Vesseaux walks

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.

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.

Le Coiron is a wild basalt plateau. On the southern side, near Saint-Jean-le-Centenier, troglodyte dwellings were built in the medieval period in the basalt cliffs of Montbrun. From Saint-Gineis-en-Coiron, a small road winding across the plateau takes you to Mirabel, where you can enjoy magnificent views from the keep. The only downside is that two-thirds of the route is on paved roads, although there is very little traffic.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 route runs along the foothills of the Coiron massif on existing but not very obvious paths. Follow the yellow markings carefully. The route passes through some beautiful basalt columns, crosses the plateau with its superb panoramic views, then descends via a rocky ridge to Roche Chérie: a remnant of the massif's significant volcanic past. A small chapel is built against the neck.

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.

A very beautiful hike offering exceptional and magnificent panoramic views of the Alps, Mont Blanc, Dévoluy, Vercors, etc., and allowing you to alternate between varied basalt and agricultural landscapes. You will also pass by the site of an ancient tomb, which is well worth a visit.

A beautiful hike on the ridges of the Monts de Berg, offering some lovely views. A visit to the well-restored village is a must: cobbled streets with arcades connecting the façades, shops at the bottom of old houses, an old oven. In terms of nature, the town is built at the foot of a typical Mediterranean forest, which offers an astonishing spectacle as you walk through its plots, separated by clapas, lavender, almond trees, mulberry trees and olive trees.

From the ancient city to the largest basalt neck in Europe, this beautiful hike takes you along a route with varied terrain: limestone plains, petrified lava blocks and the volcanic plateau of the Coiron Massif. The Sceautres neck, the jewel of the Coiron, is a basalt plug resulting from an eruption 8 million years ago. Cleared by erosion, it rises 150 metres above the valley.

This lovely hike offers magnificent viewpoints over the Montmirail Dentelles, Mont Ventoux, the Baronnies, the Vercors, the Montagne Ardéchoise, the Coiron, the Necks of Sceautres, of Roche Chérie, of Roche, and a 360° panoramic view from the summit of Croix Juliau. The superb medieval hamlet of Roche is well worth the detour.

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.

Family hike starting from the village of Balazuc. For children, there is a small, safe cave to visit and a walk along the water's edge. Easy route, mostly signposted but a little rocky in places.

A very pleasant route through the Ardèche forest and its peaceful little hamlets. The omnipresent calm allows you to recharge your batteries and become one with nature.

A peaceful walk with no sporting challenges, through varied landscapes, a hamlet with beautiful houses and spectacular architecture, an easy climb up to a ledge with splendid views of the Ardèche. Return by wandering through the narrow medieval streets of old Balazuc with its craft shops May 2019. Thanks to Pb07 for helping me correct the route 624 May 2025. User comment: In the description, ignore the colours of the house and shutters, which have changed

Set off on a nature walk around the picturesque village of Balazuc, listed as one of the "most beautiful villages in France", nestled in the heart of southern Ardèche. This hike, accessible to all, invites you to discover the richness of the local biodiversity: wild orchids, fragrant heath, pollinating insects, cliff birds and traces of the discreet wildlife that inhabits this area. You will learn to recognise the plants that are emblematic of the Mediterranean landscape and observe the tiny inhabitants of this unspoilt environment. A sensory and educational immersion in an exceptional setting, between limestone, rivers and holm oaks.

A varied hike that takes you along a small canyon. Not to be done on a very hot day. 13/02/2024: Route modified following a municipal order. See practical information.

The Serre de Lès offers a magnificent 360° panorama. The Alps, from Mont Ventoux to Mont Blanc, the Boutières, the Ardèche mountains and plateau, Rocher d'Abraham, the volcanic rock of Ajoux, the Chirouzes volcano, and the basalt flow of the hamlet of Chier.

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.

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.