Saint-Cirgues-en-Montagne walks

At the confluence of three streams, the Gage, the Sagne-Morte and the Tauron, EDF built a dam known as the Gage dam (Moulin de Peyron on IGN maps) in the 1950s to supply the Montpezat-sous-Bauzon power station. I suggest you take a tour of the dam starting from Cros-de-Géorand, following a hiking route suggested by La Montagne Ardéchoise. You will discover magnificent landscapes as well as paths through beech woods that are over a hundred years old.

Around the knoll of Bauzon, a young Strombolian volcano, there are numerous hiking trails. This route combines the volcanic part of the area with the discovery of a section of the Atlantic-Mediterranean watershed.

Warning: do not attempt this hike until further notice (reopening scheduled for 2027)!The Cévenol storm in October 2024 caused a landslide above the point (4), which completely destroyed the communal path. A municipal notice prohibiting passage has been posted. There is no alternative route on this part of the circuit. A mid-season hike in spring or autumn starting from L'Air (or L'Herm), with varied landscapes and sections on quiet paved roads. Beautiful views of the Vauclare and Fontaulière valleys.

Tour of Lake Issarlès, with its clear waters, in the ancient crater of a volcano.

This is a lovely walk with many views of Lake Issarlès from the Col de Gage and the Suc de Cherchemuse in particular, as well as the confluence of the Gage and the Loire and the surrounding mountains. The diverse landscapes will allow you to discover the richness of the Ardèche plateau: lava flows, wild raspberry bushes, volcanic rocks, Scots pines, beech trees, larch trees and more.

This lovely loop allows us to discover a section of the watershed on the heights of Burzet, at an altitude of 1,300 metres, which is very pleasant in summer when the valley is stifling. Along the way, we will discover a peat bog with the ruins of an old glassworks and the remains of a Strombolian crater.

The ancient Vestide du Pal volcano is what is known as a filled maar crater! Approximately 1,700 m in diameter and 150 m deep, it could be the largest maar crater in Europe. This route will take you along ancient Roman roads that connect the valley to the plateau, passing through various levels of vegetation. In addition to this first volcano, there are two others to discover along the way: Lac Ferrand (a maar filled with water) and Le Chambon, which is completely dry. A volcanic hike, then...

A beautiful circular along a very pretty trail offering splendid views of the valley, the village of Mayres and the mountain range on the opposite side for most of the climb. A superb panorama awaits us at the summit, where we can see the Mézenc and Gerbier de Jonc, among others. Further in the distance, the Alps stand out in the background.

This very demanding route climbs steeply through the undergrowth on the high plateaus. From up there, the landscape over the Tanargue, directly above Mayres, takes on a whole new dimension. The descent back to the starting point is just as steep.

You are at the heart of the Ardèche. View of the Cevennes and the Gerbier de Jonc.

Thanks to its geographical location, on the border between the southern Ardèche and the Monts d'Ardèche, Montpezat-sous-Bauzon is an ideal place to discover the astonishing lay and religious heritage of the area, from the fertile valley to the wild, rocky pastures, with remarkable views of the mountains and the Fontaulière plain. As you return to the valley, a rose garden awaits you for a moment of olfactory and visual pleasure.

A short walk from Montpezat to the hamlets of Les Grisières and Le Villaret, passing through a chestnut grove - the only slight difficulty on the route - and the humpback bridge, for a family outing.

When it gets too hot in southern Ardèche, hiking in fine weather on the Ardèche plateau can be a good idea. This circular loop starting from a local centre mostly follows farm tracks or small roads, with beautiful views of the volcanic knolls in places.

A very pretty hike through mountains, moors and fords. Magnificent undergrowth dotted with beautiful shaded passages.

From Burzet to Péreyres, paths lead down from the farms on the Ardèche plateau near the peatland-and-Goudoulet to the nearest town. The farmers of the plateau brought their butter and cheese to the markets. Here you will discover two types of paths: one designed for carts, the other for mules at best, but both were used for trade until the middle of the last century.

Hike with varied landscapes, the Bourges valley with its basalt flows, chestnut woods and blueberry fields, hamlets with old houses. Superb view from the summit.

