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Aurec-sur-Loire station car park
GR®3markings (2 white-red stripes)
(S/E) Follow theGR® trail across the car park towards the south, pass under the road bridge and immediately turn right, crossing the level crossing. Take the "Himalayan" footbridge opposite, which replaced the old bridge in 2012. After crossing the Loire, take the ramp on the left to reach a path below.
(1) Go around the Respirando® area, following the white and red markings associated with the "PR® du Saut du Chien". Cross the leisure centre. Continue south to a footbridge that crosses the Rivoire stream.
(2) Continue on theGR®, still following thePR®, turning left onto the path along the Loire which runs alongside a campsite. The path becomes a trail and leads to a tarmac area near some houses. Cross over and take the path furthest to the left.
(3) In front of the imposing Rocher du Saut du Chien, take the new footbridges, installed two years ago and anchored in the rock, which offer a magnificent view over the Loire. Back on "dry land", continue along the left bank of the river and follow the Tachon meander. At the Pont des Romains bridge, located on the other bank, make a circular loop and climb up a steep path to the D46 road
(4). Cross it carefully (traffic) and take the path opposite, which runs alongside the road for a while, climbing into a wood. Join a track near Le Besset.
Leave thePR® and continue on theGR®
(5). Turn sharply left onto this track and head south. Cross the farmland of La Garde Basse, then turn south-west and arrive at Le Prat. Pass the farm of the same name and arrive near a reservoir built close to the Mayol crossroads.
No more markings
(6) Head away fromthe GR® trail towards the north on a small road. Pass the Mouteyre farm and arrive at the houses of Lescorchet.
PR® signposting Le Pont d'Angelard (yellow line)
(7) At the Croisières crossroads, turn left and head south-west. In the bend in the road, take the path on the right. Ignore the access to a house on the left and rejoin the road further down.
(8) Turn right onto the road and cross the Ruisseau de Pompet via a bridge. After a bend, leave the tarmac road and stay on thePR® trail, which joins another trail to climb up to the right. Rejoin the Malvalette road a little further up, just to cross it, taking the road opposite. Follow a wide bend before arriving in the village, near the church (you can picnic at the children's playground).
(9) Turn left and cross the village via the D 463 to the cemetery.
(10) Leave the road with thePR® for Chemin du Cros de Sauze on the right. At the three-way junction, turn left and descend to Ravin du Deneyrat. Then come to the edge of Ruisseau de Pompet. Follow its course upstream to the confluence with Ruisseau de Palemberge.
(11) Cross a bridge on the right and briefly enter the Loire department before returning to Haute-Loire after crossing another stream. Make a detour to the south-east to negotiate the Coutajou hairpin bend, then head north. After a hairpin bend, join a ridge path at Malaval.
(12) Head north again and climb another 40 metres to reach the Sainte-Reine Chapel.
GRP® trail markers for the Gorges de la Loire (yellow-red lines) and mountain bike trail markers
(13) Take the GRP® trail through the Gorges de la Loire from Velay to Forez towards the south-east along a track. Leave the track, following anotherPR® trail, and turn left into the Bois du Château. Descend to Grand Peatland.
(14) Take the steep, damaged path on the left (watch out for ruts) then turn right onto a stabilised track to descend to the Ruisseau de la Rivoire. Cross it via a footbridge (or ford) and climb up the other side to reach the upper part of Aurec, Chemin de la Moure. Take this road to the right, which is all downhill, and pass in front of the building housing the Gîte des Gorges de la Loire (reserved for groups).
(15) Turn left onto Chemin du Pavé until you reach Route de Bas-en-Basset (D46). Cross at the pedestrian crossing and continue up a few steps in the direction of Chemin du Pavé.
(16) Turn left onto Rue de la Rivière and take the footbridge on the right to return to the station car park (E).
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Visorando member
Difficult 
Easy 
