The Plateau des Gras - Balazuc

The Plateau des Gras is a limestone plateau crossed by rivers, situated between the Bois de Païolive woods in the southwest and the slopes of the Coiron in the northeast. The northwestern edge of the plateau overlooks a depression extending from Aubenas to Les Vans. The footpaths along this edge of the plateau offer unspoilt views of the Monts d'Ardèche hills at the eastern edge of the Massif Central. The walk also takes you along beautiful paths amid oak trees and to a viewpoint overlooking the village of Balazuc.

Technical sheet

174394
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.49 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 210 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 217 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 319 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 181 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start out from the road leading to the hamlet of Audon. There are some lay-bys between the bridge and the first bend, where you can park.

(S/E) Take the road towards Audon (northwest) and then at the first bend, turn right onto the footpath leading up alongside the right bank of a small stream (dry most of the time), ignoring the path off to the right shortly after.

(1) At the end of the climb, do not to take the path with white and yellow waymarks to the left, but instead carry straight on almost opposite you until you reach a terrace with poplar trees, which is a discharge area for a former geological drilling site.
On the left of the terrace, there is a track heading straight down (northwest) to the road (D308) below. Even if we you can't see the track, you can simply make your own path down to the road, which is easy enough through the the low undergrowth.
When you reach the road, turn right, go past the campsite and then take the D294 to the left at the crossroads. Just before the lefthand bend, where the road goes downhill, turn right onto a wide footpath which partly takes you over some rocky outcrops. If you like fossils, keep a look out for some here.

(2) After going under the power lines, leave the main path and take the path to the left which first bears west and then turns north along the ridge.

Keep following the ridge, and the path will take you over three successive hills. Ignore any paths off to left or right. At the fourth hill (3), ignore the wide path off to the right heading downwards and continue left on the narrow path along the north face.

(4) Just as you go under the power lines, you will reach a wide path heading up from the road. Turn right onto this path. In the next section of the walk, unlike at point (1), there are a large number of trails in all directions – the remains of motocross tracks. The main path heads towards a model aircraft field, which can be recognized by its white portacabin with a windsock on the top. Walk alongside the field keeping it on the right.

(5) After 50m, at the crossing, turn right onto the path leading south. The path takes you through a fairly barren landscape. At the first crossing, turn right, then at the following crossing bear left and then immediately left again onto a larger path that takes you past the imposing Largelas farm.

(6) After crossing the stream, you will reach a path with white and yellow waymarks that you will need to take to the right. Ignore a path on the right leading to a house and then at the signpost (7), turn right towards Balazuc (Vieil Audon). The path, which is still waymarked in white and yellow, takes you as far as the road (D294).

Before you reach the road, it is well worth taking a detour to the Tour de la Reine Jeanne (or the Tour de Toussaint according to the IGN map) where you will have beautiful views of the village of Balazuc and the Ardèche. A signpost (8) indicates the path on the left.

Unfortunately the waymarks are barely visible or non-existant, but you can see the tower in the distance. Note that after about a hundred metres (9), the most visible footpath climbs up to the left. This is not the path to the tower. To get to the tower, carry on horizontally towards some rocks, where the trail becomes visible again.

On your way back, as you reach point (9) again, you can take a return journey along the path that you didn't take on your way. It disappears a little among the undergrowth and rocks, but leads to the clifftop where the views are even better.

Once back at point (8), turn left to reach the road (D294), which you then take to the right. After 100m, turn left to get back to the bridge and the road to Audon (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 212 m - Route d'Audon
  2. 1 : km 0.84 - alt. 256 m - Leave the white and yellow signposted path
  3. 2 : km 2.05 - alt. 244 m - Power line
  4. 3 : km 4.13 - alt. 319 m - 4th bump
  5. 4 : km 4.44 - alt. 286 m - Under power line
  6. 5 : km 4.88 - alt. 278 m - Cross
  7. 6 : km 6.65 - alt. 228 m - Ruisseau
  8. 7 : km 7.06 - alt. 217 m - Indicator panel
  9. 8 : km 8.31 - alt. 194 m - To the tower and back
  10. 9 : km 8.76 - alt. 194 m - For the tower
  11. S/E : km 9.49 - alt. 209 m - Route d'Audon

Practical information

N.B. There is no water source during the walk and very little shade, so you will need to equip yourselves accordingly in the summertime.
There are white and yellow waymarks along part of the journey.
Part of the walk is off the footpath, but is not difficult.

In the nearby area

The village of Balazuc, classed as one of the most beautiful villages in France.

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Clarity of route map
3.9 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
Kwiss07
Kwiss07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Nice walk with some interesting viewpoints. Don't do it if it's too hot, though, as only the last part is in the shade. The diversions to the tower is well worth it!

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Blit
Blit

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hele mooie route, met heel veel uitzicht. Een aanrader.

leontia
leontia

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

Easy route
Little interest at points 4 and 5
Point 9 with magnificent views over the Ardèche valley and Balazuc

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Randotrail
Randotrail

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Busy trail : No

I found the walk very strenuous, especially the section between 2 and 4, where you walk along the busy D104. The scenery is disappointing. It only becomes pleasant between 6 and 9, with the viewpoint over Balazuc from the Reine-Jeanne tower (but it's now private property...).
In short, there are much better things to do in the area...

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gégéthom
gégéthom

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Difficult to find the start, but otherwise a lovely walk.

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grandin
grandin ★
• Last modified:

Thank you EIH for all your comments

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EIH
EIH

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 12, 2018
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Thank you for this walk. It's interesting to see a different kind of stunted, dry vegetation: and be careful, the shade is only available from point 6 onwards.
The view of the valley from axis 2 to 6 is nice, even if you can hear the noise of the road below.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you

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pb07
pb07

Hello meyduc. Thanks for your feedback, but I'm sorry you got lost on this circuit.
I think I've figured out where the problem was, you must have bypassed the model airfield by taking the first path on the right.
I've added to the description to avoid this kind of mistake in future. I've also corrected the description of the mobile home, as I hadn't been there since they built with breeze blocks.

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meyduc
meyduc

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 06, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello
At level 4 of the description, there is an aeromodelling site, no longer a white mobile home but a breeze-block building. We drive along the site, leaving it on the right as indicated, but 50 m further on, there is no crossroads and nothing is lost. So impro and another 1 hour 30 minutes to find the path we started from.
Best regards
JFD

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JFL21
JFL21

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 14, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

There's no difficulty in following the route. You just have to take your time.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you JM Salanon.
Do you have any suggestions for improving the description of wpt5?

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JM Salanon
JM Salanon

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 22, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

200% chance of getting lost at point 5, given the multiplicity of paths and lack of landmarks. That's what happened to us!

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you DUVERT.
The author says:

When you reach the fourth hump (3), leave the wide path on the right as it descends and continue to the left on a small path that runs along the north side.

It's all about the bumps. I think you just had to count them right.
The next one you choose will have no bumps.

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