Etape GR40 Vorey-Allègre
The first stage of the GR 40 Tour of the Velay volcanoes takes the hiker from Vorey-sur-Arzon, a small town at the confluence of the Arzon and the Loire, to the medieval town of Allègre. From the Loire Valley to the volcanic plateau of Devès with an ob
Turn right onto the D28 towards Brigols. After 50m, follow Chemin de Chaux on the left for 200m. Then turn left onto rue Emile-Zola. At the last houses, leave the bitumen for a dirt road. Reach a crossroads.
Turn right, cross a stream on a footbridge and go straight up the valley, between woods and pastures, for 2 km. Lead to a cross path.
Turn right and arrive at a crossroads. Cross the latter to take the Labroc road opposite. Continue straight through Labroc then, at the exit of the village.
Enter the woods. Stay on the wide dirt road until you reach a first fork.
Ignore the path that goes down to the right, then 20 m later ignore the path that goes up to the left. The path at the bottom of the valley runs along the Ramey stream. Reach a new fork. Ignore the path which goes down to the right and which fords the river to stay on the main path on the left until the next intersection. Take the path on the right which runs along a meadow, crosses a stream then begins to climb in the woods. When the path splits, turn left. In the second bend, ignore a sunken path which goes up to the left to stay on the wide path which slants to the right. Then continue straight into the woods, staying on the main path. On a flat area the path passes near an open area then continues the climb more gradually. At the high point arrive at an intersection.
Continue straight until you reach a picnic area at the side of the D 906 road. Go to the left to cross the road (caution). Continue on the other side on a small road for around 70 m.
Then turn onto the path which goes down to the right then continues between cultivated land and pastures. The path becomes tarmac. Arrive in a fork (stone cross). Follow the road on the left to reach Saint-Geneys-près-Saint-Paulien. Take the first street on the right. The street then turns left then turns right again to come out on a small square.
Go down to the right and continue in the village until the next crossroads (washhouse, cross). Go opposite and at the fork turn towards Bel-Air on the right. Pass near the church and continue to the last houses of the village; go left always towards Bel-Air. About 800 m after the village on a flat area a path goes off to the left of the road.
Leave the road for this path which goes down to the left and which leads to the houses of Cros. At the road turn right then at the intersection turn left and quickly reach an intersection.
Turn right to cross the stream on the footbridge. After a short climb, arrive at the village of Anviac (washhouse and watering hole). Turn left then immediately branch off onto the road which goes up to the right. Use the grassy path on the left of the road. Higher up, find the road and follow it to the left. The gravel road becomes a dirt road. Ignore a grassy path on the right then arrive, at the edge, in a junction.
Turn right. Discovered to stay on the main path leaving a first path on the left then at the edge of the wood a path on the right. Reaching a fork.
Take left hand. Continue in the woods for 2 km and reach a road. Follow it to the left until the crossroads. Cross the latter to discover a path which goes off to the left of the road.
Go down left on this path under the trees. Turn right to cross the Chourioux stream then find the road. Follow it to the left. Ignore the road which goes up towards Langlade.
At the houses, just before the bridge, leave the road for the path on the left. Follow the agricultural land and come out on a small road to the hamlet of Empeytepas. Go right, cross the river using the bridge then go up and arrive at a fork.
Turn left and reach the entrance to Céaux-d'Allégre. Leave to the right of the war memorial and follow the main street. Pass in front of the church, go up into the village then leave the road for a path marked “Tourbière du Mont Bar”. Further on find the road and follow it to the foot of Mont Bar.
As the road turns left, two paths lead off to the right. Ignore the first and take the second which passes to the left of the quarry. The path begins the ascent on the sides of the volcano. Halfway up, reach a fork (The path on the left allows you to reach Allègre without going through the summit of Mont Bar).
Take the path on the right which becomes very steep. Almost at the top the path splits. Continue to the left and reach the flat area near the peat bog. The path goes around the latter to the left then rises again to reach an intersection at a high point.
Go down opposite the fairly steep path which descends the old volcano. At the end of the woods, reach the entrance to Allègre on a tarmac road. Go straight until the crossroads. Go up opposite rue Germaine Tillion. Cut the road and continue up the Montée de Baury and reach a perpendicular street.
Follow it to the left for 50 m and take rue du Château on the right which goes up towards the “Potence” then turns left and gradually descends into the village. Arrive at a place. Turn left onto rue de l'oratoire and turn right to pass in front of the chapel then pass under the old “Porte Monsieur”.
