From Beaulieu you will follow the short course of the Loire further, winding through the many surrounding peaks. You will end with a breathtaking view of the river from Artias Castle.
Route details
Description
Continue on the D 77 (north) for 700 m and leave the village. At the entrance to Les Chapoux, leave the road for the path on the left. He goes beyond the house. Just after the stream, continue along the left path. It rises, sometimes lined with trees, then descends slightly. At the fork, head right and climb straight up to Recours. Cross the hamlet on the left by the road which goes around the hillock.
Before the left turn, go down the path on the left. Stay right on the main path. It passes at the foot (674 m) of the Suc de Courniol, keeping a northerly direction, then enters the Côtes-de-Loire national forest.
Shortly before the edge, turn left and go down into the woods. At the edge of the forest, continue the descent to the left.
Just before Bichaix, turn right, cross the footbridge (570 m) and take the access road to the houses. It turns right and goes up the hillside, serving several homes. At the crossroads (587 m), continue along the road opposite. Ignore the lane on the left and continue along the road which goes into the Ran valley for 550 m.
In the left turn, continue along the track on the edge of the woods for 600 m.
In the woods, turn left to cross the footbridge over the Ran (586 m) and continue along the path on the left. It draws two long bends and rises first through the undergrowth then between the fields of the plateau. At the fork, go up the right track and reach Malleys (731 m).
Take the road on the right and cross the hamlet. At the fork, go down the road on the right towards Le Garay.
In the bend, near the hangar, leave the road for the path on the left and turn left again. The path climbs then descends on the side in the undergrowth. Cross the stream (700 m), then go up first through the undergrowth then along the edge.
At the top, take the track on the left. Pass the house. The track rises due north at the foot of the Suc du Chalas and arrives at Salcrupt. Continue along the road on the right until the crossroads with the D 35, marked by the Tailler cross (768 m).
Do not take the D 35, but the road furthest to the left. It goes up to the intersection (cross), at Varennes (800 m).
Go down the track on the right. She leads to the Mazer. Take the road on the left, then go down the path on the right. It passes at the foot of the Suc de Bartou and the Rocher de Costaros. Take the road on the right and cross the bridge.
Go up the road on the right, cross the D 35 (688 m) and take the path on the right, through the undergrowth. It remains parallel to the D 35 for 150 m then moves away from it. Cut the small road, continue opposite and, at the crossroads, continue climbing straight on to Granoux. In the hamlet, take the road on the left. At the entrance to the forest, stay left and pass the wash house.
At the fork, continue right. Take the road on the right and turn right into La Fayolle (759 m) on the right.
At the wash house, go down the street on the left. Continue downhill to the right and, at the crossroads, turn right. At Cantaloupe, the road becomes a path that goes down into the undergrowth. At the fork, go down left. Take the road on the right for 140 m.
At the stone cross, go down the path on the left. Continue the descent to the left and reach the top of Chamalières-sur-Loire. In the bend, continue to the right. At the crossroads, take the D 103 on the right, then the second alley on the left. It emerges at the foot of the church.
Go around the church on the left and join the Loire. Follow it to the right until you reach the bridge.
Cross the bridge on the left (514 m). Pass under the viaduct and turn right. Cross the D 35 and go up the street on the right. It continues into a winding path. Cross the D 35 again and climb the path opposite.
Pass Les Pialloux (630 m). Go up the path on the right. At the crow's feet, turn left and reach Tarrier (705 m). Cross the road, continue opposite and enter the woods on the left. The path rises into the forest. Ignore the path going down to the left and continue to the right. After a flat area, climb the path on the right. After a new flat area, follow a low wall.
Just after, take the path to the right in a hairpin and continue the ascent. At the fork, go right and follow the scree. At the crossroads, turn left. Come out onto a track, at the Taillis crossroads (840 m), at the foot of Miaune.
Take the track on the right. It narrows, then rises to pass the pass (861 m) between the summits of Miaune and Chaumont. On the flat ground, leave the path on the left and continue towards the east. The path becomes a path along the edge of the meadow. Continue along the wider path and go straight down. Leave the woods and reach Artites.
Take the road on the right and cross the hamlet via the main street. At the exit, in the bend, go down the road opposite for 50 m, then straight on along the track. It leads to the Corset. Take the road on the left towards the center of the hamlet (632 m).
