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Car park at Boucieu-le-Roi station (Ardèche Steam Train).
It is possible to do just one circular loop. See Practical Information.
(S/E) Head back up towards the village and take a flight of steps on the left (signposted) to reach the charming village of Boucieu-le-Roi directly. Cross the Rue Principale, continue straight on downhill, then turn right.
Warning: This walk does not always follow the department’s white/yellow signposting. You should follow the route description and not rely blindly on thefirst signpost you see. There are many paths in the area. Not all of them are signposted...
(1) Take a small path on the right, heading downhill, which leads you to and across the railway line (the Ardèche Train, a tourist steam train or rail bikes). Continue along the track to the right (white/yellow markings), cross the Cédron stream and you’ll reach a small Way of the Cross, beneath the railway line.
Carry on along this path and, as you pass, take note of the Fontaine du Père Vigne. You’ll then reach a small road; turn right and cross the railway line again. Follow the track to the left for a further 100 m.
(2) Then take a path on the right (marked white and yellow) which climbs steeply through the woods in a series of hairpin bends. On emerging from the woods, you’ll see several large green industrial chicken coops on the right.
(3) Continue along a small level path to the right, just above the chicken coops (and below the farm shed). This will take you to Le Rocher. Continue straight on, slightly downhill, until you reach Rebeugne.
(4) Take the road going uphill to the left for 100 m, then thefirst track on the right. This will take you back to the road at the 470-metre mark. Turn immediately right, heading downhill. At the junction at the 389-metre mark, turn left (this is actually a detour, as it is forbidden to go straight on past the Rebeugne farm).
You’ll then come to a good path which descends, crosses a stream and arrives at La Peigne, where you’ll rejoin the tarmac road (Stop!).
(5) At a place called La Peigne, continue along Route de la Peigne, passing a cross on your right, and head towards the village. Turn left onto Rue de la Mairie (car park and ‘Chez Nat’ bar), then take the main road (Voie Royale) on your left as it climbs. Follow this road to thefirst hairpin bend (cross).
(6) Follow the road for a few dozen metres more and, 50 metres after the hairpin bend, take the path on the right which climbs quite steeply through the woods. It joins a track further up. Follow this track – which is easy, with a gentle, steady climb – until you reach the main road (D534). Ladreyt.
(7) From Ladreyt, head straight on towards Poupier. After 40 metres on tarmac, continue leftwards uphill along the path, which becomes increasingly steep. At Poupier, join the tarmac road. Then follow this short, steep tarmac road uphill. You’ll reach another short, level road (end of the climb and highest point of the walk). Arrive at Les Croix. Viewpoint over the Alps. Follow this short, level road to the right for 700 m, until just below L’Ubac.
(8) Turn right and, shortly afterwards, take the track on the right which descends through fields and meadows (white/yellow markings and signpost). Further down, on the right, follow the markings to the beautiful, magnificently restored hamlet of Montchal. Walk through the hamlet and follow the road to join the D534. Head back to the left for 100 m. (Please note: if you want to take a shortcut through the plantation on the left, there is a small wall you’ll need to climb over to get back onto the D534!).
(9) Then turn right onto the tiny tarmac road leading to the mobile phone mast. To the right of the mast, follow the White/Yellow signposted path which descends steeply through the forest until you reach the road, just above the village of Boucieu-le-Roi, at a hairpin bend you passed earlier.
(6) Cut across to the left, just below the hairpin bend, to reach the car park directly (S/E).
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