Loop on the heights of Mont Pilat

Description

(1) Park your vehicle on the large La Jasserie car park. Walk back up the road and, when you exit the first hairpin bend, take the first path that climbs through the mountain pastures (on the left-hand side of the road, but to the right of a wide path)(2) (There is often a bottleneck designed to limit the number of cows toing and froing on the pasture in summer). Follow the very-visible trail through the pasture. In the summer, walk calmly through any herds you encounter without making any sudden movements. You will arrive on the route des crêts, which you follow on the right until you get to a crossroads(3). Turn left and follow the signpost to "Crêt de la Chèvre" The trail continues to climb.

You arrive on a grassy plateau, where you take the path that goes behind the Chalet Bourguisan(4) in the direction of the Crêt de l'Arnica. The path seems never-ending, but the the Crête de l'Arnica offers the first panoramic view of the Lyonnais mountains, the Rhone valley and the Alps. Go back over your footsteps and resume the trail in the direction of the Crêt de la chèvre(5). Soon you'll find the first view of the Haut Vivarais mountings. With binoculars or by zooming in with your camera, there are lots of natural curiosities to see.

Make a half-turn and retrace your steps. After you have passed the chalet(4), continue to the left and then take the path to the right. Then turn right along a broad path. You'll rejoin the Route des Crêts. Keep to the right until you reach a fork. The Jasserie can still be seen below.

At the fork, take the wide trail signposted "Crêt de l'étançon" (7) (the sign may have been removed). The rising trail narrows quite quickly to become a path that meanders pleasantly through the heath.

Then, to get to the Crêt du Rachat(9), you have two options:
- either you go to the right via the Crêt de l'Étançon(8) to admire a great view. Then, you go back down on the Crêt du Rachat and simply continue along the path to the east. This is the route marked on the map.
- Or you continue to meander through the heath to enjoy the heather and blueberries in the direction of the Crêt du Rachat. This route passes to the north of the previous route.

You then arrive at the Crêt du Rachat(9), marked by a log-signpost as well as a pylon visible from a distance. You can always stop for a meal break on the scree to enjoy the view.

Go back down following the path to the col d'Etançon where several paths intersect. Resume the Route des Crêts on the left straight ahead. When you arrive at the foot of the Crêt de la botte, the col de la Botte (up on your right), take the grassy trail on the right which climbs up and around it. You quickly rejoin a section of tarmac road that you walk up.

Before arriving at the barrier that closes this road, on the left, take the trail that points to a paragliding take-off area. Follow this path straight ahead making sure you continue to climb. You can see the pylon of the Crêt du Rachat far ahead of you. You come across scree that you can cross while maintaining a gentle climb. You rejoin the Col de la Botte coming down from the Crêt de la Botte, still following the path. At this crossroads, take a trail to the right (Sentier de Claude Berthier)(10) which begins to go back on itself on the right-hand side, and then a hairpin that starts a gentle descent through trees in the direction of the Jasserie.

Follow the trail without any particular difficulties until you reach the Jasserie. This trail is very pleasant, with lots of flowers the summer and a superb view of the Giers valley. The end of the trail climbs as you begin to exit the forest. It leads onto the road where where you took the trail through the pasture (to the left). Walk down to find your vehicle at the Jasserie, taking advantage of a final refreshing break at the fountain in summer, or on the terrace.