La Versanne walks

Climb above Bourg-Argental and admire the Pilat Massif from the ruins of Montchal Castle. From the hills of Burdignes, discover the Annonay region and the Alps on the horizon on a clear day.

A hike west of Bourg-Argental, towards Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue, between the Déôme and Riotet valleys. Beautiful views at Ss Montchal and the Taillard Forest, to the east towards the Alps and to the north towards the Col de la République. A route alternating between very quiet roads and good paths and trails.

This easy, short walk through the woods in the heart of the Grand Bois in the Pilat Regional Nature Park is a chance to remember a tragic event from the Second World War, around a small monument that has been somewhat forgotten as it does not appear on any maps. Route updated on 18 July 2020.

a peaceful walk with no difficult sections but not recommended for young children or pushchairs, through forest, alongside ponds and numerous fields in the Pilat Park. Update 20/08/25: photos added and details provided for the fork at point (7) Update 15/07/2025: route modified between points (5) and (7) due to the gradual disappearance of the path on the western edge of the pond.

Hike on the plateau from the Col de la République between Saint-Genest-Malifaux and Saint-Régis-du-Coin.

The Pilat massif on its southern slope with a passage at its highest point, the Crêt de la Perdrix.

A hike starting from Le Bessat, in the Pilat Regional Nature Park, offering unobstructed views of the Mont Blanc massif and then the Mézenc. N.B. Hike not accessible in winter (area reserved for skiing).

An easy walk in the forest, refreshing on summer days, in the heart of the Pilat Regional Nature Park, to discover the somewhat secret sites of the Grand Bois.

A very beautiful hike in the Pilat Massif. Beautiful views and varied vegetation. The section between (7) and (9) is a little more monotonous... In the right season, you can pick raspberries or blackberries. Please note: there is no car park available at the start of this hike. It is possible to start it from the same place as this other hike in the area https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-le-c...

Long snowshoe hike on the Pilat ridges. Can also be done on foot if there is no snow.

The route takes you through forests of tall trees on the cross-country ski trails of the Bessat resort.

A relatively easy walk to a viewpoint overlooking the Rhône valley, the Pilat and Ardèche mountains, and a superb view of the Alps on clear days.

A short, varied tour in the Pilat Massif around the Crêt de l'Aireiller, with a 360° view from the Crêt de la Perdrix as the grand finale.

This hike will take you to the north face of the Pilat massif and the Mézenc plateau, with beautiful forest crossings. Enjoy the coolness of the two dams visited and climb a rock to admire the rugged landscape of the Gouffre d'Enfer.

Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette is a village located in the heart of the Pilat Regional Park. The hike takes you along streams and wooded hills to the Menhir du Flat, then to the Croix de Sainte-Blandine on the Way of St James. Along the route, in certain places, weather permitting, you will be treated to beautiful views stretching all the way to the Alps.

An easy walk to enjoy as a family. Very popular in summer, it is worth the detour to admire the panoramic view over the Alps and the summits of Mont Blanc, the Lyonnais mountains and the Giers valley, the Vercors massif and those of northern Vivarais. With a wealth of flowers in spring, you can gather bilberries in August and raspberries in September. Unless you choose to go ski touring or cross-country skiing here in winter.

Enjoy the atmosphere of northern Ardèche with this exceptional hike in the heart of Pilat. Pass through the main ridges of Pilat to discover breathtaking views and small steep paths.

An easy hike in the Pilat Natural Park, through beautiful forests of tall trees and along the shores of Lake Sapt in a mid-mountain setting. Ideal in summer as the walk is refreshing. The village of Saint-Genest-Malifaux is located at an altitude of around 1,000 metres and many of the paths are shaded by century-old trees.

A pleasant Sunday walk, very popular and enjoyable in good weather.

The Mont Pilat massif is very popular and criss-crossed by numerous trails. This circular loop combines several of them to pass by the site of the Chapelle St Sabin, then climb up to cross the Trois Dents on a fun route, before reaching the ridge and following it through the various crests stretching from the Œillon to the Perdrix. The return journey is via a descent that favours paths through the woods.

A lovely hike in the Pilat hills offering 360° views of Pilat, the Alps, the Monts du Lyonnais and the Monts du Forez.

This route, consisting of three circular loops, is one of the most beautiful hikes in Pilat. You will discover the Chapelle Saint-Sabin, a viewpoint over the Rhône valley, the Pic des Trois Dents and the Crêt de l'Œillon, dominated by its television transmitter.

A very short, easy stroll (apart from the rocky path). At the chapel, you can enjoy an exceptional view of: - the Rhône Valley, - the Pre-Alps (Chartreuse & Vercors), - the Alps (on a clear day, you can even see Mont Blanc...) ... and when you turn around, you'll see the peaks of Pilat: Les 3 Dents, Crêt de l'Oeillon, etc.