At the cross, take the street on the right, then go up the path on the left. Climb to the left and reach the square, at the foot of the castle (660 m).
Go down the road on the left for 30 m then take the path. Follow the road on the right to reach then cross Youse (514 m).
Before the left turn, go down the path on the left. Stay right on the main path. It passes at the foot (674 m) of the Suc de Courniol, keeping a northerly direction, then enters the Côtes-de-Loire national forest.
Shortly before the edge, turn left and go down into the woods. At the edge of the forest, continue the descent to the left.
Just before Bichaix, turn right, cross the footbridge (570 m) and take the access road to the houses. It turns right and goes up the hillside, serving several homes. At the crossroads (587 m), continue along the road opposite. Ignore the lane on the left and continue along the road which goes into the Ran valley for 550 m.
In the left turn, continue along the track on the edge of the woods for 600 m.
In the woods, turn left to cross the footbridge over the Ran (586 m) and continue along the path on the left. It draws two long bends and rises first through the undergrowth then between the fields of the plateau. At the fork, go up the right track and reach Malleys (731 m).
Take the road on the right and cross the hamlet. At the fork, go down the road on the right towards Le Garay.
In the bend, near the hangar, leave the road for the path on the left and turn left again. The path climbs then descends on the side in the undergrowth. Cross the stream (700 m), then go up first through the undergrowth then along the edge.
At the top, take the track on the left. Pass the house. The track rises due north at the foot of the Suc du Chalas and arrives at Salcrupt. Continue along the road on the right until the crossroads with the D 35, marked by the Tailler cross (768 m).
Do not take the D 35, but the road furthest to the left. It goes up to the intersection (cross), at Varennes (800 m).
Go down the track on the right. She leads to the Mazer. Take the road on the left, then go down the path on the right. It passes at the foot of the Suc de Bartou and the Rocher de Costaros. Take the road on the right and cross the bridge.
Go up the road on the right, cross the D 35 (688 m) and take the path on the right, through the undergrowth. It remains parallel to the D 35 for 150 m then moves away from it. Cut the small road, continue opposite and, at the crossroads, continue climbing straight on to Granoux. In the hamlet, take the road on the left. At the entrance to the forest, stay left and pass the wash house.
At the fork, continue right. Take the road on the right and turn right into La Fayolle (759 m) on the right.
At the wash house, go down the street on the left. Continue downhill to the right and, at the crossroads, turn right. At Cantaloupe, the road becomes a path that goes down into the undergrowth. At the fork, go down left. Take the road on the right for 140 m.
At the stone cross, go down the path on the left. Continue the descent to the left and reach the top of Chamalières-sur-Loire. In the bend, continue to the right. At the crossroads, take the D 103 on the right, then the second alley on the left. It emerges at the foot of the church.
Go around the church on the left and join the Loire. Follow it to the right until you reach the bridge.
Cross the bridge on the left (514 m). Pass under the viaduct and turn right. Cross the D 35 and go up the street on the right. It continues into a winding path. Cross the D 35 again and climb the path opposite.
Pass Les Pialloux (630 m). Go up the path on the right. At the crow's feet, turn left and reach Tarrier (705 m). Cross the road, continue opposite and enter the woods on the left. The path rises into the forest. Ignore the path going down to the left and continue to the right. After a flat area, climb the path on the right. After a new flat area, follow a low wall.
Just after, take the path to the right in a hairpin and continue the ascent. At the fork, go right and follow the scree. At the crossroads, turn left. Come out onto a track, at the Taillis crossroads (840 m), at the foot of Miaune.
Take the track on the right. It narrows, then rises to pass the pass (861 m) between the summits of Miaune and Chaumont. On the flat ground, leave the path on the left and continue towards the east. The path becomes a path along the edge of the meadow. Continue along the wider path and go straight down. Leave the woods and reach Artites.
Take the road on the right and cross the hamlet via the main street. At the exit, in the bend, go down the road opposite for 50 m, then straight on along the track. It leads to the Corset. Take the road on the left towards the center of the hamlet (632 m).
At the cross, take the street on the right, then go up the path on the left. Climb to the left and reach the square, at the foot of the castle (660 m).
Go down the road on the left for 30 m then take the path. Follow the road on the right to reach then cross Youse (514 m).