Stevenson Trail Langogne and Other Walks Lozère France

Wonderful Walking in the Langogne Region

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The Valley of the Allier river near Villa les Roches This lovely region is a walker's delight and staying at the Villa les Roches, Langogne, on the borders of three different departments, Lozère, Haute Loire et Ardèche, makes an excellent base for a week of varied walking. The whole area is criss-crossed by waymarked walks, colour-coded according to degree of difficulty and length. There are short walks of between 1 - 6 hours (PR - Petite Randonnée) where you could gather wild foods along the way or long-distance hikes, (GR - Grande Randonnée) that take several days to complete, stopping off at different lodgings each night and maybe hiring a donkey to accompany you, just as Robert Louis Stevenson once did!

Walking in Wild and Rocky Lozère

The Sèvre vase, Gorge de la Jonte If you love dramatic gorges and rocky terrain, then Lozère is the place for you to do some unforgettable walking! Not far away, the Chassezac gorge has several superb day-long way-marked walks through spectacular mountain scenery. Numerous shorter walks near Langogne are detailed on a map that can be obtained from the Langogne Tourist Office.

No visit to this area would be complete without spending a full day in the Gorges du Tarn, (1 ½ hours away by car) and the Gorge de la Jonte where there are some simply unforgettable walks high over the gorges and passing by such amazing natural rock formations as the famous Sèvre Vase.

(See also the "Other Activities" page of this site for more photos/info. on the Gorge du Tarn).

Walking in the Volcanic Haute Loire

The Baume waterfall, Haute Loire Here the landscape is flatter, punctuated by mysterious, rounded volcanic outcrops, (long since dormant), which afford panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The Gorges de l' Allier area offers some splendid walks among several villages classified as the most beautiful in France.

A walk around the Bouchet Lake, formed in a volcanic crater, (½ hour away from Villa les Roches), followed by a trek through wooded countryside to see the Baume waterfall makes a pleasant day out. You could also top off the day with a visit to the nearby village of Arlempdes with its spectacular medieval castle perched high on a rocky volcanic peak (summer concerts).

Walking in Rugged Ardèche

The Gorge at Labeaume, Ardèche The Ardèche border is only a short drive away but as the altitude lowers, so the landscape changes. There is dramatic scenery to enjoy, including the famous Gorges de l'Ardèche, (2 hours away). There are walks through thyme scented heathland, beside olive groves and vineyards and through picturesque sun-lit villages. Some of the loveliest are Balazuc, Vogüé and Banne - another fabulous day out!

Walking-with-a-Donkey

Modestine, the donkey. One charming way of enhancing a day’s walk, is to hire one or more long-eared friends to accompany you. Donkeys make endearing walking companions and they will willingly carry your lunch (and theirs too!) You can hire a donkey from Gilles in nearby Pradelles, (listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France). He will also suggest nearby walks around Pradelles.

Gathering Wild Foods

Why not go on a walk to gather some of the wild foods of Lozère? We can suggest places where you might find a good crop! Wild raspberries abound from early August and on woodland walks in mid August, you will find swathes of blueberries. Blackberries and elderberries start to appear in late August. Towards the latter part of August and throughout October, particularly after rain, fabulous cep mushrooms suddenly begin to appear in forested areas. Note: You can pop into any French pharmacist with your trove of mushrooms and they will check whether they are edible or not. In mid September there are blackberries, elderberries, sloes and rosehips to gather along your walks and one more delight – just over the border, in Ardèche, in late September, fabulous chestnuts litter the lanes and woodland tracks.

Long-Distance Trails (GR)

The Canal de la Viala walk passes through endless chestnut groves. For those who enjoy the challenge of a long-distance trail, stopping each night at a different location, there are several GR routes (grandes randonnées) that cross this region. The Stevenson Trail, for example, retraces the steps of the young Robert Louis Stevenson who hiked here for 12 days in the company of a donkey called Modestine. He set out at Le Monastier in Haute Loire, passed through Langogne and carried on through the Cévennes mountains to reach his ultimate destination in St Jean du Gard.