Ucel walks

An easy walk with beautiful views of Aubenas, the Sainte-Marguerite mountain, Saint-Julien-du-Serre and, in the distance, the Col de l'Escrinet and the Coiron volcanic massif. Take your time to stroll through the old fortified village of Vieil Ucel and don't miss a quick trip to the beautiful church of Saint-Julien-du-Serre.

This is a short, easy hike with a wide variety of landscapes: meadows at the bottom of the Oize valley, more austere wooded slopes of the Sandron valley, pine forests and sandstone rocks towards Champestève or Fromenteyrol.

An easy walk around the Rivière du Luol with beautiful views, passing through typical hamlets and the beautiful church of Saint-Julien-du-Serre. After the Houme signpost, the end of the route is very pleasant and original, taking a shady path lined with box trees to the Croix des Lépreux and then walking between canals and the Ardèche river.

An easy hike in the hills above Vesseaux, where you will discover a few hamlets. Beautiful views of the mountains and surrounding villages. The route passes through beautiful chestnut groves and cherry orchards. Best seen in autumn when the chestnut trees change colour or in spring when the cherry trees are in bloom.

Although the highest point is not very high, this hike, mostly along ridges, offers beautiful views of the Ardèche and the Aubenas region.

North of Lalevade-d'Ardèche, a hilly area is heavily affected by agricultural desertification. It is little known, except to its inhabitants and local hikers, but is nevertheless worth a detour. In Ardèche, the landscapes are beautiful everywhere. And this hike allows you to discover a gem, the Romanesque church of Niègles, rescued from ruin around 1980 by the Association des Amis de Niègles.

A hike to the end of the world (although close to the city) where you will hardly meet anyone. You will feel like you are at the end of the world as you descend to the bottom of a canyon, part of which you will hike along its most interesting length. A feeling of adventure and action, Indiana Jones is not far away.

An easier variant of the "Louyre Canyon via the Dolmen de l'Houlme" hike, allowing you to discover this magnificent little wild spot without venturing into the canyon (reserved for experienced hikers or connoisseurs). Discover the ancient structures around a stream that had a greater and more regular flow in the last century, and enjoy beautiful views of the canyon.

Hike through varied environments, bare hills, wooded valley bottoms and ridge trails with beautiful views. The hamlet of Louyre, which was deserted in the middle of the last century, is once again inhabited and very much alive.

With its wild and exotic appearance, the Louyre Canyon is a classic destination for all hikers in the region. This circuit takes you from one end to the other, then back up the top with beautiful views. As a bonus, since this year, you can once again see traces of beaver activity. The climb up the canyon is not very easy, and in one or two places you have to use your hands, but it is quite doable, even with children.

This walk consists of two short circular loops connected by a short return trip. It takes you through a relatively unknown area of central Ardèche where the agricultural footprint is still clearly visible. You will pass from slopes to ridges and valleys following the north-south orientation of the mountain ranges. You will enjoy the wide views and landscapes. At the northernmost point, you will stop at an ancient mill dating back several centuries, known as "Le Moulin de Raoul" (see below).

This short hike offers beautiful views of the Ardèche plain, from Saint-Sernin to Aubenas. As a bonus, you can search for the remains of dolmens on the Serre Bastel, a treasure hunt that will delight children. On the way back, the trail passes by the Tour de Ville, the remains of a ruined castle that has unfortunately been abandoned.

This walk takes place almost entirely on the Plateau des Gras, a limestone plateau pierced by karstic caves, rather arid on the western side and more wooded on the eastern side. It will also give you an original view of the village of Vogüé, an old quarry whose stones were exported as far as Paris and, if you look carefully, the remains of dolmens.

Don't forget your cameras for this walk, which will take you up to a ridge where you can enjoy exceptional views of the Ardèche plateau, the Aubenas basin and the Vercors. You will then plunge into the undergrowth to discover the small hamlets of Lentillères.In spring, the flora is very interesting.

This is a lovely route that takes you from the village of Saint-Michel-de-Boulogne to Saint-Étienne-de-Boulogne via the fortified castle of Boulogne. The ruins, listed as a Historic Monument, date from the 11th century.

