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Departure from Vogüé from the recently tarmaced cycle path, near the holiday village: on the D579 coming from Aubenas and Saint Sernin, at the junction with the D114 which turns right towards Lanas, turn left towards Domaine Lou Drystone Shelter, and before the bridge over the road, turn left up to the public car park at the start of the greenway and the entrance to an old tunnel.
(S/E) Take the pedestrian and cycle path towards Vogüé-Gare. It crosses the Ardèche, the D 579A, then the D103 and the Auzon.
(1) Continue along this path to reach the D579.
(2) Cross the road carefully. Follow the old railway line, which has been converted into a greenway. A cutting bypasses Saint-Maurice-d'Ardèche, then the path follows the D579. After the large viaduct, opposite the hamlet of Les Salles, the path curves sharply to the left. On the straight section that follows, look for a signpost for hiking trails.
(3) Be careful not to go down the D579, even though the sign points towards Balazuc, but continue southwards and pass in front of the old Balazuc station. Go under a bridge, then through a tunnel. 400 metres after the tunnel exit, leave the greenway and take a path that branches off to the left and descends opposite an exit to the road. Pass under the greenway on the right, then the path veers slightly away from the greenway before returning to it to pass under a viaduct and join the D579.
(4) Cross again very carefully. The path continues almost opposite and leads to the hamlet of Les Louanes. Cross the hamlet and head north on the Chemin des Clos, which has been badly eroded by storms in the Cévennes.
(5) After passing Les Louanes, in the vineyards, turn right, then left towards Chazotte. Go around this hamlet on the left in a wide semi-circle that leads to the D294.
(6) Cross carefully, follow the D294 on the right for 50 metres, take the street on the left (Translatour signpost), pass the campsite. Follow the bend in the street to the left and east, and take a path that continues along the right-hand side of the street. This path is lined with low walls (discreet white and yellow markings) and box trees. Look for a marker on the right.
(7) A few metres after this marker, turn right and pass to the left of the purple post box. Follow the markers carefully as this narrow, steep path is not marked on the IGN map. Enjoy the view down onto a bend in the Ardèche and the hamlet of Servière, then, a little further on, the panorama of the cliff on the right bank. You will come to a crossroads.
(8) Keep to the right and descend to join the D294. Follow it downhill to the right, crossing the bridge over the Ardèche. After the bridge, turn right, follow the Ardèche and reach the hamlet of Servière.
(9) Climb up to the left between the houses, follow the sign for Lanas to the right by the river (yellow and white markings). The path follows limestone slabs, initially at a good height, then descends in steps to near the water.
(10) Pass above the Grotte des Estinettes.
(11) When you reach a gate covered with reeds, ignore the yellow and white signs that climb into the hills and simply go around the edge of the Domainzeau house on the left and above. Continue along the wide carriageway along the riverbank to reach the village of Lanas.
(12) Cross the village. Navigate the narrow streets until you pass to the left of the church and reach the banks of the Ardèche. At a place called Les Auches, which is a little way off, find a path on the right that winds its way back to the river. Follow it until you reach the crossroads with the Lanas road, at a place called Pradeloup.
(13) Take this road (D114) on the right to reach the junction with the D579.
(14) Cross very carefully, as traffic can be heavy in summer, and take Rue du Pigeonnier opposite towards the holiday village to return to the starting point (S/E).
). Picnic under the archway of a house in the beautiful village of Balazuc.
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