The Don Volcano from Marcols-les-Eaux

Yellow and white markings

(S/E) From the Town Hall square, head up the Route de Mézilhac to the right. At the first junction on the right (just above the care home), follow the sign for “Rocher de Don”.
Climb above the village along a paved slanting street (part of the old track that linked Privas to Le Cheylard). At the next three-way junction, turn left. At the next junction, follow the path on the left as it winds through the broom.

(1) Join a wide forest track and follow it to the right.

(2) Shortly afterwards, at a right-hand bend, take the path on the left (a shortcut off the forest track).

(3) At the next junction with the forest track, follow the left-hand track – without leaving the forest track – leading to the Ribiers farm,

(4) Just before the farm, take a path on the left: signposted ‘hiking trail’ (slight variation between the IGN map and the actual terrain). This shortcut joins a track. Follow it to the right.

(5) At the next junction (signpost), continue straight ahead towards the north, signposted ‘Don’. Ignore the various paths to the right and left of this long track, which passes above the Sagnette farm.

(6) At a hairpin bend, turn left and carry on to a gate. Go through it and walk along the ridge, through the broom (slight variation between the IGN map and the actual terrain). Leave the path leading down to the Don farm on your right. Reach the foot of the rock. (The information board for the geosite is completely dilapidated).
Go through the gate and, straight ahead, begin the climb towards the summit and the ruins of an ancient castle.

(7) From the summit (orientation table), retrace your steps.

(6). Take the track on the left and join the small road to Saint-Genest Lachamp.

Unmarked

(8) Follow this tarmac road to the right for about 2.5 km; it is well shaded at the start but gradually opens out to reveal views of the valleys.

Yellow and white markings

(9) On the right, reach the junction with the track leading down to Curins and Crouzet. The track gives way to a small tarmac road. Walk past the hamlet of Curins-le-Haut. Continue along the road to the hamlet of Crouzet.

(10) At the first houses in Crouzet, follow the road to the right. Walk past the hamlet until you reach the end of the road.

(11) A track follows on from here and crosses a stream. Further on, at the next signpost, carry on straight ahead towards La Baraque. Follow the track uphill to reach the Col de Pendey (no longer marked on IGN maps).

(12) A few metres past the pass, ignore the two tracks on the right and head down to the left along a small path towards Albon and Marcols.

(13) At the next junction, follow the path to the right towards Marcols (there is a slight discrepancy between the IGN map and the actual terrain). Further down, the path joins a track. Follow it to the right. You’ll reach the small tarmac road that continues on from there, leading to the hamlet of Monteil.

(14) At the next junction, turn right and cross the hamlet, carefully following the yellow and white markings. The route alternates between footpaths and short tarmac sections.

(15) Reach and walk alongside the cemetery, pass in front of the church, then head down to the D 102; follow it to the right as far as the town hall square (S/E).

Second option, shorter and avoiding roads:
- From the summit of Don (7), retrace your steps to point (5). From there, follow the signposted route towards ‘Crouzet’ until you reach a crossroads of tracks; take the track furthest to the left, then further on, head down the path on the left (sign: Crouzet).
Join the section shared with the route described above: once on the forest track leading to the Col de Pendey – (12), at the signpost, follow the signs for “La Baraque” to the right. Finish in the same way as the first option.

The original Gallic name, Marcovolos, was used until the 11th century, followed by Marcouls in the 12th century; the village then became Saint-Julien-d’Orsival (Val des Ours). The commune then became Marcols in 1790 and subsequently Marcols-les-Eaux in 1912, due to its mineral springs gushing from the banks of the Glueyre, which were exploited from 1880 to 1970.

The La Neuve spinning mill, built in 1860; in its vaulted hall, one can see the spinning wheels installed in 1937, and operations ceased in 1967.

Two ancient volcanoes overlook the village; to the south: La Graveyre, accessible by road (offering a fine view); to the north-west: Le Don, where the ruins of an ancient medieval castle (12th century) still stand, offering a view across seven departments on a clear day. A geological curiosity: the permanent presence of water in a well at the summit (probably due to a volcanic vent).

The ruins of the Château du Don, a former Protestant stronghold of the Counts of Launay d’Antraigues, held by Jean-Pierre Descours, a squire, and destroyed in 1633 by the troops of Captain Antoine Chabalier, Sieur du Cheylard. Some interesting references:

https://www.ardeche-guide.com/patrimoine...
http://www.geopark-monts-ardeche.fr/deco...
https://www.marcols-les-eaux.fr/Historiq...