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The hike starts at the car park overlooking the Coubon tennis courts (follow the signs for "Tennis" in Coubon).
Various markings are used: yellow, blue, red and white GR® markings, which will be indicated in the description. The blue markings are clearly old and therefore often faint.
(S/E) From the car park, go down the small road opposite which goes around the tennis courts and you will soon reach the banks of the Loire. Turn left and walk past a campsite. The signpost is yellow. This path runs alongside the Loire, then climbs a little to join a wide track. Follow this track on the right and you will reach the Charentus power station.
Please note (June 2025): following flooding of the Loire, the path appears to be inaccessible (signs indicate that it is only accessible to residents). Easy alternative route: continue along the road from the car park without going down towards the Loire. This turns into a track that descends towards the power station.
(1) Cross the factory and continue along this wide track that leads to the Loire gravel pits.
(2) After the sign indicating a submersible ford, the track turns right. Turn left, leaving the yellow markings, and follow the blue markings on a poorly marked path. A red sign indicating "no vehicles except residents" confirms that you are on the right track, in the absence of a sign welcoming you! Follow this path, which becomes more defined, runs alongside poplar trees and crosses meadows before gradually turning left into the woods. Continue along this path, which overlooks the Loire in the woods, then climbs gently at first. The slope then becomes steeper, reaching the ridge as you climb and arriving at a flat area. You will then come out at the entrance to a meadow on the right.
(3) At this three-way junction, the left-hand branch follows the blue markings, while the right-hand branch enters this fenced meadow (pedestrian crossing provided). Take the right-hand branch and cross the meadow on the path that continues into the woods before descending again through beautiful meadows overlooking the Loire. This will take you to the isolated house of La Veysseyre (new pedestrian crossing to cross the fence).
(4) Take the access track to La Veysseyre on the left, walk alongside the Bèche Soleil farm and continue to a crossroads.
(5) Turn right onto the road that descends towards La Planche. In the bend to the right of the road that joins La Planche, follow the path on the left. This path goes around the Serre de la Fare and crosses a horse park in its first section (caution). After a flat start, the path climbs and leaves the horse park. Enjoy the view of the cliffs on the other bank and the Loire below, then continue to join the GR®3 (white and red markings).
(6) Take the GR® straight ahead and continue to the fortified farmhouse of La Valette, which has been carefully renovated.
(7) Once through the entrance gate, leave the red and white markings and take a path on the left that climbs steadily, winds to the right and joins the village of Archinaud.
(8) Take the first small road on the left at the entrance to the village. It climbs and joins the GR®430 (red and white markings) on the ridge line.
(9) Follow the GR® on the left along a wide track that joins the hamlet of L'Holme and a road.
(10) Take this road on the right with the GR® and after two hairpin bends you will reach the cemetery of Coubon.
(11) Leave the road and the GR® and turn left onto the small road that climbs up to the hamlet of La Roche.
(12) As soon as you arrive in the hamlet, leave the road via a path on the right that passes between two houses and leads to a cross overlooking Coubon. Turn left and follow the signs for "habitations troglodytiques" (troglodyte dwellings). The path descends rapidly, passing old dwellings, and joins an access road. Follow this road downhill to the right, then turn left to reach the tennis court car park (S/E).
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