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24km hike in La Bastide-Puylaurent
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Take the train from La Bastide Saint Laurent les Bains station, located 300 meters from L'Etoile, towards Langogne (SNCF schedules). For the return journey, follow the GR700, the Voie Régordane, for almost the entire route. Upon exiting Langogne station, take the road opposite that gently ascends to the cemetery; you will then be on the Voie Régordane. Follow the markers through the town center, over the bridge crossing the Langouyrou river, up the incline towards Brugeyrolles, past the Malacombe stream, Esfagoux, the Auradou pond, Luc, Pranlac, and Laveyrune. In Laveyrune, leave the GR700 and the markers to continue straight on the D154 road. At the top, take the diagonal path on your left leading to Rogleton. Cross the D906 road, then go over the bridge crossing the Allier river. Take the path on the left that runs alongside the railway. After crossing the Fraisse stream, pass under the railway through a tunnel, then turn left to reach La Bastide-Puylaurent.
4km / 11km / 11,2km / 14km / 15,5km / 16,3km / 19km / 21,5km / 23,2km / 24km
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Distance: 24 km Maximum Altitude: 1,230 m Minimum Altitude: 909 m Total Elevation Gain: 537 m
IGN Maps: Langogne (2737E), La Bastide-Puylaurent (2738E), Largentière La Bastide-Puylaurent Vivarais Cévenol (2838OT)
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The Regordane Way (currently the GR®700), an ancient route, was the Cévennes section of the old road from Paris to Lower Languedoc that crossed the Massif Central via Clermont, Brioude, Le Puy-en-Velay, Pradelles, Lesperon, Luc, La Bastide-Puylaurent, Prévenchères, Villefort, Génolhac, Chamborigaud, Alès, Nîmes, and Saint-Gilles. The name "Régordane" applied only to the portion between Alès and Luc. It witnessed thousands of transhumant shepherds, processions of Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, warriors, and pilgrims who departed from Orléans to visit the famous abbey of Saint-Gilles. Merchants traveled from north to south to sell cloth and linens from Flanders, or from south to north to transport Eastern goods, spices, and precious fabrics. In 1295, Genoese sailors enlisted by the King of France used this route to invade England. "Régordane" was also the name of a family who, in the 12th, 13th, and 15th centuries, had several members serving as jurists in Montpellier and Alès. This royal road was supplanted after the 15th century by the straighter route through the Rhône Valley.
The Castle of Luc traces its origins to a very ancient past, erected on a site once occupied by the Celts, near the Mercoire forest, where the mysterious Tanargue massif lay hidden. Its construction spanned from the 6th to the 10th century, during a time when Gévaudan was an independent province divided into eight baronies. Owned by the lords of Luc—who were allied with the powerful barons of Randon and, through them, the House of Joyeuse, one of France's most illustrious noble families—the lords were renowned for their bravery, piety, and sense of justice. They held the privileges of minting coins, levying taxes, dispensing justice, and waging war. Respected and feared by their vassals, they were also generous and protective toward the needy, the sick, and pilgrims, who found refuge and assistance in their castle. The Tanargue Massif, ancient and steeped in history, was the backdrop for numerous historical events. Serving as a strategic passage between Île-de-France and Lower Languedoc since the Middle Ages, it was frequented by caravans of merchants, kings, crusaders, and pilgrims en route to Saint-Gilles, an important Christian sanctuary. It was also the stage for feudal conflicts, peasant uprisings, crusades against the Albigensians, and the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants. Rich in mysteries, magic, and legends, the massif was said to be populated by fantastic creatures and haunted by spirits and curses. Its landscapes—comprising forests, moors, rocks, and peaks offered breathtaking panoramas.
Former resort hotel with a garden on the banks of the Allier River, L'Etoile Guesthouse is located in La Bastide-Puylaurent, between Lozère, Ardèche, and the Cevennes in the mountains of southern France. At the crossroads of the GR®7, GR®70 Stevenson Trail, GR®72, GR®700 Regordane Way (St Gilles), GR®470 Sources and Gorges of the Allier, GRP® Cevenol, Montagne Ardechoise, Margeride, and many day loop hikes. Ideal for a relaxing and hiking stay.
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