On this stage the GR 40 leaves the Mézenc plateau for Meygal: the land of juices. These juices are in fact domes of acidic and therefore thick lava which, by spreading and then cooling, gave these very characteristic shapes that the vellaves have
Route details
Description
Take the street on the right a few meters then turn into the alley on the left. At the fork go right then continue in a straight line between the houses of Les Vignes Hautes then between the pastures. Continue on the wide path, ignoring two paths on the left. At the road, continue opposite on a path.
At the fork, go left to enter the Meygal forest. Arriving at a crossroads of many paths.
Turn right. After 500 m, arrive at a first fork. Turn left to quickly reach a second junction. Go left again and soon arrive at a crossroads. Follow the wide path on the left for 350 m to arrive at a junction. Leave the track on the left, advance another 20 m, then leave the wide path for the grassy path on the left. Come out on a perpendicular path. Follow it to the right for 50 m to discover the start of a narrow path on the left.
Then turn off on this path, which is initially barely visible, then, after 200 m, becomes more marked. After a short steep path and a few bends, come out on the forest road at a picnic area. Follow the road to the right for 30 m, then take the path on the left that goes up to the summit of Testavoyre. The path narrows as it climbs between trees and rocks and ends at the summit.
Follow the path to the right to go down between the blocks, then between the trees. The path turns left, then descends through a deforested area and comes out on a wider path. Turn right. After 500 m, a path goes off to the left at a right angle.
Leave the wide track for this trail. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead and reach a forest road. Cut it to continue on the grassy path. Cross a road, then come out at the Quatre-Routes crossroads (junction with the GR 430 and 65).
Continue to the crossroads and turn left along the path which rises alongside a power line [on the left seen on the Testavoyre]. Continue along the road on the right for 100 m. Pass to the left of the Raffy assembly house (1280m) and, 150 m after the last houses, reach a crossroads.
Go down to the left along the grassy path, follow the D18 on the right, pass near a fountain. After a right turn, take the path on the left and reach a crossroads. Turn right and reach the first houses of Queyrières (1200m).
At the first crossroads, take the D152 towards Yssingeaux. At the second (cross), turn left towards the heart of the village. At the fork, go right (> viewpoint over the surrounding Sucs) Go around the church on the left, then the cemetery. Cross the meadow to reach a path between groves and low walls. Follow it to a house. The path becomes a tarmac road for 50 m then in the bend, take the uphill path to the right.
Turn left on the D152 for 150 m then, after the cross, turn left again for a few meters. Then turn right onto the dirt road. In the woods, stay on the main path. At the crossroads, go straight ahead. Join a path coming from the left. Just after, reach a fork.
Follow the left path. The path will cross a forest track, then go down and pass under a power line. Come out on a road and follow it to the left for 230 m.
Take the path on the left. At the junction, first go right, then, 50 m later, turn right onto the path bordered by a low wall. Come out at the entrance to Pertuis. Pass to the right of the cemetery, find a road and continue straight on. Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing.
Then take the small road on the right. Follow it between the houses. At Lachaud, turn left and continue along the edge until the path becomes tarred again and turns right.
Then follow the path on the left. At the crossroads, continue straight along the garden. Reach a small road and take it on the left for 650 m. At the houses of Villevieille, at the cross and the béate house, the road splits.
Then turn left. At the next junction, continue right. As the road turns right, turn left onto the wide dirt road. Come out onto a small road. Take it on the right. Further on, reach another road. Go left for 100 m, then go down right. Follow this small road to reach Prat. Then cross the road to go up into the village.
At the last houses, the path, barely visible and grassy, climbs steeply, then becomes more marked and stony. Join a road at the foot of the Glavenas chapel (> access to the site, on the left).
Use the road which goes to the right to join the D 28. Cross it and take the dirt road opposite. Just before the two houses on the Champ du Crau, ignore the grassy path which goes left, then go right between the houses. The dirt road climbs towards the forest and, at the edge, reaches a crossroads. Turn left. Shortly after, the path splits.
Go down to the left on the path between the stone blocks. Continue in this beech forest, then arrive on a path on the edge. Take it on the right. Reach an intersection. Continue opposite. Still in the woods, the path leads to a wide dirt road.
