24/10/2023: Hike modified to avoid the Oppidum de la Farre, which is private property, classified as a historical monument and closed to the public (see practical information).
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The walk starts in Girond. To get there from Le Cheylard, take the D578 (towards Vals-les-Bains, Mézilhac). On leaving Mariac, turn right just before the bridge over the Dorne. Drive through the village of Pont-de-Fromentières and take the road on the right just after the bakery towards Girond, Cornuscle. Girond is 4 km further on. Park in the car park at the exit of the hamlet.
(S/E) Walk back about 50 metres. You will pass the old school in Girond. The walk starts at the crossroads. Take the small tarmac road on the right that passes behind the school (yellow and white markings, sign saying "réserve incendie" [fire reserve]). A few metres further on, you will pass the Girond fire reserve. Take a look at the photos and the gabions filled with local stones.
Walk about 150 metres and take the path that branches off to the right. Climb about 30 metres.
(1) On the embankment, you will find a fantastic summary of the geological evolution of the last 500 million years (see the section "During the hike or nearby" for explanations or the photo "500 million years of geological history before your eyes").
Retrace your steps and take the tarmac road on your right. The tarmac ends at the last house. Continue along the path that runs along the north-facing slope (in the shade) through a chestnut forest. You will notice that the chestnut trees give way to pine trees as soon as you reach the south-facing slope (in the sun).
About 50 metres after leaving the woods, you will see a tiny basalt chimney about one metre wide on your right, on the embankment next to the path. You really have to look carefully to spot it.
(2) Easier to see, 70 metres further on, on the right-hand side of the path, is a pile of rocks that looks like a marbled cake. It is almost granite that has not quite finished baking.
Continue along the path for about 2.5 km until you reach a signpost for the hiking trails at the entrance to a large esplanade.
(3) Roughly in the middle of the esplanade, on its right-hand side, take the path on the right. Its starting point is not necessarily easy to see because of forestry work, but as soon as you enter the woods, you will see it. The path climbs quickly up the spur and you reach the ridge.
(4) Shortly afterwards, you will come across a beautiful pile of granite rocks (note how erosion has softened the angles). Continue along the path for about 1.4 km. Be careful, as it climbs quite steeply and the distances seem longer than they are!
The path emerges from the forest into a large meadow and the trail is no longer visible. Continue straight ahead (south-east), the path resumes at the top of the meadow, to the right. Follow it to an intersection.
(5) Take the path on the left. A few metres further on, you will see theGR® markings. Follow the path to the hamlet of Soulage. The brownish-black stones and rocks that you see in the landscape and also in the walls are basalt. Cross the hamlet and continue along the road. Less than 100 metres before the Croix du Planas, which marks both the pass and the crossroads, you will see some fairly flat stones on your right with very attractive yellow and red marbling. This is rhyolite, of volcanic origin.
(6) At the Croix du Planas, take the road on the right towards the Grand farm. Before reaching it (350 metres after the cross), follow the path that climbs to the right. At the hairpin bend, continue straight ahead to reach a small pass. Turn right towards a barrier less than 100 metres away and join the GR®.
(7) Follow theGR® trail to the left towards the north-northwest until you reach the Sommet du Coudiol.
(8) This summit may not look like much, but it is also a volcano, the source of the basalt flow on which you will walk to Cornuscle.
Continue along theGR® for about 800 metres.
The small hill opposite you and slightly to the right is called "La Pigne" (The Pinecone), simply because a few pine trees are trying to survive at its summit. If you still have some energy left, climb up there (otherwise follow theGR®).
(9) There is a splendid view of all the Boutières, with more than 20 volcanoes in the field of vision.
Descend on the other side (to the north) to rejoin theGR®. Continue on theGR® which passes above the hamlet of Cornuscle and joins the road leading to it. Turn left onto the road. A few dozen metres further on, there is a hairpin bend; take it.
(10) A few metres after the bend, take the yellow and white marked path on your left. Follow it all the way to the end, where it joins the road a few dozen metres before the car park. Turn left to return to the car park (S/E).
Visorando member
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Easy 
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