Car-free route: depart from Saint-Étienne Bellevue station, accessible by tram from Chateaucreux, and take the L14 regional bus towards Jonzieux. Get off at Planfoy Route du Bourg, paying attention to the timetable, especially on weekdays outside school holidays. It is best to travel in the morning.

Circular hike to the Gouffre d'Enfer and Pas du Riot dams, built under Napoleon III using stone masonry. Admire the height of the conifers growing in these forests. The nearby Col de la République, also known as Col du Grand Bois, lives up to its name. The route is mainly through woodland and is not difficult. There is very little tarmac road (only at the start and finish).

This is an easy, short walk on good stony paths. There are beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Tip: best done in mid-May when the broom is in bloom. Be careful, there is little shade, so avoid the hottest times of day.

This is a lovely hike for exploring the Pilat ridges, with superb panoramic views of the entire Alpine range. The route takes you through a variety of landscapes, from scree slopes to coniferous forests and heathland covered with heather and broom. In season, you can pick wild raspberries and blueberries. This route offers a return via a less frequented path through a deciduous forest.

An easy hike along the ridges of Pilat linking three major summits, via trails through forests and moors. Along the way we discover magnificent views of the Alps, the Massif Central and the Rhône Valley.

Long snowshoe hike on the Pilat ridges with little elevation gain. Can be done on foot in the right season. If there are no tracks, GPS or an app can help in addition to the map.

Beautiful views of the Vocance valleys, the Annonay region, the Pilat massif and, on a clear day, the entire Vercors chain with the Alps in the background. A breath of fresh air in the Taillard forest.

A walk at the gateway to the Pilat mountains to discover the Lac du Pas du Riot and two dams built under Napoleon III. This walk is easy, suitable for families and without difficulty. The hardest part is climbing the 52 steps of the dam.

This hike allows you to discover the infrastructure that supplies the city of Saint-Étienne with drinking water. The hydraulic structures were built mainly to prevent flooding in the mid-19th century during the Second Empire. A journey between a Canadian atmosphere, with the expanse of water and fir trees of the Riot dam, and the Great Wall of China with the ascents of the Gouffre d'Enfer dam. Mostly forest trails.

Climb and ramble along the ridges above Annonay. Beautiful view of the Alps and Pilat.

A short walk off the beaten track. Short but intense at the start, it follows paths that have almost been forgotten, including one along a cliff edge.

A short, easy hike around Villevocance which, on a clear day, offers panoramic views of the Rhône Valley, the Alps, Burdignes and the Vocance Valley.

Most of the hike is in the woods, which is very pleasant in summer. From La Valla-en-Gier, a pretty village that has retained its authentic character, take a small road and then a footpath to reach the Ruisseau du Ban stream, nestled at the bottom of a bucolic valley. The path runs alongside this stream for almost 3 km before climbing up to the Bessat plateau. TheGR®®42 trailtakes you to Le Bessat, a tourist village with low, squat houses reminiscent of the nearby Massif Central. The return journey is a descent through the woods.

This is a fairly strenuous hike with beautiful views. If you wish, between (1) and (2), you can take a slightly easier route. The waterfall is worth the detour.

Long hike in the Pilat massif. Ideal for beautiful days in May. This hike has two main attractions. It allows you to discover the Cascade du Gier waterfall before entering a completely different world and discovering all the ridges of the Pilat. The advantage is that there are several points where it is possible to shorten this beautiful hike. Please note: the first part through the woods is not well marked and it is easy to take the wrong path.

A very beautiful, easy circular alternating between forest paths, magnificent landscapes and breathtaking views of the Château de Rochetaillée, the Roche Corbière (117 m high) and the Pas du Riot (1878) and Gouffre d'Enfer (1866) dams, whose surroundings have been converted into a very pleasant relaxation area for the end of this walk.

The Gouffre d'Enfer dam is one of the most famous sites in the Rhône-Alpes region and a popular walk in the Saint-Étienne area. It was built in 1860 in the Furan valley, near Rochetaillé, and completed 17 years later by the Pas du Riot dam. We then continue along the dam trail to the Pont de Souvignet. The return journey takes us via Les Palais, Les Sagnes and La Croix de Givet before joining theGR®42to arrive at Le Plateau and Rochetaillé.

This is a beautiful hike in the hills, offering superb views of the Rhône valley and the Alps, as well as the northern Vivarais mountains. On the way back to Annonay, the trail winds above the Cance valley before it becomes a gorge once you have passed Annonay. The crossing of the ridges with broom in bloom in late spring will not leave nature lovers indifferent.

A short hike in the Pilat Massif with plenty of shade. The route is not too difficult and offers beautiful views of the Rhône Valley, the Vercors and the Alps, weather permitting, as well as the Monts du Lyonnais in some places and the Gier Valley.

An extraordinary route starting from the town, 95% on paths, surprising and so beautiful. No difficulty. Head towards Rochetaillé via a footpath, then the Gouffre d'Enfer with its via ferrata and climbing walls, and finally the two dams that supply Saint-Etienne with drinking water. 2½ hours at a leisurely pace with 2 water stops.