Saint Etienne - the Gouffre d'Enfer - the dams

An extraordinary route starting from the town, 95% on paths, surprising and so beautiful. No difficulty. Head towards Rochetaillé via a footpath, then the Gouffre d'Enfer with its via ferrata and climbing walls, and finally the two dams that supply Saint-Etienne with drinking water. 2½ hours at a leisurely pace with 2 water stops.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.65 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 409 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 401 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 857 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 610 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the top of Rue de l'Abbé Dorna.

(S/E) Take the road towards Rochetaillée and after 400 metres, take the tarmac path on the left.

(1) Ignore the path on the left, which will be the return route, and continue straight on towards Rochetaillée, ignoring the paths on the left. You are now on the Aqueduct of the Fountains trail.

(2) At the information sign, take the path that climbs to the left, pass under the chapel and join the road. Descend to the right to the main village road.

(3) Refill your water bottles. Climb left towards the village for 500 metres.

(4) Turn right towards Gouffre d'Enfer and descend for 500 metres.

(5) Leave the road and take the path on the left.

(6) After a few hundred metres, keep left (on the right is a private road with few signs and a house 100m away). Continue along the beautiful path alongside the climbing walls.

(7) After the cliff, turn right onto a small path in poor condition and continue downhill. At the crossroads shortly afterwards, go straight ahead to reach a car park. At the end of the car park, take the small path to the beautiful waterfall at the spillway.

(8) Take the path on the left, follow it, climb the stairs to the top of the dam and turn left.

(9) Walk along the reservoir and then the Furan.

(10) At the small bridge on the left, continue straight ahead to the top of the second dam.

(11) Descend by the same route to the small bridge.

(10) Turn right, cross the bridge and, at the exit, turn left and follow the path to the forest house junction. Turn right and continue straight ahead.

(12) At the end of the hairpin bend, turn right and return to the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(7) Continue straight ahead.

Turn right when leaving the path, otherwise you will arrive at a house.

(5) At the road, do not follow it but cross it to take the path opposite (a little further on, the path is closed to sheep but you are allowed to pass). On the road (D8), turn right.

(3) We are at the water supply point from earlier. Take the path on the left to return. Do not go back under the chapel but continue straight ahead to the crossroads.

(13) Turn left onto Chemin de la Croix du Perthuis and continue to the multiple crossroads.

(14) Turn left and, at the next crossroads, continue straight ahead.

(15) Turn left. Be careful, the path is not very visible and marked at the beginning, the only tricky point on the route. For your information, you have to turn before the high-voltage line.

(1) Turn right and follow the outward route back to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 610 m - Rue de l'Abbé Dorna
  2. 1 : km 0.63 - alt. 649 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 2.9 - alt. 734 m - Information panel on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.37 - alt. 751 m - Water supply
  5. 4 : km 3.72 - alt. 769 m - Fork to the right
  6. 5 : km 4.24 - alt. 739 m - Leave the road
  7. 6 : km 4.59 - alt. 739 m - Keep left
  8. 7 : km 5.63 - alt. 734 m - Climbing wall
  9. 8 : km 5.83 - alt. 702 m - Path on the left
  10. 9 : km 6.48 - alt. 786 m - dam 1 on the - Furan (rivière)
  11. 10 : km 8.53 - alt. 825 m - Small bridge
  12. 11 : km 8.95 - alt. 850 m - Dam
  13. 12 : km 11.71 - alt. 742 m - Forest path
  14. 13 : km 14.76 - alt. 777 m - Chemin Croix du Pertuis return
  15. 14 : km 15.47 - alt. 793 m - Cross
  16. 15 : km 16.63 - alt. 735 m - High-voltage power line
  17. S/E : km 17.65 - alt. 610 m - Rue de l'Abbé Dorna

Notes

Drinking water available on the way there and back at (3).

Worth a visit

The village of Rochetaillé, built on a ridge, is home to the remains of an11th-century castle.
Free to visit. At the crossroads, the castle is visible 200 metres away.

