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Start from the church square in Maclas.
(S/E) Follow signs for Pelussin on the RD19, then after 400 metres, turn left (signposted ‘cimetière’ and ‘Le Buisson’).
Climb the road, passing the cemetery and the reservoir. At the junction by Château du Buisson (stone cross and sign for apple growers), turn right between the old houses. Continue until you reach the junction with theGR®65.
(1) Leave the road on the right, taking theGR®65path (white/red markings). This path passes near the entrance to a campsite, then through cherry orchards and joins a small road where you turn right.
(2) Cross the RD19 and take the path opposite, then leave theGR®65when you reach the road again, turning right onto it.
(3) Walk through the pretty hamlet of Sallecroix and continue along the Route de l’Abeille.
At the junction with the RD67 (with the Mouchet farm opposite), take this road to the left, which leads to a pond.
(4) Leave the road by taking a path on the right that runs under the power line. It takes you back onto a small road which you follow to the hamlet of Chazeau.
(5) Take the road on the left (white/yellow marked trail). It continues as a descending path, the one on the left that runs alongside a water reservoir.
This path takes you into the wooded valley of the Épervier stream.
(6) At a hairpin bend, turn left to follow the stream upstream. Take a lovely path through the undergrowth, keeping to the right whenever it forks.
Head down towards the river and you’ll eventually reach a small ford (where you might get your feet wet!).
PLEASE NOTE: the route’s position at the ford is likely inaccurate if you’re using a GPS (as I don’t use one and the IGN map doesn’t show this crossing).
(7) Cross the stream. On the other side, head right, following the stream as it descends towards Malleval. There is no clearly marked path, but it’s easy enough to get through!
Cross some clearings, then pass at the foot of a hillside covered in vineyards. Keep following the stream.
You will soon come to a bend in the RD79 (signposted Malleval 2, white/yellow markings).
Head down this road to your right; it will take you to the heart of the beautiful medieval village of Malleval.
(8) Continue down the RD79 until you reach the RD503, which links Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf to Lupé and Maclas, through the Malleval Gorges.
Head back up the RD503 for about 1,700 metres (caution: busy road. Take care when walking on the hard shoulder).
After 4 bends, leave the RD503 at a bus stop and take the small road that climbs to the left, passing over the River Batalon.
(9) Pass the first house, then continue along this small road which winds steeply uphill to reach La Brunarie Basse (house on your right).
(10) Leave this road to the right, heading down the tarmac track (sign: No vehicles). The path leads into the woods, heading towards the river.
It takes you to the River Batalon (old stone bridge on the right), which you follow to the left as you head upstream, along a pleasant path that crosses several fords (in the event of heavy rain, crossing some of these fords may prove tricky).
(11) Pass a lagoon.
(12) After following the river for a few kilometres, take a steep path on your right that climbs up the valley (it is located a few dozen metres before a small water treatment plant).
After a short climb, you’ll emerge into a clearing, then onto a road (known as Chez l’Hôte and Chez le Buis), which takes you back to the RD503.
Taking this road to the left, you return to the square in front of Maclas church (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
