The walk from Robert to Meyras

(S/E) From the town hall car park, head towards the D26 via the road leading down to the left (east).

(1) Cross the D26 carefully and, 20m after the junction, take the road on the right to the Champ Guérin junction.

(2) Opposite the road leading uphill to the right (orange markings), which you will come across again later, take the path on the left leading down to Sabastier (yellow short-distance hiking markings) and follow it to Le Pradel, on the D536.

(3) Turn right at Le Pradel and follow the D536 carefully until you reach the entrance to Ventadour Castle. Take this path and walk up to the castle (open to visitors in summer).

(4) South of the château, take the path down to Pont Rolandy.

(5) Cross the N102 (take care) and follow it westwards towards Le Puy, initially on the left-hand side for ease of walking, then cross back over at the entrance to the campsite on the banks of the Ardèche to walk along the right-hand side, leaving it at the first road on the right towards Les Portes. In total, you will walk alongside the N102 for approximately 300m.

(6) Take the path leading up from Les Portes (yellow markings), then the road continuing from there back to Champ Guérin.

(2) Turn left onto the road leading up to Champ Guérin (orange markings) and continue along the path that descends to the D26. Follow it to the left for 200m and, before a house perched on the left, turn right onto a path that crosses the stream.

(7) After crossing the stream, followed by a steep climb, take the road to the right and then, after 150m, the path to the left towards Château de Hautségur (visits by appointment). Continue along the road to the next junction (still following the orange markings).

(8) Follow the Via Domitius route to the left, heading down to Neyrac-Bas. Continue to the right, following the N102 again for 200m.

(9) Take the bridge on the left which crosses the Ardèche and passes between old factories. Please respect private property. This hiking trail (yellow markings) is shown on the IGN map. Follow the path up behind the buildings and join the road leading up to Neyrac-Haut.

(10) At Neyrac-Haut, turn left towards the upper hamlet. Go round the hamlet on the right. A path running alongside the houses allows you to cut across the hairpin bend. Climb another ten metres or so and take the path on the right. Follow the Chasorne stream up the ravine, crossing it at a hairpin bend that turns left and heads north. Keep to the right at the next fork and take the path heading south-east, which joins the road between Neyrac-les-Bains and Le Souilhol. Follow this road to the right and south towards Le Souilhol.

(11) Just before the three-way junction, which leads to Le Souilhol on the left and continues towards Jaujac on the right, take the path on the far left at the hairpin bend (green markings) which heads back towards Meyras via La Taillade and Le Barutel. It joins the road at Le Chambonnet. After La Taillade, you’ll reach the Réjus bridge, back on the D26.

(12) Turn left onto the D26 and cross the Barutel bridge. Take the first road on the right after the bridge and walk alongside the campsite. At the end of the road, continue straight ahead, crossing the hamlet of Barutel via a path between the houses which climbs up to the N102 (still following the green markings).

(13) Cross the N102 with care, follow it slightly to the left before turning right onto the D26, heading towards Meyras. After about 200m, take the path on the left (green markings) which climbs through a holm oak wood. Further along, you’ll rejoin the section of road taken on the way to Hautségur Castle.

(14) This time, continue straight on, passing the sewage treatment plant, keeping a general north-northeast direction to return to the car park (S/E).

The quality of the route varies (roads, wide paths, steeper trails).
Good walking shoes are still required, as well as drinks (especially in summer) and provisions given the length of the route.

(S/E) The medieval village of Meyras is well worth a visit. Information can be found on the local council’s website.

(4) Ventadour Castle has been undergoing restoration (carried out by young volunteers) for several decades following a project that won an award on the television programme "Chefs d'œuvres en péril". You can approach it, walk around it and admire its impressive walls. Visits are possible in summer.

(7) (8) Before reaching the Via Domitia, the recently restored Château de Hautségur stands out with its elegant silhouette. It hosts cultural events (concerts) and can be visited on request.

(8) (9) and (12) Two "Roman bridges" along the route: you cross the first before reaching the N102, on the Via Domitius, over the stream "L'Auche"; the second is located beneath the Pont de Réjus on the Lignon.

(11) At the Souilhol crossroads, you can walk on to the hamlet, some two hundred metres away. It is a typical Ardèche settlement, with a lodge. A path (signposted) also leads from the crossroads to the Serre Rouge, the summit of the volcano (a climb of about 120 metres to reach it: for the keen hikers). Below the crossroads lies the impressive ravine (take care...) formed by the erosion of the volcanic flow.