La Roche – Nus via Marieux station

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A walk in the Forez region along well-marked paths.

Details

n°213057
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.28 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 436 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 436 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,172 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,827 ft
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Photos

La Roche station
Nudes

Description of the walk

Coming from Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez, after the La Roche junction on the D498, turn left onto the Route de Périgneux, then left again to park on the esplanade of the old La Roche railway station.

(S/E) Follow the ‘Chemin de l’Aventure du Rail’ as it climbs towards Estivarelle, heading south-south-east.

(1) Cross the D105 at Marieux station, then continue along the ‘Chemin de l’Aventure du Rail’ until you reach the crossroads at Sommériecq.

(2) A signpost indicates the direction to Nus on your right. At the top of the short hill, cross the D498 to take the path opposite, slightly to the left, and carry on until you reach the road at the entrance to Nus. Turn left and continue to the junction.

(3) Head up the road on the right.

(4) 50 metres from the D498, you’ll find a signpost indicating Lévitant. Take the path on your left, which crosses the Gros stream and leads to the hamlet of Lévitant.

(5) Take the road on the left towards Vérines for 300m.

(6) Behind the hedge, turn right onto the path towards the hamlet of Le Mont. Continue to La Roche.

(7) Turn right onto the road to join the D498. Cross this road in front of the restaurant and return to your starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,834 ft - The old La Roche railway station
  2. 1 : mi 1.12 - alt. 1,942 ft - Marieux station. Passage close to the - Bonsonnet (cours d'eau) - Affluent du Bonson
  3. 2 : mi 3.46 - alt. 2,103 ft - Sommeriecq, crossroads
  4. 3 : mi 3.93 - alt. 2,123 ft - At the junction, turn right
  5. 4 : mi 4.03 - alt. 2,142 ft - At Nus, leave the road and take the track on the left
  6. 5 : mi 4.99 - alt. 1,988 ft - At Lévitant, take the road on the left
  7. 6 : mi 5.2 - alt. 1,959 ft - Turn right towards Le Mont
  8. 7 : mi 5.98 - alt. 1,837 ft - La Roche: turn right
  9. S/E : mi 6.28 - alt. 1,844 ft - The old La Roche railway station

Notes

Between (4) and (5), there are ascents and descents with water running across the path.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 18 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
eric69330
eric69330

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I went for a trail run to get back into it after an injury. Really nice – wide trails and very accurate maps.

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nayme
nayme

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : 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 your route : Feb 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : 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 your route : Oct 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Happy to be discovering Aventure du Rail
Beautiful views

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Miotte
Miotte

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : 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 your route : Aug 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : 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 your route : Apr 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : 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 your route : Feb 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : 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 your route : Aug 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : 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 your route : Jun 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : 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 your route : Feb 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ 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 your route : Nov 02, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ 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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