Circular route via Saut du Gier, Crêt de la Perdrix and Toile

From Saint-Chamond, head towards the Parc du Pilat and La Valla-en-Gier via the M2. Cross the Barrage de la Rive. After a sharp left-hand bend, climb up to a junction at a right-hand bend. Leave the Route de la Valla-en-Gier and follow the M76 opposite towards the Saut du Gier. After 3.8 km, at a hairpin bend, leave the M76 and take the small road opposite, continuing towards Saut du Gier. One kilometre further on, park on the right at the car park sign.

(S/E) Walk up the small road. At the “La Scie du Bost” sign, leave the road to the right and follow the white and brown signposted route towards Saut du Gier for 50 m.

(1) At the junction, leave the path going straight ahead and turn left between the farms. After a long straight stretch, ignore the path opposite and continue on the one winding uphill to the right. On the straight slope that follows, leave the path on the right and approach a scree slope (locally known as a ‘chirat’). Go round it by turning right, then at the next bend turn left and ignore the path on the right. Continue straight ahead (north-east) up a less steep slope.

(2) Look out for a path on the right which you will take later, climbing up through the scree, and continue straight on to reach the Saut du Gier: a pretty waterfall nestled in the forest.

(3) Retrace your steps for about a hundred metres.

(2) Take the path on the left marked by two white arrows painted on the rocks. You will see these arrows, spaced well apart, all the way to Le Bessat. The well-marked path makes use of natural steps to climb this steep slope. Punctuated by occasional cairns and arrows, it sometimes branches off before rejoining a little further up. If in doubt, continue straight up the slope without straying too far from the edge of the ravine on the left, and you will come out onto a path (alt. 1090 m).

(4) Turn left to follow the stony path uphill and reach a junction with a track (alt. 1140 m).

(5) Ignore the left-hand branch and the path in the scree slope opposite. Head down the right-hand branch (south) for about 50 m to reach a junction marked by a large cairn. Ignore the path to the right and the track continuing straight ahead, and take the ascending path to the left, marked by an arrow on a stone. Further up, it joins a signposted track (alt. 1200 m).

(6) At the signpost, cross the track and follow the path opposite (white and brown markings) towards the shepherd's hut (south-east). Further up, leave the forest, descend into the Gier valley and climb up the opposite side to reach the Auberge de la Jasserie. Turn right (south) towards the back of the car park.

(7) At the signpost, continue straight ahead on the GR®7 towards Crêt de la Perdrix (south). Climb the grassy slope opposite, cross the Route de la Jasserie and reach a fork just beyond.

(8) Ignore the path on the left and take the GR®7 on the right, which climbs across the meadow to reach a crossroads.

(9) Cross the track and leave the GR®7, which continues straight on. Take the unmarked shortcut to the right. After 250 m, it rejoins the GR®7, which leads to Crêt de la Perdrix (alt. 1432 m) and its orientation table.

(10) Descend on the opposite side (west). At the fork, ignore the path on the right and follow the GR®7 to the left.

(11) At the crossroads, cross a track whilst staying on the GR®7. Join the Route de la Jasserie and follow it for about 250 m across open ground to a fork at the edge of the woods.

(12) Ignore the path (White and Brown) straight ahead. Stay on the GR®7 to the left to cross the Bois Grézé and reach the road to the hamlet of Les Hautes Gouttes. Take it straight ahead and continue along a track. Pass the two houses at Les Fayards, then at a fork, ignore the path on the right and, 100 m further on, the one on the left towards Les Sagnes. Cross the Route de la Jasserie and, just after, reach a junction.

(13) Leave the path straight ahead and the one on the right. Continue on the GR®7 to the left (west). Pass a high point (alt. 1250 m) and descend to the Croix de Chaubouret. Cross the M2 road ahead, then the car park (west). Turn left and head to the western end of the car park on the other side of the Route de Chaubouret. Head towards the tourist information signs to reach a hiking sign.

(14) Head towards Le Bessat via the GR®7. Cross a meadow running alongside the road below and join it at the entrance to the village

(15) Leave the GR®7, which turns left, and go straight on to follow the GR®42 along the road through the village. At the fork opposite the church, take Rue du Feria on the right. At the roundabout on leaving the village, follow the first road on the right, the Chemin du Thoil, which forms part of the GR®42. On this road, ignore the side roads and continue down to a crossroads.

(16) Ignore the path on the left and, 20 m further on, the one on the right, and continue on the GR®42 to the left. After just under a kilometre, you’ll come to a junction (elevation 1132).

(17) At the signpost, leave the GR®42 which heads straight ahead and ignore the path towards Tarentaise on the left. Turn onto the path descending to the right, which leads to a crossroads at a place called Le Toile.

(18) At the signpost, ignore the path on the left and the one immediately ascending to the right (south). Take the second path on the right (marked white and brown), called the Chemin de la Petit Chomienne, heading south-east. Pass a slight incline, descend via two bends, ignoring the side paths, and reach a junction at a place called Le Gallot.

(19) Ignore the track descending in the opposite direction to the left and stay on the Chemin de la Petit Chomienne straight ahead. The track winds through the forest, following the contour of the land almost level. Ignore the side paths, cross streams and pass a farm at the hamlet of Ney (alt. 1020 m). Shortly afterwards, leave the path on the left towards two houses and head uphill (north-west) up a hairpin bend to the right. Continue the climb (south-east) and join the M2 road at the hamlet of Le Rot. Cross it to reach a junction a few metres further on (alt. 1106 m).

(20) At the Le Rot signpost, leave the path straight ahead and take the path on the left towards La Scie du Bost, where you will find the white arrows from the start. After a 30-metre descent, ignore the path straight ahead and take the one on the right, which is stony and steep, leading down to the Manneterie forest track (alt. 950 m).

(21) Follow this track to the right for 200 m, then leave it for a path on the left (marked in white and brown) heading towards the hamlet of La Fare (signpost). Cross the stream of the same name and descend its valley on the right bank.

(22) In the ruined hamlet, where a single inhabited house remains, turn right, ignore the side paths and then, via a wide bend, cross the Ruisseau de Gourdéza. The dirt track continues as a steep concrete slope leading to a road.

(23) Ignore the left-hand branch and follow the right-hand one for 200 m to reach the junction with the Route du Robert. Turn right here, look out for the sign for La Scie du Bost, and then head down the road to the left towards the car park (S/E).

Route map

From (S/E) to (3) Conventional signposting (White/Brown).
From (3) to (6) Route without conventional markings but with a few white arrows and occasional cairns.
From (6) to (7) Standard signposting (White and Brown).
From (7) to (15) GR®7 Conventional markings (white and red).
From (15) to (17) GR®42 Conventional signposting (white and red).
From (17) to (S/E) Conventional markings (white and brown).

In a rocky cirque, you can admire the Chute du Gier at the bottom of a steep ravine before making a spectacular jump from the top of a 25-metre cliff.

The Crêt de la Perdrix features an orientation table which, in good weather, allows you to locate various points of interest within a 360° panorama, such as the Alps and the Rhône Valley, the Monts du Vivarais, du Velay, du Forez and du Lyonnais, and the Limagne plain.