(9) At the end of the dam, on the north side, you can climb to the top of the hill; a pleasant round trip with beautiful views of the site.

(11) At the second dam, you can walk around it (approximately 2km, flat and easy).

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
bfaytre
bfaytre

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We encountered one or two difficulties due to the current works on this trail.
But it was a very beautiful place and a pleasant outing.
On the way back, we couldn't find the right place to return. This was mainly due to a lack of signposting, but it didn't have much impact on the outing.

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Simeo
Simeo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike

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Lucie Portelli
Lucie Portelli

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike in the middle of winter when it was -2°C, and the route was magnificent! The deserted landscape and frozen waterfalls, the monumental dams against the grey January sky – it was magical. I highly recommend it. You start with a short forest walk on the outskirts of Saint-Étienne. The path is very easy to follow, even if you do have to walk along the road for a few hundred metres at one point (around Rochetaillée). Then it's pure walking with a slight incline around the Gouffre d'Enfer, and you push on to the Pas du Riot dam. I loved it!

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abouamine42
abouamine42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike with INCREDIBLE and unexpected passages:
Completely frozen ice waterfalls.
Taken in winter with sub-zero temperatures and frozen ground.
So a little dangerous in places.
Nevertheless, we were treated to magnificent scenery.
Thanks to the author

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jocelou.c
jocelou.c

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route, mainly along paths and well shaded. A lovely, peaceful spot for a picnic by the Pas du Riot reservoir. Due to ongoing works between the two dams, you have to do part of the route as a return trip rather than using both banks of the Furan, but the detour is well signposted and easy to follow... The last section of the small path leading back down to the starting point is being reclaimed by thorny vegetation, and walking sticks are highly recommended to clear a path. Well done for this walk suggestion, which I really enjoyed

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Monsieur Chupon
Monsieur Chupon

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We went hiking with friends on Sunday morning and didn't see many people, except mainly at the dams. It was a very pleasant and fairly easy walk. The view from the first dam is very impressive and is almost worth the trip on its own!
We'll definitely be back!

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Charles 42
Charles 42

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful site and hiking trails accessible to all

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podeud
podeud

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very nice hike with magnificent scenery. No major difficulties apart from perhaps the steps at the Gouffre dam for those who are afraid of heights. Also, watch out for plants along the way, as there is a lot of foxglove.
Finally, the only slight downside is that the very last part of the trail before the high-voltage power line is not very pleasant, as it is very narrow and very stony on the way down.

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Djomaiming
Djomaiming

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent hike, with very passable paths and well-marked routes, so it's impossible to get lost!
The only downside was that the water points had been cut off (Covid?) and the Gouffre d'Enfer dam was dry, but the landscape is still magnificent! I did 18 km of hiking in 4½ hours, and I highly recommend it.

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Richard71
Richard71

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice walk, shame there's a bit too much tarmac.

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michele.brunet
michele.brunet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

interesting with its gigantic structures.
i did it with children who really enjoyed it

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Mathieu.
Mathieu.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for the ride.

It's very nice. There were a few people at the dam, but not too many when I went. I was looking for some peace and quiet, and at the end of the route, near the river, I found what I was looking for. Towards the end of the route, nature reclaimed some of its rights, but the route is still passable.

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sali
sali

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great walk during the week, but probably very crowded at weekends. Watch out for ticks in the tall grass, as the paths are not always maintained.

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Marie 153
Marie 153

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The major works undertaken on the dam have been completed.
A beautiful hike with a large flat section suitable for all walkers.
The accessibility of this walk means that it is very busy at weekends and on public holidays. A word of warning to walkers who enjoy solitude and peace and quiet.
The wooded landscape is magnificent and the lakes provide welcome refreshment during hot spells.

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cathyferrer
cathyferrer

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant hike, often through forest, and much appreciated in this hot weather.
A beautiful, popular route close to a large city.
The Riot dam is still under construction and dry.
Thanks to the author.

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