Turn right, cross a stream on a footbridge and go straight up the valley, between woods and pastures, for 2 km. Lead to a cross path.
Turn right and arrive at a crossroads. Cross the latter to take the Labroc road opposite. Continue straight through Labroc then, at the exit of the village.
Enter the woods. Stay on the wide dirt road until you reach a first fork.
Ignore the path that goes down to the right, then 20 m later ignore the path that goes up to the left. The path at the bottom of the valley runs along the Ramey stream. Reach a new fork. Ignore the path which goes down to the right and which fords the river to stay on the main path on the left until the next intersection. Take the path on the right which runs along a meadow, crosses a stream then begins to climb in the woods. When the path splits, turn left. In the second bend, ignore a sunken path which goes up to the left to stay on the wide path which slants to the right. Then continue straight into the woods, staying on the main path. On a flat area the path passes near an open area then continues the climb more gradually. At the high point arrive at an intersection.
Continue straight until you reach a picnic area at the side of the D 906 road. Go to the left to cross the road (caution). Continue on the other side on a small road for around 70 m.
Then turn onto the path which goes down to the right then continues between cultivated land and pastures. The path becomes tarmac. Arrive in a fork (stone cross). Follow the road on the left to reach Saint-Geneys-près-Saint-Paulien. Take the first street on the right. The street then turns left then turns right again to come out on a small square.
Go down to the right and continue in the village until the next crossroads (washhouse, cross). Go opposite and at the fork turn towards Bel-Air on the right. Pass near the church and continue to the last houses of the village; go left always towards Bel-Air. About 800 m after the village on a flat area a path goes off to the left of the road.
Leave the road for this path which goes down to the left and which leads to the houses of Cros. At the road turn right then at the intersection turn left and quickly reach an intersection.
Turn right to cross the stream on the footbridge. After a short climb, arrive at the village of Anviac (washhouse and watering hole). Turn left then immediately branch off onto the road which goes up to the right. Use the grassy path on the left of the road. Higher up, find the road and follow it to the left. The gravel road becomes a dirt road. Ignore a grassy path on the right then arrive, at the edge, in a junction.
Turn right. Discovered to stay on the main path leaving a first path on the left then at the edge of the wood a path on the right. Reaching a fork.
Take left hand. Continue in the woods for 2 km and reach a road. Follow it to the left until the crossroads. Cross the latter to discover a path which goes off to the left of the road.
Go down left on this path under the trees. Turn right to cross the Chourioux stream then find the road. Follow it to the left. Ignore the road which goes up towards Langlade.
At the houses, just before the bridge, leave the road for the path on the left. Follow the agricultural land and come out on a small road to the hamlet of Empeytepas. Go right, cross the river using the bridge then go up and arrive at a fork.
Turn left and reach the entrance to Céaux-d'Allégre. Leave to the right of the war memorial and follow the main street. Pass in front of the church, go up into the village then leave the road for a path marked “Tourbière du Mont Bar”. Further on find the road and follow it to the foot of Mont Bar.
As the road turns left, two paths lead off to the right. Ignore the first and take the second which passes to the left of the quarry. The path begins the ascent on the sides of the volcano. Halfway up, reach a fork (The path on the left allows you to reach Allègre without going through the summit of Mont Bar).
Take the path on the right which becomes very steep. Almost at the top the path splits. Continue to the left and reach the flat area near the peat bog. The path goes around the latter to the left then rises again to reach an intersection at a high point.
Go down opposite the fairly steep path which descends the old volcano. At the end of the woods, reach the entrance to Allègre on a tarmac road. Go straight until the crossroads. Go up opposite rue Germaine Tillion. Cut the road and continue up the Montée de Baury and reach a perpendicular street.
Follow it to the left for 50 m and take rue du Château on the right which goes up towards the “Potence” then turns left and gradually descends into the village. Arrive at a place. Turn left onto rue de l'oratoire and turn right to pass in front of the chapel then pass under the old “Porte Monsieur”.
Further information) :
Difficult
Location details
Departure location: Vorey-sur-Arzon.
Place of arrival: Allègre.
Recommended parking: Vorey-sur-Arzon station car park.
The GR40 is accessible by train, it starts from Vorey-sur-Arzon station.
Place of arrival: Allègre.
Recommended parking: Vorey-sur-Arzon station car park.
The GR40 is accessible by train, it starts from Vorey-sur-Arzon station.
Admission fees
Services
Activities on site
- Pedestrian sports
- Hiking route