La Roche - Nus from Marieux station

A walk through Forez on waymarked trails.

Technical sheet

213057
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.11 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 133 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 133 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 662 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 557 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Coming from Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez, take a left onto route de Périgneux after La Roche junction on the D498, then another left, parking your car on La Roche old station esplanade.

(S/F) Follow the "aventure du rail" trail uphill to Estivarelle heading south-south-east.

(1) Cross the D105 at Marieux station and follow the "aventure du rail" trail until the "chemins de Sommériecq" crossing.

(2) A signpost indicates Nus which you'll follow to your right. At the top of the small hill, cross the D498 taking the path opposite slightly to the left, reaching the entrance of Nus. Head off to the left and continue until a crossing.

(3) Head up the road to the right.

(4) 50 m into the D498, a signpost indicates Lévitant. Take the path to your left which crosses the "ruisseau des Gros" (stream) arriving at Lévitant hamlet.

(5) Take the road to your left over 300 m leading to Vérines.

(6) Behind the bush, turn right onto the trail leading to the place called "Le Mont". Keep going until "La Roche".

(7) Take a right onto the road reaching the D498. In front of the restaurant, cross the road to get back to the starting point (S/F).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 559 m - The old La Roche railway station
  2. 1 : km 1.81 - alt. 592 m - Marieux railway station. Passage close to the - Bonson (rivière) - Affluent de la Loire
  3. 2 : km 5.57 - alt. 641 m - Sommeriecq, crossroads
  4. 3 : km 6.33 - alt. 647 m - Nus, turn right
  5. 4 : km 6.48 - alt. 653 m - Nude, leave the road, take the path on the left
  6. 5 : km 8.03 - alt. 606 m - Levitant, take the road on the left
  7. 6 : km 8.37 - alt. 597 m - Right towards Mont
  8. 7 : km 9.62 - alt. 560 m - La Roche, turn right
  9. S/E : km 10.1 - alt. 562 m - The old La Roche railway station

Practical information

The path goes up and downhill between (4) and (5), with water flow along the way.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 17 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
nayme
nayme

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

I did this walk yesterday. There was no-one there: the weather was more than dull. I left from Marieux station because the car park was more convenient. The only place I had a little trouble was in Nus. You have to look out for the little yellow sign on a post on your right to take the path down to the left towards Létivan: I was lucky enough to find a very friendly gentleman who gave me some information. There are very few roads. A lovely walk. Thanks to the person who described it on the website. It's never easy

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VOLESCA63
VOLESCA63

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : Yes

Boring first part

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Canard 1
Canard 1

Nothing to add

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Canard 1
Canard 1

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Happy to be discovering Aventure du Rail
Beautiful views

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Miotte
Miotte

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant, easy ride. Few roads, which is not to be sniffed at. And sometimes there are beautiful viewpoints.
Sometimes the signs are missing, but on the whole it's a nice route.

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gigitabs
gigitabs

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very fine walk, with lovely views over the Forez plain and a long, wooded route.

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clubr
clubr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant walk, with no particular difficulties. Very few roads (or none at all, you just have to cross), and very pleasant paths (and no cars). Beautiful views of the Monts du Forez.
Without walking very fast, it only took us 2h15. We mainly used the map, not the description (the names in the description are not always easy to spot on the ground, but with the map, no problem).
NB: Gare de Marieux is better known locally (and written on some signs) as "Périgneux gare".

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Phildelafouillouse
Phildelafouillouse

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Nice route with the first half on the old railway line. Easy ascent. I recorded a total difference in altitude of 146 metres, slightly more than advertised.
BE CAREFUL when parking your car at the starting point, do not park at the bus stop, the land is private and the owner is keen to make this known .... He should put up barbed wire so that he doesn't have to worry...

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Emilie42
Emilie42

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

My GPS tells me the distance is a little shorter, 9kms300.
The walk took around 2 hours.
Easy walk, even with children.

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DE LAPLANCHE CH
DE LAPLANCHE CH

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Done in good weather conditions
Superb landscapes

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coureur des bois
coureur des bois

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 27, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Easy walk. I did it with my 84-year-old father. No particular difficulty or danger. Half of the route follows a wide, easy old railway track with little shade and little interest. It's not until you reach the second half of the trail that you find some pleasant little paths with some very beautiful scenery and far-reaching views. Great for families or mountain bikers.
I'd recommend it.
Note: paragraph 4 of the description: I couldn't find the Levitan signpost (use the map to find your way).
Important: the map and the description are inseparable.

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bibi
bibi ★

Thank you for your feedback. What should be included in the description to correct this?
Sincerely

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mille pattes mounardes
mille pattes mounardes

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 01, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a Nus difficulty to find the direction of levitant bad beaconing

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elita
elita

I haven't made it yet; maybe next spring.
It looks good to me. Thank you

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Soubeyrand
Soubeyrand

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 14, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

An easy and pleasant route, with good paths and a pleasant wooded setting.
Just a small comment: we almost went straight on at point 6: the path that follows the hedge is not noticeable, you might think it's the entrance to a field, a marker indicating La Roche would be useful.

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