Water walk from La Séauve-sur-Semène, south-east loop

A short circular walk from La Séauve-sur-Semène, following the Semène river, with a return journey partly through the countryside and partly through ancient forest.

Details

30489285
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.75 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 297 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 296 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 841 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 714 m

Description of the walk

Departure: car park at the Centre Socio-Culturel de la Séauve-sur-Semène (near the town hall), accessible to all vehicles.

(S/E) Head south on the path alongside the railway line, cross the viaduct over the Semène river and you will come to a bridge on your right.

(1) Ignore it and take the path opposite for 200 m.

(2) Take thePR®® on the right and follow the railway line to Chaplat.

(3) Keep tothe PR®, opposite on the right.

(4) Before Digonnet, continue to the right. Digonnet is an old mill with its water wheel still in place. Continue to the hamlet of Prège.

(5) Turn left onto the small asphalt road to La Clare.

(6) Cross the Semène (be careful on the road) and turn right towards the picnic area. Keep to the path on the right until you reach Cellières.

(7) Turn left before the village onto the small asphalt road. After Langellière, cross an ancient forest and the small nursery river, the Genouille. Then climb back up to the hamlet of Montcoudiol.

(8) At the crossroads, go straight ahead towards Baumat.

(9) At the crossroads, turn left and continue to Montsubeyre. In the hamlet, take the path on the right. Cross the small D45 departmental road (be careful!). Before the Verdier farm, take the gravel path on the left. Then follow the small asphalt road on the left to the Roman bridge over the Semène.

(10) Cross the river and pass the water collection and treatment plant. Cross the hamlet of La Valette and head uphill towards Chantemule to return to the original fork.

(1) Before crossing the old railway line, turn right and follow the same route you took on the way there until you reach the community centre (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 736 m - Car park at the Socio-Cultural Centre - Gare de St-Didier-la-Séauve
  2. 1 : km 0.72 - alt. 756 m - Crossroads of the loop
  3. 2 : km 0.94 - alt. 749 m - PR, right
  4. 3 : km 1.51 - alt. 737 m - PR, left
  5. 4 : km 1.71 - alt. 738 m - On the right
  6. 5 : km 2.62 - alt. 794 m - Le Prège
  7. 6 : km 3.26 - alt. 752 m - La Clare. Road bridge over the Semène
  8. 7 : km 4.89 - alt. 821 m - Cellières, on the left
  9. 8 : km 6.19 - alt. 841 m - Crossroads, Montcoudiol exit
  10. 9 : km 7.02 - alt. 834 m - Baumat, on the left
  11. 10 : km 8.66 - alt. 722 m - Roman bridge - Semène (rivière)
  12. S/E : km 9.75 - alt. 736 m - Car park at the Socio-Cultural Centre - Gare de St-Didier-la-Séauve

Worth a visit

Points of interest:
- the old mill in Digonnet.
- The Roman bridge at La Valette and its fish nursery (brown trout).
The start and end of this route follow a path along the old Firminy-Saint Rambert d'Albon railway line, passing over the viaduct above the Semène.
The history of this line, which came into service at the end of the 19th century, is quite interesting.
It consisted of several sections: Firminy-Dunières, Dunières-Annonay via Riotord and Bourg Argental, and Annonay-Saint Rambert d'Albon.
Today, partly decommissioned, it was essential to the economy but also of strategic interest from a military point of view:
- transporting weapons from the Saint-Étienne Arms Factory to the Rhône Valley.
- partial bypass of the Rhône corridor.
The Firminy-Dunières section has still not been declassified and has the status of "unused line". Passenger service on this section was discontinued in July 1991 and freight service ceased in December 2003.
Since 2011, the Vélorail du Velay has been offering rail bikes and draisines between Dunières and Saint-Pal-de-Mons.
The line, which has already been partially converted into a greenway, is the subject of a similar project on the Firminy-Dunières section. Led by the association "O2 de l'Oxygène pour l'Ondaine", this project is unfortunately at a standstill at present.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Alain_42
Alain_42
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with no particular difficulties.

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Waitukubuli
Waitukubuli

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with small paths and quiet roads. The appeal of this route lies in the water features (the Semene River and small streams). Beautiful valleys and magnificent hamlets all along the way. Worth doing again.

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Denis26
Denis26 ★

Thank you, neuneu69, for pointing that out. I have just corrected the description accordingly.

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neuneu69
neuneu69

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The route is impossible to follow with just the descriptions; you need to connect to a map.
There is an error at point 1.
You need to add "when you reach the road bridge, keep it on your right and take the road opposite the one you came from.
Or, when you reach the road bridge, leave it on your right and continue straight ahead.

Where it says to leave the bridge on your left.
Walk done in a heatwave.
The picnic area is not maintained like many other areas.
If you want to eat at a table, bring a knife with a good sharpening stone.

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User 6825086

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello
I went on a wonderful walk along the water's edge
I made a short video to give you an idea of the walk. Feel free to take a look.
Have a great day
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdyHJSVy/

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Alain Rando
Alain Rando

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A few remarks:
(9) At the crossroads, turn left and continue to Montsubeyre. Just before the hamlet, take the poorly marked path on the right.
(10) Cross the hamlet of La Valette and go up the path on the left behind the last house, towards...

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Rébecc
Rébecc
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A fantastic hike.
A really beautiful walk along the water.
No difficulties along the route.
The woodland sections are lovely.

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Sauvegarde
Sauvegarde
• Edited:

We are delighted that you enjoyed the hike. Thank you very much for your comments.

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bernard.kubitza
bernard.kubitza

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very bucolic hike, I recommend it to all nature lovers and those who enjoy rivers.

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GIGI971
GIGI971

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely 10 km hike, fairly easy (312 m elevation gain), not much forest. It's pleasant to follow the river for part of the way (the Semène). There are a few paved sections, but no traffic. Parking is very easy at the start of the hike. Thank you for this hike.

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