France - Cevennes - Walking tour on the footsteps of Stevenson trail

Day 1

Arrive in Le Puy-en-Velay.
Le Puy is a lively cultural medieval city surrounded by low mountains. Its old charming centre with numerous museums, the famous Cathedral, the 10th century cloister. If you arrive early you will enjoy these marvellous visits.
Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel

Day 2

LE PUY-EN-VELAY to LE MONASTIER-SUR-GAZEILLE 19 km – 5h30 of walking + 530 m / - 220 m
Follow the trail of Saint Jean François Regis, while getting out of the city the footpath climbs up to the plateau offering a spectacular viewpoint over the Puy basin. Then, today’s walking itinerary goes down to the Loire River and Coubon before reaching the plateau of Monastier-sur-Gazeille where you will stop for the night. Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel

Day 3

LE MONASTIER-SUR-GAZEILLE to LE BOUCHET SAINT-NICOLAS 22 km – 5h30 of walking + 585 m / - 305 m Half board and overnight in a Guest House
Le Monastier is the departure point where RL Stevenson started his walking trip. The trail first crosses the plateau where the soft volcanic mounts emerge here and there, and then jumps over the Gorges of the Loire River in Goudet where the basalt columns are a remnant of the lava flow and finally reach Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas where the lake is said to be a former crater

Day 4

LE BOUCHET SAINT-NICOLAS to LANGOGNE 25 km – 6h00 of walking + 320 m / - 595 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
Today the Stevenson trail crosses several villages where there are still signs of rural traditions. The route is punctuated with stone crosses, ancient public washing houses and shoeing horses workshop and arrives in Pradelles, classified among the Most Beautiful Villages of France. This old fortified village, its imposing houses and tall façades with their stone walls and arcades, overlooks the Upper Allier valley and Naussac Lake and used to be an important stopping place for merchants importing goods from the South of France. The walk continues to Langogne where you will spend the night.

Day 5

LANGOGNE to LE CHEYLARD L'EVEQUE 16 km – 4h00 of walking + 310 m / - 120 m Half board and overnight in gîte d'étape (a comfortable gîte)
In Langogne you reach the North Eastern part of Languedoc area and leave Auvergne behind you. This is a medieval city with a 12th century church and many other treasures. The walk crosses the Gevaudan territory where a wolf-like wild beast spread the fear and terror more than 100 years before Stevenson journey.

Day 6

LE CHEYLARD L'EVEQUE to LA BASTIDE-PUYLAURENT 23 km – 6h00 of walking - + 355 m / - 450 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
The trail follows the Regordane Route which crosses the Central Massif and the Cevennes and was the ancient route (in the past centuries) to link Paris to the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean vegetation follows the Allier River up to La Bastide-Puylaurent

Day 7

LA BASTIDE-PUYLAURENT to CHASSERADES 12 km – 3h00 of walking + 450 m / - 205 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
Today the hike follows the trail up to “La Mourade” located at 1310 meters altitude. You walk on the height-of-land of the Central Massif which is the watershed boundary between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic

Day 8

CHASSERADES to LE BLEYMARD 17 km – 4h00 of walking + 465 m / - 525 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
This stage crosses the eroded plateau called the Goulet Mountain a place where lots of streams spring out and particularly the Lot River hidden in a softwood forest. Before heading towards the Bleymard, take the time to enjoy the views over the barren lands of Mont Lozere.

Day 9

LE BLEYMARD to LE PONT-DE-MONTVERT 18 km – 5h00 ok walking + 630 m / - 825 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
The footpath leads you to the highest point of the trip, the Mont Lozere which is a Summer pasture mountain at an altitude of 1699 m. Step into the sheep-track called the “drailles” used by the shepherds during the transhumance and enjoy the panoramic point of view over the Gevaudan area Northwards, the Tarn Gorges Westward, the Alps Eastward and the Cevennes and the Aigoual Mount Southwards . At the end of the day you start the descent to the peaceful Pont-de-Montvert.

Day 10

LE PONT-DE-MONTVERT to FLORAC 28 or 23 km -7 or 8h00 of walking + 690m / - 940 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
This is one of the most scenic part of the entire journey. Much of the route follows a high ridge with views of the wooded hillsides and deep cut valleys of the Cevennes. Here you are in the “Camisard Land” where the Religions War between the Protestant and the Catholic took place.

Day 11

FLORAC to CASSAGNAS 16 km - 4h00 of walking + 325 m / - 180 m Half board and overnight in a Guest House
Follow the River Mimente and the ancient railway through the chestnut tree forest. The woodland area leads to Cassagnas where you will spend the night in a house which was a former train station.

Day 12

CASSAGNAS to SAINT-GERMAIN-DE-CALBERTE 16 km - 4h00 of walking + 320 m / - 525 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
This walking day is an immersion into the dark schist of the Cevennes combined with green and flowered vegetation in Spring. While you climb up to Plan de Fontmort, brooklets, birds’song, yellow broom and mauve heather are your hikers’companions

Day 13

SAINT GERMAIN DE CALBERTE to SAINT-JEAN-DU-GARD 21 km – 7h00 of walking + 490 m / - 790 m Half board and overnight in 2 star hotel
This last hiking stage up on range of hills called Corniche des Cévennes leads to Saint Jean du Gard. The Southern city contrasts with the previous stages, here the landscape changes into mulberry-trees and vineyards.

Day 14

End of your trip after breakfast.