A route starting at a hilltop village, Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron, with a wonderful, panoramic 180° view over the Ardèche mountains and plains, from Villeneuve de Berg to the Col de l'Escrinet (the Cham du Cros, Rocher d’Abraham, Montagne Sainte-Marguerite, Mont Lozère). In addition, educational panels depicting the history, geology and life on the Coiron adorn this hike.

A long but very beautiful hike offering varied landscapes and superb panoramic views. This route follows paths and tracks leading from greenhouses to gorges, with small fords and abundant little streams to cross. Please note, however, that some sections of the circuit are unmarked and require a good knowledge of map reading and orientation.

An easy walk to an oppidum with spectacular views over Aubenas and back with equally spectacular views of the Louyre canyon, the promontory of Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron and the Mirabel tower. Variations to the route are suggested, shortening or lengthening the walk.

You will discover a magnificent view of the Hautes Cévennes Ardéchoises and the land of young volcanoes. The Château de Craux is located in the commune of Genestelle, at an altitude of around 650 m. It is built on the crater of the volcano (neck). It stands in the middle of vast meadows, surrounded by a superb chestnut grove, and overlooks the Volane and Sandron valleys. 6/10/2023 Moderator's message: at point (4) hike modified because the educational trail around the neck plateau has been closed.

A very beautiful hike in volcanic Ardèche: magnificent scenery, rocky peaks, scree, clapas. The lava flow at Antraigues, from the young Aizac volcano (approximately 80,000 years old), invaded the Mas, Bise and Volane valleys due to the steepness of the terrain, leaving numerous traces of this eruptive period. The promontory on which the village is built, with its variety of colours and shapes, is surprising.

This south-facing route offers beautiful views of the Tanargue to Mont Lozère via the Aubenas basin. It is also a geological discovery trail with information signs placed at regular intervals. After Gourdon, at the top of the tarmac road, the Alps stand out on the horizon. Climbing up to the summit platform of Roc de Gourdon is not accessible to everyone, but the 360° view is remarkable.

Second stage of this two-day loop around the Rocher de Cheylard, which takes you back to your starting point from the previous day via a different route: the Ray-Pic waterfall.After passing the summit of the Rouyon massif, descend towards the Besorgues river and climb up the other side towards the Ardèche plateau, where broom gives way to wild blueberries.

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...

Walked and re-walked by families from the villages around Mirabel, this easy walk is renowned for its exceptional views, including 180° views from the top of the basalt cliffs and the tower. The walk ends in the medieval village, where you can stroll through the labyrinth of narrow streets, cul-de-sacs and vaulted passageways.

An easy hike on a limestone plateau with few trees. Beautiful views of the Ardèche valley and the surrounding mountains.

Circuit from Vogüé towards Balazuc, taking the old railway line (Vogüé-Grospierre greenway, which is flat, a rarity in the Ardèche), and returning along the right bank of the Ardèche, which is wilder. Please note: there is a lot of tarmac and cycle paths on this route, which should be avoided if you have allergies.

This is an easy hike, allowing you to discover the route of an old railway line in the landscapes of southern Ardèche on the way there, and the banks of the Ardèche in a very rural environment on the way back. On the way, you can linger in the narrow streets of the old village of Lanas, with its almost medieval atmosphere. Those who dislike tarmac can avoid this very family-friendly hike, which is well suited to people who find it difficult to walk on uneven and hilly terrain.

Superb hike on the Cime de Rouyon and the Rocher de Faux-Fay. Splendid panorama on the sides of the Bésorgues valley where paths, paved slanting streets, terraces and pastures draw the Ardèche mountain landscape: exceptional and wild landscape, magnificent basalt rocks, streams, torrents, impetuous waterfalls.

This magnificent hike in Vivarais Cévenol follows trails and ridge paths offering beautiful views. The Bésorgues river, blocked by basalt flows, has shaped some remarkable sites. The ancient lava lake of Ranc Ranier and the prismatic neck of the Cheylard rock, from which you can enjoy a vast and exceptional 360° panorama, are geological curiosities not to be missed.

This is a short hike, but it will give you a magnificent view of the Coiron plateau and the entire Alpine range, from Ventoux to Mont Blanc on a clear day.

An easy family walk to the "Forêt des sens" (forest of senses), arboretum and interpretive trail created under the impetus of the municipal children's council. A few welcome benches punctuate this playful and instructive walk for all ages.