Car park at Boucieu-le-Roi station (Ardèche steam train).
It is possible to do only one circular. See Practical Information.
(S/E) Head back up towards the village and take the stairs on the left (signposted) to go directly into the charming village of Boucieu-le-Roi. Cross the main street and continue straight ahead downhill, then turn right.
Warning: This hike does not always follow the department's white/yellow markings. It is advisable to follow the description and not blindly trust thefirst visible marker. There are many trails in the area. Not all of them are marked...
(1) Take a small path on the right, downhill, which will take you to and across the railway line (Train de l'Ardèche, a tourist steam train or rail bikes). Continue along the track to the right (white/yellow markings), cross the Cédron stream and you will come to a small Way of the Cross under the railway line.
Continue along this path and note the Fontaine du Père Vigne fountain as you pass. You will arrive at a small road; turn right and cross the railway line again. Follow the track to the left for another 100 metres.
(2) Then take a path on the right (white/yellow markings) which climbs steeply into the woods with several hairpin bends. As you leave the woods, you will see several large green industrial chicken coops on the right.
(3) Continue along a small level path on the right just above the chicken coops (and below the agricultural shed). This will take you to Le Rocher. Continue straight ahead on a slight downhill slope to Rebeugne.
(4) Take the road uphill to the left for 100 metres, then take thefirst track on the right. This will take you to the road at an elevation of 470 metres. Turn immediately right, downhill. At the junction at an elevation of 389 metres, turn left (this is actually a detour, as it is forbidden to go straight on under the Rebeugne farm).
You will then find yourself on a good path which descends, crosses a stream and arrives at La Peigne, where you will rejoin the tarmac road (Stop!).
(5) At La Peigne, continue along Route de la Peigne, pass a cross on your right and head towards the village. Turn left onto Rue de la Mairie (car park and bar "Chez Nat") then take the main road (voie royale) on the left going uphill. Follow this road until you reach thefirst hairpin bend (cross).
(6) Follow the road for a few dozen metres and, 50 metres after the hairpin bend, take the path on the right which climbs steeply into the woods. It joins a track further up. Continue along this easy track, which climbs gently and steadily, until you reach the main road (D534). Ladreyt.
(7) From Ladreyt, head towards Poupier. After 40 metres of tarmac, continue left uphill on the path, which becomes increasingly steep. At Poupier, rejoin the tarmac road. Follow this small, steep tarmac road uphill. Join another small horizontal road (end of the climb and highest point of the hike). Arrive at Les Croix. Viewpoint over the Alps. Follow this small level road to the right for 700 m, until you reach the bottom of 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 beautifully restored hamlet of Montchal. Cross it and follow the road to join the D534. Turn left and continue for 100 m. (Be careful if you want to cut through the plantation on the left, as there is a small wall to jump over above the D534 road!
(9) Then turn right onto the tiny tarmac road that leads to the telephone pylon. To the right of the pylon, follow the white/yellow marked path that descends steeply into the forest until you reach the road, just above the village of Boucieu-le-Roi, at a hairpin bend you took earlier.
(6) Cut left just below the hairpin bend to reach the car park directly (S/E).
