Family hike on the Cevenol trail

Magis Family It was during the second half of August that we decided, as a family with our two children aged 17 and 14, to tackle the Cévenol. From the start, the idea of traveling with backpacks, going from one gîte to another on foot, excited us. This was our first time trying something like this. The idea came from a friend who is an avid hiker; as he recounted his adventures, it really set our imaginations alight.

day1 But where to go? That was our first challenge, as our criteria were quite strict: a hike through a region that’s neither too flat nor too mountainous, somewhere with a good chance of nice weather but not too hot, and we preferred a loop rather than a long straight route. Also, we really didn’t want to walk along roads, even country roads.

We quickly set our sights on the Cévenol, a GRP (long-distance country footpath), which seemed to offer the perfect compromise: daily walks of about 15 km on marked trails through unspoiled, well-preserved nature.

We chose La Bastide-Puylaurent as a starting point, where we stayed at L’Etoile guest house, run by Philippe, who is both the boss and the conductor (he does it all!). He welcomes you as if he has known you forever. The accommodation is simple but of good quality; the meals are sumptuous, missing nothing, and the atmosphere is homey and warm.

Off we go! A warm-up of 8 km. We set off at our leisure towards Saint Laurent les Bains, passing by the Notre Dame des Neiges Abbey. A gentle ascent of about 6 km through slightly undulating countryside, then a fairly steep 2 km descent into Saint-Laurent-les-Bains, passing by an old watchtower. We stayed one night at the “Le Chat Bleu” gîte.

Day2 The real challenge began as we headed for Montselgues. The terrain is very hilly, and it’s amazing how the vegetation changes depending on altitude and orientation: chestnut forests giving way to vast expanses of heather in a deep mauve color, followed by peaceful pastoral landscapes that lead us down through the hamlets of Laval-d’Aurelle and Ourlette. Further on, halfway through, we enjoyed a picnic by the cold, crystal-clear waters of a stream.

day3 This is precisely when it gets tougher. The climb that follows makes you regret stopping for a picnic, as your muscles, cooled down, now have to tackle two significant ascents taking you from 700 to 1100 meters altitude. Our water supply quickly ran low, but luckily we crossed paths at Pradon where two young holidaymakers kindly topped up our bottles. Arriving in Montselgues, a very peaceful little village, we were warmly welcomed at the gîte, where a hearty meal awaited us (shared with a couple from the Sauternais region who were doing the same route and whom we’d meet again at the next stop), followed by a good night’s rest.

A long descent takes us to the foot of the village of Thines, perched on its rocky spur. A break there feels great and lets us refill our water bottles at the fountain (actually, from the cemetery tap, where the water is so well-oxygenated it appears cloudy). After that, it’s another climb through a forest of cork oaks and wonderfully fragrant maritime pines, leading us up to about 900 meters of altitude. There, we follow a portion of an old Roman road before descending to Dépoudent, where we stay at Mr. Chat’s gîte (dormitory).

An unforgettable stop. A very “rustic” place with a vine-covered terrace and a breathtaking view of the Chassezac valley, and a “genuine” welcome from this septuagenarian who takes pride in offering you local cuisine such as chicken with chestnuts, tomato salad straight from his garden, kiwis, prunes, and even homemade wine…

Day4 The day’s program: descending, a long descent with sometimes steep and rocky sections. It’s not always easy walking, and there’s a risk of twisting an ankle in some places. But after all, we passed through Saint-Jean-de-Pourcharesse, whose church has five bell towers, four of them without any bells!

day5 Arriving in Chambonas, we had covered more than half of the planned hike. We decided to rest there for a day in this small village, dominated by its château, staying two nights in the “Les Sources” guesthouse (Gîtes de France No. 206), equipped with every comfort and a very pleasant swimming pool. Too bad they don’t serve dinner, as the nearest shops are 2.5 km away, in Les Vans…

It was a good decision to rest because the next stage was harder. After Les Vans, it’s a 4 km climb with a 400-meter elevation gain up to Brahic. Then it’s a good descent: 300 meters down in 2.5 km, including 150 meters over less than 1 km. The small river at the bottom is very tempting for a picnic break… After all, we’ve already walked nearly 9 km. But as before, starting back up is tough, especially since it’s very steep: a 250-meter elevation gain in just over 1 km. It’s hot, and we’re starting to worry about our water, with only one liter left for four people!

Fortunately, the hardest part is behind us, and we find a peaceful descent over two kilometers. Here’s where an exception proves the rule: while we’ve never had trouble getting water, and sometimes people even offered it spontaneously, upon arriving at Safrenière, we asked a child playing in a garden with a nice pool and a big 4x4 in front if we could see his parents and whether they could fill our water bottles from the tap.

Day6 Astonishingly, his mother claimed that their tap water was polluted and that they didn’t have enough bottled water to give or sell us any, suggesting we return to Les Vans to buy some! Yes, of course, ma’am, that’s where we came from, we’ll just go right back…

Aujac We of course continued on our way, which ended with a nice climb up to the charming gîte La Pauze, where our hostess, Mrs. De Roo, awaited us. She is a dynamic woman who runs her house with masterly skill. After asking, we learned that the tap water in the region was not polluted. We soon forgot about our fatigue (and Safrenière) by the pool, in the company of the two very friendly house dogs. That evening, we enjoyed a table d’hôtes that was truly worth the stop!

After a breakfast that matched the warm welcome, we hit the trail again. As soon as we left the property’s walled grounds, we knew what was in store. It’s sporty! It keeps climbing and climbing: in less than 6 km, we go from 420 to 880 m altitude, with some pretty physical sections. But the effort is worth it because from up there, the observatory offers a real treat. You can see the Cévennes and the Ardèche as far as the eye can see, with the splendid medieval Château d’Aujac below.

Once past this magnificent viewpoint, the difficulties aren’t over. It remains quite challenging, as we descend 560 meters over less than 4 km, ending up on the banks of the Cèze. If you were hoping to catch an early afternoon train in Génolhac to return to La Bastide-Puylaurent, forget it! First of all, it’s too beautiful a spot not to stop for a while and have a picnic, and secondly, unless you left very early, you’ll have to push hard to arrive in time. Even though the difficulties are less than in the morning, they’re still enough to make you miss the train. Besides, it would be a shame not to enjoy the landscapes that await you on the rest of the route. After all, you’re on vacation, and there’s a train at 18:40 that will take you back, through scenery that only hikers can truly appreciate at its full worth. The Magis Family

Former resort hotel with a garden on the banks of the Allier, L'Étoile Guesthouse is located in La Bastide-Puylaurent, nestled between Lozère, Ardèche, and the Cevennes in the mountains of Southern France. Positioned at the crossroads of GR®7, GR®70 Chemin Stevenson, GR®72, GR®700 Voie Regordane (Saint Gilles), GR®470 Sources and Gorges of the Allier, GRP® Cevenol, Montagne Ardechoise, and Margeride. It offers numerous loop routes for hiking and day-long cycling excursions. Ideal for a relaxing stay.