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Family Hiking on the Cévenol Trail |
     
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It was during the second half of August that we decided to go as a family, with our two children aged 17 and 14, to "do" the Cévenol. Right from the start, the idea of traveling with a backpack, walking from gîte to gîte, excited us. For us, it was a first. This idea was initiated by a hiking friend who, while telling us about his hiking adventures, whetted our appetite.
But where to start? That was the first problem we found difficult to solve, as the requirements were significant: a hike through a country that is not too flat, nor too mountainous, where we would have a good chance of having nice weather without it being too hot; the idea of a loop appealed to us more than a long straight line, and besides, we had no desire to walk along roads, even country roads.
Very quickly, the choice fell on the Cévenol, a long-distance hiking trail (GRP), presenting to our eyes THE good compromise: walks of about 15 km per day on marked paths, within a nature still intact and preserved.
Chosen starting point: La Bastide-Puylaurent where we stay at L’Etoile Maison d'hôtes and where Philippe, both owner and conductor (he does everything!), welcomes you as if he has known you forever. The accommodation is simple but of quality, the meals are abundant where nothing is missing, an atmosphere like at home, an unparalleled warmth.And we're off! A warm-up of 8 km. Departure at leisure towards Saint Laurent les Bains passing by the Notre Dame des Neiges abbey. A gentle climb of nearly 6 km through slightly hilly landscapes, then a fairly steep descent to Saint-Laurent-les-Bains, over 2 km, passing by an old observation tower. Accommodation at the gîte "Le Chat Bleu," where we only stay one night.
Serious things begin. Direction Montselgues. The terrain is very hilly, and it is amazing to see how much the vegetation changes depending on altitude and terrain orientation: chestnut forests preceding large expanses of heather giving an astonishing deep mauve view. Then, a tranquil countryside landscape that leads us through the hamlets of Laval-d’Aurelle and Ourlette. Further on, halfway, a small picnic by the transparent water of a very cold river.
At this precise moment, it gets tricky, and the subsequent climb makes you regret the stop that undoubtedly caused your muscles to cool down as we face two significant elevation changes that will take us from 700 to 1100 meters above sea level. The water runs out quickly, but fortunately, we pass through Pradon where two young people on vacation kindly replenish us. Arriving at Montselgues, a very quiet little village, we are warmly welcomed at the gîte d’étape where a hearty meal awaits us (which we will have with a couple from Sauternais who are actually doing the same route as us and whom we will meet again at the next stage) as well as a good restorative night.
An unforgettable stop. A very "rustic" place with a terrace under a pergola, with a stunning view over the Chassezac valley, and a "genuine" welcome from this septuagenarian who has the heart to let you taste local cuisine such as chicken with chestnuts, a salad of tomatoes coming directly from his garden, his kiwis or other plums, a homemade wine...
On the agenda for the day: descent, a long descent with sometimes quite steep and stony sections: not always easy to walk there, with sometimes, in certain places, a risk of twisting an ankle. But after all, we will pass through Saint-Jean-de-Pourcharesse, whose church has five bell towers, of which four have no bells!
Arriving in Chambonas, we have exceeded half of the hike we wanted to take. So we choose to rest for a day in this small village, dominated by its castle, spending two nights in the guest room "Les Sources" (Gîtes de France no. 206), equipped with all comforts and a very pleasant swimming pool. Too bad they don't offer dinner because the nearest shops are 2.5 km away, in Les Vans...
We did well to rest because this stage is harder. After Les Vans, it climbs more than 4 km for an elevation gain of 400 meters, up to Brahic. Then it goes down quite well: minus 300 meters in 2.5 km, of which 150 meters in less than 1 km. There, the little river is very tempting for a picnic... After all, we have already walked nearly 9 km. But as before, restarting is hard, especially since the climb is very steep: 250 meters of elevation gain over just over 1 km. It gets hot. To the point that the water starts to worry us, we have only one liter left (for four people, that's little!).
Fortunately, the hardest part is over and we find a peaceful descent over two kilometers. And this is where the exception confirms the rule: while we have never had problems replenishing our water, with people sometimes even spontaneously offering it, arriving in Safrenière, we ask a child who is playing, at that moment there in his garden planted with a beautiful pool in front of which stands a superb 4x4, if his parents are there and if it would be possible for them to fill our water bottles from the tap.
Astonishment: his mother assures us that the tap water is polluted, that they no longer had enough bottled water to sell us, not even one, and that the best thing would be to go back to Les Vans to buy some! But of course, my good lady, that's where we come from, we will go back there...
We continue our journey, which will end with a beautiful ascent to reach the charming gîte of La Pauze, where our hostess, Madame De Roo, a dynamic woman, is waiting for us, who runs her house with a true master's hand. After checking, the tap water in the region was not polluted. So we will forget our fatigue (and Safrenière) by the pool with the two very friendly dogs of the house. In the evening, we will dine at the table of the hostess, which, frankly, is worth the detour!
After a breakfast that lives up to the welcome, we resume "the road." From the moment we passed the property wall, we are informed. This is sporty! It goes up and up: in less than 6 km, we go from an altitude of 420 to 880 m! With rather physical sections. But the effort is worthwhile because, from up there, the viewpoint is true bliss. You can see the Cévennes and the Ardèche as far as the eye can see, with the medieval castle of Aujac below, a superb monument.
Once this magnificent viewpoint is passed, the difficulties are not over yet. It remains quite challenging as we will descend, in less than 4 km, to 320 meters above sea level (that is, 560 meters of elevation change) to end up on the banks of the Cèze. If you were planning to take the train in the early afternoon in Génolhac to return to La Bastide-Puylaurent, forget it! First of all, the place is beautiful enough to stop for a long time and have a picnic, and then, unless you left very early, you will need to put the turbo in gear to arrive on time. Because the difficulties, even if they are not comparable to those in the morning, are sufficient to make you miss it. Moreover, it would be a shame not to enjoy the landscapes that are offered to you along the rest of the route. After all, we are on vacation, and there is a train at 6:40 PM that will take you back safely, through a landscape that only walkers can truly appreciate at its true value. Family Magis
Former holiday hotel with a garden along the Allier, L'Etoile Guest House is located in La Bastide-Puylaurent between Lozere, Ardeche, and the Cevennes in the mountains of Southern France. At the crossroads of GR®7, GR®70 Stevenson Path, GR®72, GR®700 Regordane Way, GR®470 Allier River springs and gorges, GRP® Cevenol, Ardechoise Mountains, Margeride. Numerous loop trails for hiking and one-day biking excursions. Ideal for a relaxing and hiking getaway.
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