The Pisserote Waterfall

This hike will allow you to discover the Cascade de la Pisserote waterfall on the Barbenan.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.00 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 204 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 200 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 782 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 597 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The walk starts at the entrance to the hamlet of Le Verger in the commune of Arfeuille (car park).
(S/E) Cross the hamlet following the main road, which turns left and then right.

(1) After the last house, take the path that descends into the valley, follow it and, at the three-way junction, take the first path on the left into the Bois Darots.

(2) When you see the Barbenan stream, turn left then right to cross the river on a footbridge.

(3) On the other side of the footbridge, follow the stream upstream to the foot of the waterfall.

(4) Reach the top and follow the Barbenan to the ruins of the Moulin du Mas.

(5) Cross the river on the bridge and continue to the left. The trail becomes a path and after 250m, at the end of a left-hand bend, turn right at the whistle.

(6) At the crossroads, turn left and continue straight ahead until you reach the village of Les Biefs.

(7) Immediately after the first houses and before reaching the church, turn left.

(8) Take the D26 on the left, then after 300 metres, turn into the first road on the left and join a small tarmac road, which you take on the right.

(9) At the D26, turn left and continue for 200 metres, then follow the road to the right as it continues. Continue straight ahead until you reach "La Croix Arnaud" and the small paved road.

(10) Turn left and continue to La Croix du Verger, cross the D26 and return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 646 m - Parking in the hamlet of Le Verger
  2. 1 : km 0.27 - alt. 643 m - On the right, take the descending path
  3. 2 : km 1.4 - alt. 597 m - On the left opposite Barbenan
  4. 3 : km 1.91 - alt. 604 m - Footbridge
  5. 4 : km 2.14 - alt. 625 m - Top of the waterfall
  6. 5 : km 2.55 - alt. 665 m - Pont au Moulin du Mas
  7. 6 : km 3.57 - alt. 697 m - Turn left at the crossroads of four paths
  8. 7 : km 5.07 - alt. 769 m - Turn left at the entrance to the village of Les Biefs
  9. 8 : km 5.38 - alt. 775 m - D26 on the left
  10. 9 : km 7.24 - alt. 719 m - Junction with the D26
  11. 10 : km 8.66 - alt. 663 m - Turn left onto the road
  12. S/E : km 10 - alt. 646 m - Parking in the hamlet of Le Verger

Notes

Be careful around the waterfall and when climbing to the top.

Worth a visit

Pisserote Waterfall.
Nearby, Châtel-Montagne, a village of artisans with an 11th-century Romanesque church.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 47 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
maripol22
maripol22

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

we had a tough time, but we saw the waterfall. Very rough. Green surroundings, but tricky passages because it had rained the day before

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User 27021011

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike.
We followed the old route from the village of Arfeuilles, which is longer but more varied.
The old signs are still in place and now lead to the official starting point, "Le Verger".
This option involves a steep climb at the start, and the route above the waterfall is poorly marked, so it's easy to get a little lost unless you're used to this kind of difficulty.

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michel tessier
michel tessier

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful walk... tricky when climbing steeply to get around the waterfall... rely on your GPS... be careful, it's slippery...

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lyllatsrando
lyllatsrando

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, not always easy to follow with the description, but you can connect to Visorando for valuable assistance
The waterfall area is magnificent
Be careful, the climb back up is difficult and should not be attempted in wet or rainy weather
Some sections require a lot of attention.
Many thanks to Christian 1956, describing a hike is no easy task.

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Mariec30
Mariec30

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk, the section up to the waterfall is magnificent! No particular difficulties. Dogs welcome!

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argoon
argoon

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Major difficulty at the start, no yellow markings on the posts/trees at the car park exit.
We made a mistake at the start by following old signs leading to the waterfall, then followed directions found online to go back up to an old mill...
By some miracle, we found the trail halfway through the route... In fact, we couldn't find the start of the trail, which was at least 500 m from the car park.

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criss trail vélo rando
criss trail vélo rando

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike. I recommend starting at the watercourse and finishing with the prettiest part along the stream and waterfall!
in relation to the reviews, it's true that after the waterfall there aren't many signs to follow the GPX route

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sevyviso2017
sevyviso2017

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Walk on 4 September 2023
Very nice walk, starting from the hamlet of Les Biefs. I confirm points 3 and 4 as critical. Stay on the left just above the river and you will quickly find the path, which is very passable. There may be an alternative at point 3. I noticed a path on the right that joins the GR 3A, but I didn't take it! It may be easier to find.
lovely walk!!!!!!! Most of it in the shade

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Kersen
Kersen

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Good hike, done backwards, because we wanted to see the river and waterfall last

However, once you've crossed the bridge over the waterfall, you need to keep your eyes peeled, because there's no path, so you have to climb down and scramble around a bit to follow the river downhill, but there are no paths or even signposts to follow.

Thanks to the Visorando app and real-time tracking for the route, because otherwise there were almost no signs for this hike, which is a shame.

Otherwise, it's a good climb and a good descent, but I'm not a big fan of the river side because there are a lot of people... This detracts a little from the charm and tranquillity of the river, but it's still a really nice walk

Done with my partner and two children aged 4, 5 and 9. (Doable with children who are used to hiking.)

Thanks again.

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Edith Bel
Edith Bel

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The signage is almost non-existent, and the description can be interpreted in different ways in several places. We didn't complete the entire route due to an error... It's a shame, because the location is superb

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MIFA46
MIFA46

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with friends. A mistake at a three-way junction at the start (instead of discussing it, we should have followed the details in the description ) led us up into the woods, but with the GPS we got back on the right track. We were a little surprised by the steepness after the waterfall and the lack of markings on this short section.

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pierrejules
pierrejules

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

hello, we followed the hike as indicated but started from the church in the hamlet of Les Biefs. This allows you to save the waterfall section and the return to Les Biefs for last, which is more interesting and shadier. Given the number of visitors during the week in July, I can imagine how busy it must be at the weekend. However, many people seem to be happy just going to the waterfall and back.

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mads42
mads42

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Overall, it's a beautiful hike, although the most beautiful part is the walk along the river, including the waterfall, of course. I recommend finishing the hike at the waterfall for a beautiful ending. Once you reach the car park, you need to walk back up the road to the crossroads (there is a sign indicating the hike in this direction, but it is not very visible as you first see the sign for the downhill hike, which allows people who are not very fit, elderly or with children to reach the waterfall easily and quickly).

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toubab
toubab

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

nice hike!!!!!!!

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Vivestido
Vivestido

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We preferred to start from the church in the village of Les Biefs...
For me, only the section between "Le Verger" and the Mas mill is of interest.
What's more, with this year's drought, I imagine that I didn't have the best conditions to appreciate this waterfall...

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