Les Estables walks

This second stage leads from the Hauts Plateaux du Mézenc to the Loire Valley. It takes you through the Mézenc National Forest and the Breysse woods, a mixture of beech and coniferous trees.The route more or less follows theGR®®40trail, avoiding wide tracks and small roads where possible.

Beautiful scenery around Rechausseyre and Rocher Tourte with lovely views of Mont Mézenc and Mont d'Alambre and very pleasant forest trails from the village of Les Estables.

Starting from the charming village of Les Estables, this hike takes you on a tour and ascent of Mont d'Alambre (a ski resort in winter), with a 360° view of the surrounding peaks and a magnificent view of Mont Mézenc, the highest point in the region.

This is a gentle hike that leads to the summit of Rocher Tourte before circling around it. The summit, which is easy to climb and offers a beautiful panorama, is nevertheless very quiet with a wild moorland atmosphere; it is also a biological reserve. Throughout the circuit, except for the sections in the forest, the view is splendid.

The hike starts at the forest house car park and climbs through the powder snow of Mont Mézenc. From the summit, your efforts are rewarded with a magnificent view of the village of Les Estables below and Mont Alambre. And even the Alps, if the weather is clear.

Discover Mont Mézenc and its two peaks and take a detour to admire the Cirque des Boutières.

Climb Mont Mézenc from the Croix de Peccata - car park.

Circular starting from the Croix de Boutières, passing by the peaks of Mont Mézenc and the strange machine called the Ventographe des Boutières.

Panoramic walk around Freycenet-la Cuche with views of Mont Mézenc.

Between Gerbier de Jonc and Chartreuse de Bonnefoy, the Ardèche plateau offers numerous stone-slab knolls. This circuit between Aigue Nègre and Veyradeyre passes by four of them and at the top of three. In order, these are Séponet (tower), Montfol (summit), Lauzière (summit) and Taupernas (summit). From each of them, there is a beautiful 360° view of Mont Mézenc to the north, the Tanargue massif to the south, Gerbier and Areilladou to the east, and Haute-Loire to the west.

Located between Mont Gerbier de Jonc and Mont Mézenc, the Suc de Sara rises to 1,521 metres. The ascent via the south face and then the east ridge leads to the summit, which offers a 360° panoramic view of the surrounding knolls and valleys as far as the Vercors, Mont Ventoux and the Alps. During the ascent of the south face, the crossing of the scree slopes offers beautiful landscapes.

This tour of Mont Mézenc allows you to admire the landscape stretching far in all directions: the Massif Central, the Ardèche, the Alps, the Pilat Massif... It is possible to climb Mont Mézenc during the circuit. The hike offers the best possible view of the beautiful Boutières cirque. The circuit also includes a return trip through the village of Chaudeyrolles and a tour of Mont Signon.

This geological trail allows you to discover an ancient small volcano, Mont Signon, which became a peat bog, then an ancient maar, or marshy crater, home to several peatlands. Numerous information panels from the Geopark help you understand these different volcanic formations.

Enjoy a beautiful hike on Mont Signon and its old singing slate quarry. Beautiful panoramic views of the Monts de Haute Loire.

A very beautiful family hike in the Monts du Mezenc in Haute-Loire. You can visit the village to round off the hike, as well as climb Mont Signon with its old slate quarry.

Walk along paths or small roads offering numerous viewpoints over the steep-sided Azette valley at the start of the route, then over the less wild Saliouse valley, with a beautiful view of the Cirque des Boutières at the end of the route.

Short, easy route around the drystone shelter, with a beautiful view of the Gouleyou, an ancient lava plug, and a visit to the Chier de Borée site, an arrangement of raised and engraved stones, which is a contemporary work of art.

A very short walk between the thatched village of Moudeyres, its eco-museum, the Ferme des Frères Perrel, and the heights of the Aubépin valley.

A long walk alternating between panoramic views and beautiful woodland, discovering the Rocher Tourte, the water tower for the neighbouring villages, but also a playground for climbers in summer and sled dogs in winter.

A beautiful circular hike, full of panoramic views, to discover the western part of the Mézenc plateau, with the Orcival, a tributary of the Loire, as your guide. Sometimes high up with the knolls as your horizon, sometimes flowing with the torrent as your guide, this is a hike in the heart of authentic Mézenc. Please note that this route includes a section of approximately 400 m across pastures, off the beaten track, as well as several fords across the torrent. Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.

The point of interest on this route is linked to the history of the Transcévenole, an old railway line, and the Récoumène Viaduct. It also offers beautiful views of the region.

This peaceful route starting from Saint-Front allows you to enjoy the contrast between the steep-sided valleys of La Gagne, the Machabert stream and the tributary of the Aubépin on one side, and the gently sloping Mézenc plateau with its sweeping views on the other.

Circular route in the countryside around Freycenet-la-Tour, with beautiful unobstructed views. Discover a wind farm and the Étang des Barthes lake. In early July, there are lots of wild strawberries and raspberries along the paths.

This trail goes around and climbs up the Gerbier de Jonc whose summit offers a view over the Ardèche mountains.

A circular route for exploring the pretty Orcival valley, one of the first tributaries of the Loire. Part of the route is on a very quiet little road through the forest. Very pretty views of the Mézenc plateau.

A free hike allowing you to discover the different sources of the Loire: "the authentic", "the true" and "the geographical". After climbing Mont Gerbier des Joncs, enjoy the 3km of this easy route.

This route takes you up the most famous knoll in the Ardèche. The effort required to reach the summit is rewarded with a magnificent 360° panoramic view of the surrounding volcanic landscape.

A lovely hike with little elevation gain. In the distance, the peaks of Mézenc. Alternating meadows, pretty hamlets and forests. Château de Vachères at the start.

A pleasant walk through the forest, undergrowth and meadows, with the pretty, round crater lake of Saint-Front, the highest in the Haute Loire, as your destination. Views of Mont Mézenc and the Monts du Velay, and you will be on the edge of the summit of Les Roches, an ancient volcano which is a climbing site on its southern slope.The name of thePR® trail that we follow most often is "Entre pins et fayards" (Between pines and beech trees), which is very apt. We added the tour of Lake Saint-Front, as it was too tempting to resist.

This is a lovely walk with many views of Lake Issarlès from the Col de Gage and the Suc de Cherchemuse in particular, as well as the confluence of the Gage and the Loire and the surrounding mountains. The diverse landscapes will allow you to discover the richness of the Ardèche plateau: lava flows, wild raspberry bushes, volcanic rocks, Scots pines, beech trees, larch trees and more.

Tour of Lake Issarlès, with its clear waters, in the ancient crater of a volcano.

Discover the Gouffre de la Monette and its waterfall via the marsh route. This is a mysterious place to be enjoyed in peace and quiet, so choose a time when it is not too busy.