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Aurec-sur-Loire station car park
GR®®3signposting (two white-and-red stripes)
(S/E) Follow theGR®® across the car park heading south, pass under the road bridge and turn right immediately afterwards, 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 leading down to a path below.
(1) Go round the Respirando® leisure area, following the white and red markings associated withthe ‘PR®® du Saut du Chien’. Cross the leisure centre. Continue southwards to a footbridge crossing the Rivoire stream.
(2) Carry on along theGR®®, still following thePR®®, turning left onto the path along the banks of the Loire which runs alongside a campsite. The path narrows to a track and leads out onto 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 into the rock – which offer a magnificent view over the Loire. Back on ‘dry land’, continue along the left bank of the river, following the Tachon meander. At the Pont des Romains, situated on the opposite bank, make a circular route and head back up a steep path to the D46
(4) Cross it with care (traffic) and take a path opposite, which runs alongside the road for a short while before climbing into a woodland. 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 reach a reservoir built near the Mayol crossroads.
No further signposting
(6) Head in the opposite direction tothe GR®®, heading north along a small road. Pass the Mouteyre farm and arrive at the houses in Lescorchet.
PR®® signposting to Pont d’Angelard (yellow line)
(7) At the Croisières crossroads, turn left and head south-west. At the bend in the road, take the path on the right. Ignore the access to a house on the left and rejoin the disused track further down.
(8) Turn right onto the road and cross the Ruisseau de Pompet via a bridge. After a bend, leave the tarmac to stay on thePR®® trail, which joins another trail to climb to the right. Rejoin the Malvalette road a little further up, just to cross it, by taking the path opposite. Follow a wide bend before emerging into the village, near the church (there’s a picnic area at the children’s playground).
(9) Turn left and cross the village along the D 463 to the cemetery.
(10) Leave the road, following thePR®® sign, onto the Chemin du Cros de Sauze on the right. At the three-way junction, turn left and head down to the Ravin du Deneyrat. You will then reach the banks of the Ruisseau de Pompet. Follow its course upstream to where it joins the Ruisseau de Palemberge.
(11) Cross a bridge on the right to make a brief detour into the Loire department before returning to the Haute-Loire after crossing another stream. Make a detour to the south-east to negotiate the Coutajou hairpin bend, then head back north. After a hairpin bend, join a ridge path at Malaval.
(12) Head north again and climb a further 40 m to reach the Chapelle Sainte-Reine.
GRP®® signposting for the Gorges de la Loire (yellow-red stripes) and mountain bike markings
(13) Follow the GRP® of the Loire Gorges from Velay to Forez south-eastwards along a track. Leave this track – alongside anotherPR®® – and turn left into the Bois du Château. Descend to Grand Sagne, a peatland.
(14) Take the steep, poorly maintained 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 by wading) and climb up the other side to emerge in the upper part of Aurec, on the Chemin de la Moure. Turn right onto this road, which leads downhill, and pass 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 the road at the pedestrian crossing and continue up a few steps, keeping in line with Chemin du Pavé.
(16) Turn left onto Rue de la Rivière, then take the footbridge on the right to return to the station car park (E).
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