path is quite short and goes downhill very steeply to meet and cross over the Voussères stream.

(13) Climb up through the grape vines, heading to the right, and then the left in order to reach a waymarker and information sign. Follow along the edge of the vines back to the left until you reach a path going downhill which you need to follow to the right. When you are nearing the village of Gervans, find Rue du Ruisseau and turn left onto it in order to return to the departure point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 147 m - Place de la mairie - Rhône (le)
  2. 1 : km 0.34 - alt. 140 m - Path along the stream
  3. 2 : km 1.25 - alt. 189 m - Path rising to the right
  4. 3 : km 2.87 - alt. 349 m - Route des Méjeans junction
  5. 4 : km 4.38 - alt. 340 m - Left-hand path
  6. 5 : km 5.11 - alt. 305 m - Vineyard path junction
  7. 6 : km 6.02 - alt. 208 m - Chemin du Kaolin
  8. 7 : km 6.34 - alt. 202 m - Larnage crossroads
  9. 8 : km 7.01 - alt. 200 m - Crossing power lines
  10. 9 : km 7.84 - alt. 155 m - Left towards Crozes-Hermitage
  11. 10 : km 8.38 - alt. 170 m - The stairs of Crozes
  12. 11 : km 8.81 - alt. 200 m - A path with successive curves
  13. 12 : km 10.47 - alt. 338 m - Buclas crossroads
  14. 13 : km 11.77 - alt. 220 m - Ruisseau des Voussères
  15. S/E : km 12.95 - alt. 147 m - Place de la mairie

Practical information

Standard hiking equipment.
Two crossings over a ford near Larnage and Creux du Renard: there are stones positioned to cross over on, but a foot bath might be required if there has been heavy rainfall!

In the nearby area

The climb up following the Pévin stream.
The Creux du Renard and the feldspar quarry at Larnage.
The village of Larnage.
The village of Crozes-Hermitage, well-known for its wine.
Belvédère des Méjans.
Viewpoints over the Rhone valley.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 25 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
LaNath
LaNath

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

Route impossible to follow without the app. Lack of markings. Too much road, even though there are few vehicles on Sundays. Worth exploring if you're in the area, but don't drive an hour to do it. Beautiful views at the end of the walk.

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JLPP
JLPP

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A very aerial route with a beautiful view of the Vercors and then the Ardèche mountains. The route was still marked by the recent heavy rain, with a lot of water running off in the first part of the climb near the Pévin stream. There were no particular difficulties on the route, including the final descent.

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MICHEL PETIT
MICHEL PETIT

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A lovely, relatively easy walk with plenty of views of the Vercors, the Rhone Valley and Tournon. Some technical difficulties on the last descent after the lookout point.

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sblanquet
sblanquet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Lovely walk. No problem following the map and description.
Hiking time overestimated. Less than 4 hours.

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philkikou
philkikou
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Lovely walk done with a route on the phone and geolocation. very varied route in terms of paths, tracks, a little bit of small road. beautiful viewpoints. Between 7 and 8 made a detour to go and see the ruined castle, and indeed the start of the descent after the lookout point is quite steep!

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GROGNOU
GROGNOU

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

But be careful on the descent near the Vessiere stream (known as the Corridor of Death)!

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marcheurs07
marcheurs07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

hike made on 21 /11/2021. Beautiful hike with an impeccable route. Too bad it was very foggy that day, so no visibility of the Rhône valley and the Vercors. Route completed in less than 4 hours. We set off from Crozes Hermitage

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Gerard.REYNAUD
Gerard.REYNAUD

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lovely walk, varied landscape and biotope, easy climbs but the last descent to the Vousssères stream is tough.
In wet weather, perhaps do the route in the opposite direction.

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seb26140
seb26140

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

lovely hike, beautiful scenery (vineyards, vercors, vallée du rhone) and very pleasant paths despite a few sections of road, not disturbing in october, to be seen in the height of the summer heat,

bravo to the visorandonneur for the quality and accuracy of the description, just a little complicated to find your way from point 13 in the middle of the vineyards, nothing looks more like a path than another path (this difficulty is found in all hikes in the middle of vineyards)

done in 3h30, 2 nice gentle climbs, a slightly steep descent but not really difficult, accessible to all

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gerard.palayer@gmail;com
gerard.palayer@gmail;com

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Once we reached the plateau, we had a beautiful view of the Vercors, and then on the way back to Gervans, a beautiful view of the Rhône valley.
It only took us 4 hours to walk.

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PORNICI
PORNICI

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 21, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

magnificent views of the vercors and the rhone valley!

we really enjoyed the freshness of the little streams

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yannmeyrieux
yannmeyrieux

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 22, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

overall positive opinion.

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chanel1962
chanel1962

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Lovely walk in slightly grey weather... a good warm-up for the summer.

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claude Thiriet
claude Thiriet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a bit of a drive but a nice walk all the same Thank you

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PHILIPPINE
PHILIPPINE

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 13, 2018
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike, with beautiful views. Unexpected encounter with a magnificent wild boar!

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