Malleval and the Rhône hillsides

Park in Malleval, in the car park opposite the Post Office and Tourist Office, on the banks of the River Épervier.

(S/E) Head towards the village centre by following the D79 south-east.
After a few hundred metres along the village’s main street, turn left onto Rue des Fabriques and then, 100 metres further on, take Chemin des Cigales on your left. It leads all the way down to the bridge crossing the river, which you cross.
The small road that climbs up to the left after the bridge takes you up into the hills via a narrow path.
At a fork (signposted “Saint Pierre de Boeuf”), take the path on the right that leads downhill.

(1) About 200 metres further down (brown mountain bike sign on a tree), leave this path and take the one leading back up through the vineyards on the left.
You will walk through the vineyards for a while along a narrow terraced path (beautiful view of the Malleval Gorges).
When you reach a promontory offering a beautiful view of the valley, head left along a path that winds into a wooded, shady valley.
You go round this valley, crossing an old stream bed, then the path begins to climb quite steeply to the left and becomes stony.

(2) You reach an area of vineyards and continue straight on, then turn right, following the path which runs along a terrace at the top of a vineyard plot, returning to a gentler slope (discreet “Malleval 3” markings in yellow and white on a rock to the left). This path passes beneath a building (Volan) and leads to a promontory (signpost “Malleval” indicating the opposite direction to your route).

Head back down the path to the left, which becomes more enclosed and leads 200 metres further on to a crossroads (sign for “Volan” on the left and “Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf” on the right, with orange horse riding markings).
Head down to the right towards Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf.
You will soon reach the first houses on the outskirts and continue your descent along the street.

(3) When you reach the D1086, follow the pavement on your left for about 250 metres, then take the street on the left (signposted “Distillerie de Malleval”). It climbs up the hillside and very quickly turns into a sunken dirt track

(4) This track climbs quite steeply and soon leads to a vineyard which you follow on the left, then veer right, skirting the upper part of the plot.
Follow this vineyard track, which is circular and begins to climb steeply up the hillside, offering a fine view of the valley, Chavanay and its bridge, and the Saint-Alban nuclear power station.
Continue straight up, ignoring the paths to the left and right, until you reach the top of the hillside (winegrower’s hut).

(5) Continue along the path, which passes through a hollow and then climbs again (signs for “Morzelas” and “Malleval 4”), eventually reaching a small road (winery on the left, tastings available on request), then a crossroads. Turn left, then 100 metres further on, take a path that dips to your left and descends straight down to Morzelas.
There you’ll join a road which you take to your left. This road heads south, passes Les Rivaures (road on the left), and brings you to an “X”-shaped junction with the D79, which comes from Pélussin on the right.
Continue straight ahead on the D79, towards Malleval.

(6) About 150 metres further on, take the tree-lined path that veers off to the right.
Continue straight down the slope to rejoin the D79, which you cross to cut across its bend (pétanque court). You’ll rejoin it immediately; turn left and head back to the starting car park (S/E).

Good walking shoes recommended (fairly steep and sometimes stony slopes).
Refreshments available at the Malleval bar/restaurant on your return.