Option Margeride – Etape Saint-Préjet-d'Allier – Grandrieu
Head into the Ance valley to quickly enter Lozère. Discover Chambonle-Château, then the view point over the majestic Devez range to the north-east. Enter the heart of Margeride, in Grandrieu, a village surrounded by narrow roads.
Route details
Alert
The GR® 470 is a medium mountain route, with an altitude between 450 and 1500 m. The route does not present any major difficulty, but you should be suitably equipped (hiking shoes, warm clothes, rain gear, first aid kit, etc.)
remember to check the weather forecast before leaving (32 50) or www.meteofrance.com
If crossing pasture, please ensure that the fences are closed
remember to check the weather forecast before leaving (32 50) or www.meteofrance.com
If crossing pasture, please ensure that the fences are closed
Description
Leave Saint-Préjet-d'Allier by taking a small road heading south; it is quickly extended by a track which enters the undergrowth.
At the fork, opt for the left lane to maintain direction. After a succession of brief descents and climbs, the track leads to the D 34, at a place called la Romaine [> we leave the Haute-Loire department to enter Lozère]; cross the road.
Take the path opposite which climbs quite steeply in the woods for around a hundred meters. The climb becomes gentler (pay attention to the markings), then the track becomes more marked (ignore the descent on the left to the hamlet of Arabit). Stay on the crest track and reach a crossroads at a place called Le Tribe [> viewpoint over the Ance valley and the Fort castle]. Continue along the extension and reach a junction.
Take the track on the left through fields, with the forest on the left. About 1,5 km further, come out
on a road; take it on the left.
At the start of a bend, leave the road for a path on the right for around a hundred meters [> viewpoint over the Ance valley and Chambon-le-Château]. Further on, go down the road to the hamlet of Chèvre-Morte, then go down left to the river; cross it on a footbridge. Go back up on the opposite slope. Go to the Anceval mill (former Chèvre-Morte mill). The path then leads onto the D 322; follow it to the right to enter Chambon-le-Château. Pass in front of the church and reach, on the right, the village square.
From the war memorial, in the center of the square, take the D 59 on the right towards Grandrieu; follow it for around 300 m, then turn right onto Chemin du Réservoir, just before the service station. Further on, turn left into rue des Pavillons and find the route de Grandrieu; cross it.
Take the path opposite; lined with trees at the beginning, it then progresses through fields, then along the edge of the forest.
At a crossroads, at a place called Les Besagous, continue straight ahead. The path, between pastures and undergrowth, gradually turns due south and comes to a crossroads marked with an ordeal. Continue opposite [> viewpoint over the Velay mountains, Margeride, the Grandrieu valley and the village of Grandrieu], we
discovers Chams from above.
At the entrance to the village, take the street on the right. At the end, go right again and reach a small square on the left. Cross it by entering the street at the back on the right; she quickly turns left. In the extension, continue on the agricultural track. Come out onto a road (D 26); cross it and go down towards a stream. Go back up the opposite slope to Bouchet Grenier.
Arriving at the end of the hamlet, we see,
on a steep slope, opposite, the path
well marked to borrow. Initially going up, it goes down to cross the Mas Imbert stream on a bridge before going back up to the Chapel. Take the D 985 on the left for approximately 150 m.
Turn left onto the path which leads opposite a car garage on the edge of the D 5 which you cross to reach Grandrieu.
At the fork, opt for the left lane to maintain direction. After a succession of brief descents and climbs, the track leads to the D 34, at a place called la Romaine [> we leave the Haute-Loire department to enter Lozère]; cross the road.
Take the path opposite which climbs quite steeply in the woods for around a hundred meters. The climb becomes gentler (pay attention to the markings), then the track becomes more marked (ignore the descent on the left to the hamlet of Arabit). Stay on the crest track and reach a crossroads at a place called Le Tribe [> viewpoint over the Ance valley and the Fort castle]. Continue along the extension and reach a junction.
Take the track on the left through fields, with the forest on the left. About 1,5 km further, come out
on a road; take it on the left.
At the start of a bend, leave the road for a path on the right for around a hundred meters [> viewpoint over the Ance valley and Chambon-le-Château]. Further on, go down the road to the hamlet of Chèvre-Morte, then go down left to the river; cross it on a footbridge. Go back up on the opposite slope. Go to the Anceval mill (former Chèvre-Morte mill). The path then leads onto the D 322; follow it to the right to enter Chambon-le-Château. Pass in front of the church and reach, on the right, the village square.
From the war memorial, in the center of the square, take the D 59 on the right towards Grandrieu; follow it for around 300 m, then turn right onto Chemin du Réservoir, just before the service station. Further on, turn left into rue des Pavillons and find the route de Grandrieu; cross it.
Take the path opposite; lined with trees at the beginning, it then progresses through fields, then along the edge of the forest.
At a crossroads, at a place called Les Besagous, continue straight ahead. The path, between pastures and undergrowth, gradually turns due south and comes to a crossroads marked with an ordeal. Continue opposite [> viewpoint over the Velay mountains, Margeride, the Grandrieu valley and the village of Grandrieu], we
discovers Chams from above.
At the entrance to the village, take the street on the right. At the end, go right again and reach a small square on the left. Cross it by entering the street at the back on the right; she quickly turns left. In the extension, continue on the agricultural track. Come out onto a road (D 26); cross it and go down towards a stream. Go back up the opposite slope to Bouchet Grenier.
Arriving at the end of the hamlet, we see,
on a steep slope, opposite, the path
well marked to borrow. Initially going up, it goes down to cross the Mas Imbert stream on a bridge before going back up to the Chapel. Take the D 985 on the left for approximately 150 m.
Turn left onto the path which leads opposite a car garage on the edge of the D 5 which you cross to reach Grandrieu.