Superb trails and landscapes. Between Burzet and Les Sausses, on the left bank, the old Lachamp-Raphaël road is one of the most beautiful paved slanting streets in the Ardèche. On the right bank, on the way back, the old peatland road also has a wide, well-preserved paved slanting street under the chestnut trees and leads to the Roman road.

Hike above the Col de la Croix-de-Bauzon, with the first part of the route in the forest and the second part on the ridge offering beautiful views. If you are lucky enough to do this short trip on a clear day, you will be able to see the Alps and Mont Ventoux on the horizon.

This beautiful and challenging hike will take you on a short journey to discover the passages invented by the locals to cross the basalt flows, take you to the old summer pastures of Fargebelle through steep chestnut groves, and as a bonus, show you the two magnificent bridges that span the Ardèche on either side of Thueyts.

In Ardèche, this circular hike takes you to the Gloria Friedmann Lighthouse, located on the watershed at the summit of Moure de l'Abéouradou.

An "airy" hike which will yield fine views over the Ardèche Cévennes, the Ardèche valley to the south and the Fontaulière valley to the north. The route follows some of the paths maintained for the "Giants' Causeway Trail" and overall is thus very practicable and without difficulty. A large part of the walk is waymarked white and yellow. Best done in May/June when the broom is in flower.

The route passes through the ruined hamlet of Fargebelle and crosses the northern flank of the Ardèche via a track that offers panoramic views of the peaks overlooking the opposite bank. You will also discover the splendid sites of the Devil's Bridge and the magnificent paved slanting streets of the Queen's Ladder and the King's Ladder.

A circular route starting from Thueyts, leading to the Col de Fontfreyde, where you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view, and returning to the starting point via the magnificent stone staircase known as the Queen's Ladder.

This is a fairly short climb that takes you to a summit offering a superb 360° panorama of the Ardèche mountains and the Alps. It is a simple round trip, most of which follows ridge paths with magnificent views. On the way back, take the time to visit the Ray-Pic waterfall.

This trail goes around and climbs up the Gerbier de Jonc whose summit offers a view over the Ardèche mountains.

A free hike allowing you to discover the different sources of the Loire: "the authentic", "the true" and "the geographical". After climbing Mont Gerbier des Joncs, enjoy the 3km of this easy route.

The first stage of this two-day loop around the Rocher de Cheylard takes you from the edge of the Ray-Pic waterfall to Aizac, a small village in the Cévennes Ardéchoises, perched on a pass between Volane and Besorgues. Beech forests, broom-covered moors, chestnut trees, Roman roads, crystal-clear streams, passes with breathtaking views... you will walk from the Ardèche plateau to the lower Ardèche.

Two-day loop in the Cévennes Ardéchoises. The Besorgues and Bourges are two Cévennes rivers, or rather torrents, with crystal-clear waters.Between the two, a short walk from the famous Ray-Pic waterfall, the Rocher de Cheylard (1,412 m) offers a natural viewpoint over the surrounding landscape.On this two-day hike, you will discover these rugged landscapes, deep valleys, the edges of the Ardèche plateau, and small hamlets and villages nestled in the countryside.

A hike on the highest part of the Tanargue ridge. With little elevation gain, you will enjoy magnificent views of the lower Ardèche, the Alps and the Ardèche plateau. In the height of summer, you will benefit from the coolness of the altitude and large shaded areas.

For all hikers, the Rocher d'Abraham can only be reached from Mayres. The circuit described below is for people who want to reach the summit with less effort. It can be done in an afternoon, is not particularly difficult, apart from the final ascent, and offers vast and magnificent landscapes throughout the route.

A hike on the highest part of the Tanargue ridge with magnificent panoramic views of the lower Ardèche, the Alps and the Ardèche plateau. The route has little elevation gain and is mostly on easy forest roads.

Walk along the banks and heights of the Bourges River, which is well exposed to the south and offers beautiful panoramic views.

Between Gerbier de Jonc and Chartreuse de Bonnefoy, the Ardèche plateau offers numerous stone-slab knolls. This circuit between Aigue Nègre and Veyradeyre passes by four of them and at the top of three. In order, these are Séponet (tower), Montfol (summit), Lauzière (summit) and Taupernas (summit). From each of them, there is a beautiful 360° view of Mont Mézenc to the north, the Tanargue massif to the south, Gerbier and Areilladou to the east, and Haute-Loire to the west.

