Volcanic hikes in the heart of the Mézenc-Gerbier massif

For this first day, your guide will take you in the footsteps of the Carthusian monks of Bonnefoy. They settled in the 12th century, not far from Les Estables, at the bottom of the Veyradeyre valley and at the foot of several ancient volcanoes, locally known as "sucs." On the surrounding high plateaus, the monks developed livestock farming, notably raising Mézine cows, renowned for their meat. The current landscape is the result of volcanic activity as well as the transformation of the area by the monks. Your guide will reveal this entire history to you throughout your hike. They will also point out the many and varied flowers that bloom around the sucs, depending on the season.

The picnic is taken from the bag, in a place carefully chosen by your guide.

A bus transfer takes you to the village of Borée in the Ardèche region, nestled amidst a stunning array of volcanoes. Several of these volcanoes rise majestically from the Boutières valleys, including the Suc de Sara, the Gouleyou, and the Rocher de Soutron. At the summit of the latter stands a small chapel dedicated to Saint Julien. It offers a curious shelter in bad weather and a magnificent viewpoint in good weather. From there, you can even see the entire Alpine chain, whose first peaks are less than 100 kilometers away as the crow flies. The area appears more wooded than the previous day; your guide will explain why.

The picnic is taken from the bag, in a place well chosen by your guide: at the top of the Soutron rock if the weather is nice, otherwise below.

Mount Mézenc is one of the highest peaks in the Massif Central, reaching an altitude of 1,753 meters. Yet it remains easily accessible. So, without any hesitation, you set your sights on climbing it today. This group of three ancient volcanoes dominates the surrounding high plateaus, formed from a series of lava flows. This magnificent viewpoint provides your guide with the opportunity to explain how the landscapes and terrain were shaped over the last few million years. The ascent is planned for the morning; the afternoon will be dedicated to hiking along the edge of the Cirque des Boutières, another rather unique volcano.

The picnic is taken from the bag, at the summit of Mézenc if the weather permits.

Today's route allows you to discover another type of volcano: maars. You'll see two of them during the day. The hike, starting from the Chaudeyrolles craters, takes you towards Lake Saint-Front. These two sites are maars, among the youngest volcanoes in the Gerbier-Mézenc massif. It's an opportunity to pass by an old slate quarry, where people once extracted the slate tiles that cover the roofs of many farms in the massif. You'll also walk among meadows whose excellent hay is the source of Fin Gras du Mézenc, a local beef with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.

Conclude your hiking trip in the Loire Gorges. You are about fifty kilometers from the source of France's longest river. But here, the Loire resembles a mountain river more, with its rapids and winding course, carving its way between the lava flows of the Mézenc and Devès plateaus. The hike offers the chance to see magnificent volcanic basalt columns and discover ancient troglodyte dwellings carved into the volcanic ash. Sometimes in the gorges, sometimes on the high plateaus, today's hike is very different in terms of terrain and vegetation: wild and rugged at the bottom, more pastoral above.

The picnic is taken from the bag, in a place well chosen by your guide, in the shade if the sun is strong.

Your stay ends after breakfast. Check-out time is 10:00 AM. If you'd like to enjoy one last morning of activities, we can store your luggage after you've checked out. We're happy to help you plan a final walk or activity!