Turn left. Ignore a path which goes at a right angle to the right. At the end of the forest, arrive on a small road. Follow it straight and go down to reach a larger road. Then go right to reach Saint-Julien-du-Pinet.
At the fork, go left to enter the Meygal forest. Arriving at a crossroads of many paths.
Turn right. After 500 m, arrive at a first fork. Turn left to quickly reach a second junction. Go left again and soon arrive at a crossroads. Follow the wide path on the left for 350 m to arrive at a junction. Leave the track on the left, advance another 20 m, then leave the wide path for the grassy path on the left. Come out on a perpendicular path. Follow it to the right for 50 m to discover the start of a narrow path on the left.
Then turn off on this path, which is initially barely visible, then, after 200 m, becomes more marked. After a short steep path and a few bends, come out on the forest road at a picnic area. Follow the road to the right for 30 m, then take the path on the left that goes up to the summit of Testavoyre. The path narrows as it climbs between trees and rocks and ends at the summit.
Follow the path to the right to go down between the blocks, then between the trees. The path turns left, then descends through a deforested area and comes out on a wider path. Turn right. After 500 m, a path goes off to the left at a right angle.
Leave the wide track for this trail. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead and reach a forest road. Cut it to continue on the grassy path. Cross a road, then come out at the Quatre-Routes crossroads (junction with the GR 430 and 65).
Continue to the crossroads and turn left along the path which rises alongside a power line [on the left seen on the Testavoyre]. Continue along the road on the right for 100 m. Pass to the left of the Raffy assembly house (1280m) and, 150 m after the last houses, reach a crossroads.
Go down to the left along the grassy path, follow the D18 on the right, pass near a fountain. After a right turn, take the path on the left and reach a crossroads. Turn right and reach the first houses of Queyrières (1200m).
At the first crossroads, take the D152 towards Yssingeaux. At the second (cross), turn left towards the heart of the village. At the fork, go right (> viewpoint over the surrounding Sucs) Go around the church on the left, then the cemetery. Cross the meadow to reach a path between groves and low walls. Follow it to a house. The path becomes a tarmac road for 50 m then in the bend, take the uphill path to the right.
Turn left on the D152 for 150 m then, after the cross, turn left again for a few meters. Then turn right onto the dirt road. In the woods, stay on the main path. At the crossroads, go straight ahead. Join a path coming from the left. Just after, reach a fork.
Follow the left path. The path will cross a forest track, then go down and pass under a power line. Come out on a road and follow it to the left for 230 m.
Take the path on the left. At the junction, first go right, then, 50 m later, turn right onto the path bordered by a low wall. Come out at the entrance to Pertuis. Pass to the right of the cemetery, find a road and continue straight on. Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing.
Then take the small road on the right. Follow it between the houses. At Lachaud, turn left and continue along the edge until the path becomes tarred again and turns right.
Then follow the path on the left. At the crossroads, continue straight along the garden. Reach a small road and take it on the left for 650 m. At the houses of Villevieille, at the cross and the béate house, the road splits.
Then turn left. At the next junction, continue right. As the road turns right, turn left onto the wide dirt road. Come out onto a small road. Take it on the right. Further on, reach another road. Go left for 100 m, then go down right. Follow this small road to reach Prat. Then cross the road to go up into the village.
At the last houses, the path, barely visible and grassy, climbs steeply, then becomes more marked and stony. Join a road at the foot of the Glavenas chapel (> access to the site, on the left).
Use the road which goes to the right to join the D 28. Cross it and take the dirt road opposite. Just before the two houses on the Champ du Crau, ignore the grassy path which goes left, then go right between the houses. The dirt road climbs towards the forest and, at the edge, reaches a crossroads. Turn left. Shortly after, the path splits.
Go down to the left on the path between the stone blocks. Continue in this beech forest, then arrive on a path on the edge. Take it on the right. Reach an intersection. Continue opposite. Still in the woods, the path leads to a wide dirt road.
Turn left. Ignore a path which goes at a right angle to the right. At the end of the forest, arrive on a small road. Follow it straight and go down to reach a larger road. Then go right to reach Saint-Julien-du-Pinet.