Relaxing stay and walks
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Relaxing stay and walks |
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The area is calm, very calm...
The murmur of the Allier river, the wind rustling through the leaves, an occasional bark, and, sometimes, the arrival of a train... and that’s pretty much it. But it was precisely what we were seeking as city dwellers overwhelmed by noise.
We chose this corner of the Cévennes partly by chance and largely thanks to the Internet! We simply wanted to walk, hike, and relax in the cool air this summer. And that’s exactly what we did throughout these ten days spent at L'Etoile.
An unforgettable walk along the ridges on the GR®72 & GR®7 trails that overlook Saint-Laurent-Les-Bains on the Ardèche side: about twenty kilometers on trails overlooking the small spa town, rewarded by a splendid view of Tanargue and even the Alps in the distance.
Of course, we also traveled part of the sacred "Stevenson Trail" through the Moure de la Gardille, the hamlet of Mirandol, the village of Chasseradès, and all the way to Belvezet, from which we returned by the little train.
The fortified village of La Garde Guérin (a must-see climb to the tower), a tour around Lake Villefort, a loop starting from Mas de la Barque on Mont Lozère – all of these were discoveries of sites and landscapes of great variety that charmed us.
The recipe is simple: settle down at L'Etoile and ask Philippe for the road-book of possible walks in the area. Many enthusiastic hikers have added their own discoveries, providing a wide array of choices, and you are never disappointed.
But what matters most of all is returning in the evening after a good day of walking. How sweet it is to return to the terrace and park to drink a good Belgian beer in the company of Philippe Papadimitriou (who always takes a moment to chat, even when he is expecting around fifteen guests for dinner. It's worth mentioning that he does everything himself: reception, management, cooking, cleaning, gardening, occasional transport...).
The conviviality of the meals is what all hikers are familiar with: you connect quickly, and you often have very enjoyable encounters around the communal table. At L'Etoile, on top of that, you eat well (delicious homemade bread), and the setting is remarkable.
This year, we were lucky to meet the delightful Ana, an intern studying in New York but originally from Brazil, who assists Philippe. Her smile, good humor... and Brazilian music greatly contributed to the success of our stay in Lozère.
To be perfectly fair, we must add that when Philippe honored us by picking up his guitar to play "Hotel California" or country songs telling stories of gold miners in the American West by the fireplace, we were in paradise! For a few years now, Philippe has developed a program of exchanges between innkeepers.
Oh, and he plays piano too! In short, a well-filled stay at L'Etoile, and we left refreshed but with a little pang in our hearts and already longing to come back. By Danielle and Michel Pheulpin
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 Cévennes 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® Cévenol, Montagne Ardéchoise, Margeride, and many day loop hikes. Ideal for a relaxing and hiking stay.
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