Located between Mont Gerbier de Jonc and Mont Mézenc, the Suc de Sara rises to 1,521 metres. The ascent via the south face and then the east ridge leads to the summit, which offers a 360° panoramic view of the surrounding knolls and valleys as far as the Vercors, Mont Ventoux and the Alps. During the ascent of the south face, the crossing of the scree slopes offers beautiful landscapes.

Panoramic walk around Freycenet-la Cuche with views of Mont Mézenc.

A lovely hike with little elevation gain. In the distance, the peaks of Mézenc. Alternating meadows, pretty hamlets and forests. Château de Vachères at the start.

This is a gentle hike that leads to the summit of Rocher Tourte before circling around it. The summit, which is easy to climb and offers a beautiful panorama, is nevertheless very quiet with a wild moorland atmosphere; it is also a biological reserve. Throughout the circuit, except for the sections in the forest, the view is splendid.

The point of interest on this route is linked to the history of the Transcévenole, an old railway line, and the Récoumène Viaduct. It also offers beautiful views of the region.

Beautiful scenery around Rechausseyre and Rocher Tourte with lovely views of Mont Mézenc and Mont d'Alambre and very pleasant forest trails from the village of Les Estables.

Starting from the charming village of Les Estables, this hike takes you on a tour and ascent of Mont d'Alambre (a ski resort in winter), with a 360° view of the surrounding peaks and a magnificent view of Mont Mézenc, the highest point in the region.

Circular starting from the Croix de Boutières, passing by the peaks of Mont Mézenc and the strange machine called the Ventographe des Boutières.

A magnificent hike that will take you to the summit of Pic de Ladenne with a 360° view of Jaujac and its volcano, the Tanargue massif, the Thueyts valley, Pont de Labeaume, Sainte-Marguerite, Fabras...

This walk offers a beautiful view of the hilltop village of Arlempdes (pronounced "Arlende"). Listed as one of "The Most Beautiful Villages in France", it occupies a stunning site on a rocky spur overlooking the wild gorges of the Loire.

This excursion takes you from Arlempdes, listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France since 1999, to Saint-Arcons-de-Barges... for a particularly pleasant stroll.

Starting from Jaujac, climb up to Pic de Ladenne and Rocher de Courcoussat and descend via a circular route to Pont de l'Echelette in Bonneval. Magnificent panoramic views of the ridge line.

Starting from Jaujac, there is a magnificent Roman bridge and impressive basalt columns on the banks of the Lignon. Tour via the Pont de l'Échelette, the Château de Rochemure (Maison du Parc Naturel Régional des Monts d'Ardèche) and finally climb the Coupe de Jaujac volcano with a tour of the crater.

Between Jaujac and La Souche, the Lignon valley is an open valley, dominated to the north by the Rocher du Midi and to the south by the Tanargue massif. The hike takes you along the left bank, where you can admire old buildings and walk along beautiful, pleasant paths dotted with old bridges crossing streams, then back along the right bank and a succession of old hamlets.

Short route on the heights of Saint-Laurent-les-Bains to the watchtower overlooking the village. You can enjoy the hot spring (53°C) located in the central square as well as the thermal baths.

Short, easy route around the drystone shelter, with a beautiful view of the Gouleyou, an ancient lava plug, and a visit to the Chier de Borée site, an arrangement of raised and engraved stones, which is a contemporary work of art.

Between Prunet and Jaujac, the Col de la Croix de Millet offers a beautiful view of the Ligne valley to the south and the Lignon valley to the north. The climb to the Col du Merle and the return after Pissas are through woodland, while the bare ridges of the Cham du Cros offer beautiful views of the southern Ardèche from the Vagorge valley and the Tour de Brison in the Cévennes, the Rhône valley and Mont Ventoux to the east, and Mont Lozère to the west.

La Cham du Cros is the peak at the eastern end of the Tanargue massif. From there, the view stretches from the mountains of the south to the north of the Alps and, on a clear day, as far as Mont Blanc.