The Côtes de Gagne from Saint-Julien-Chapteuil

(S/E) The route starts in the village of Saint-Julien-Chapteuil in front of the Vidal restaurant. Parking is available on both sides of the main road (the D15).

Follow the^GR®65(white and red) markings until (1)

Walk down the D15 for a few dozen metres towards Valence before turning right onto a small road that leads to the Fraisse stream. Follow the stream, cross a bridge over a tributary and climb quite steeply to reach a three-way junction with a cross.

(1) Leave the^{GR® trail}, which heads left, and continue climbing along the valley on a wide sandy track. Ignore the small road on the left and continue climbing along the valley to reach Pradette Basse, with its superb thatched cottage that has retained its original roof.

(2) Here, find a small road that climbs to the right to reach Pradette Haute, which is on the edge of the Gorges de la Gagne. Cross the RD150 to follow a small road that goes straight into the gorges. After a few metres, you will reach a three-way junction.

(3) Take the forest road (tarmac) on the right, which descends gently, winding along the gorges.
Follow this road until the tarmac ends.

(4) Turn slightly right onto the track that climbs up to a crossroads.

(5) At the crossroads, turn slightly left onto the path that descends, winds through the woods and then climbs back up to the plateau. At the crossroads at the edge of the woods, continue straight ahead on the path through the meadows that leads to Les Gonnets. Cross the hamlet to reach the RD49.

(6) Take the RD49 on the left for 100 metres, then turn right onto the access road to La Chapelette. You will arrive at the entrance to the hamlet.

(7) Walk through the hamlet to see the beautiful chapel – which gave the hamlet its name – overlooking the Gagne valley.

(7) On the way back, follow the path that descends to the left, crossing a first stream then a second, alternating between ascents and descents. Climb back up to the plateau towards the hamlet of Les Vignettes and arrive at a crossroads just within sight of the hamlet.

(8) Take the path on the left which crosses downhill meadows and then turns sharply to the right to follow a contour line. This will take you to a track perpendicular to the Suchas farm. Take this track on the left and you will reach the hamlet of Villard and the D633. The hamlet of Villard marks the end of the Gorges de la Gagne.

(9) Do not take the D633 but follow the small road immediately to the right that crosses the hamlet. Pass in front of the old school on a large grassy square, and shortly afterwards the road turns into a track. Continue along this track and turn right at the three-way junction to reach another track at a small pass.

(10) Admire the peaceful Sabadel valley opposite and take the wide track on the left. This track is surprisingly straight. This is no coincidence, as it follows the old Roman road from Valence to Le Puy!
Follow this track, enjoying the view on your left. Pay attention so you don't miss the next path. To do this, look to your right. Pass through an area of pine trees followed by meadows, then join another pine forest on the right.

(11) Turn right onto the path that follows the edge of the woods, turns left and joins a wide track. Follow this track to the right and then turn right again to pass in front of the Portale house. This will take you to a small road.

(12) Take this road on the left for a few metres before turning right onto a path in the middle of wet meadows. You will reach a small road, which you take on the right. Cross a bridge over the Noustoulet and, when you reach the hamlet of Rivet, turn left twice (paths). Climb gently up a wide sandy track that leads into the woods and ends at a crossroads after a short descent.

(13) Go up into the woods on the path on the right, which is marked in yellow. This path joins another at the edge of the woods and widens. Continue straight ahead following the yellow markings, ignoring the path on the right that leads to the hamlet of Le Betz. Walk along the hamlet of Le Chevalert and join a small road.

(14) Leave the yellow markings, which continue straight ahead, and take this road on the left to return to the starting point after a quick descent (S/E).

Hamlet of Les Vignettes: Vines were apparently grown on the hillsides, hence the name of the hamlet.

Thatched cottage at (2)
Oratory at La Pradette once you have crossed the RD150.
Admire the view in (3) and the village of Bigorre on the other side of the Gagne gorges, a preserved hamlet with many thatched cottages. Access is possible but a little long; you have to go down to the river and back up from (3), turning left at the three-way junction.
You can visit La Gagne and the Château du Villard from (9) by taking the RD633 for 400 metres on the left.
Calvary above Saint-Julien-Chapteuil after (14).