Cycling Stay Genêts

You will reach Chanéac by picturesque Ardèche roads lined with dry stone walls. Charm and authenticity guaranteed!

This will begin as soon as you leave Saint-Félicien with the road to the Col de Fontfreyde which will take you to Nozières. The descent to Lamastre will bring back memories to the cyclists of the Ardéchoise. Don’t be reckless, we are not racing!

We will ride up the Doux valley towards Labatie d’Andaure before reaching the perched village of Saint-Jeure d’Andaure. Small gears are required for this climb with 3 kilometres at 9%. The panorama will ease the difficulty a little. You can avoid this difficulty by taking the Orfeuille road which goes up more peacefully towards Saint-Agrève. Those who have ants in their legs will continue their ascent of the Doux valley to take the trip of the Ardéchoise in the opposite direction (via Rochepaule).

After Saint-Jean-de-Roure, the small balcony road will bring you close to the ruins of the Rochebonne castle which dominate the Eyrieux valley.

Many cyclists know the Saint-Clément route from having ridden it during the Ardéchoise. Today, we suggest you ride it to enjoy its immense panoramas in the middle of the basaltic organs. From the first kilometres after the Chapelle-sous-Chanéac to the finish in Saint-Clément, it is under a morning light that you will enjoy the show over 13 km.

A show that will then continue with the crossing of the Boutières cirque and the arrival at Mont Gerbier de Jonc, one of the emblematic sites of the Ardèche. This will be the occasion to fill up the gourds in one of the sources of the Loire. Between the geographical spring, the real spring and the authentic spring, you have the choice!

Several options will be offered to you afterwards, with either a direct descent to the valley, or a ride on the plateau via the col de Mezilhac.

For this liaison day, we will take you on new, little-known routes to the Ardèche plateau.

In Arcens, we leave the well-known roads to take the road to Soutron. After a few steep bends (max. 9%), we will see the Rocher de Soutron and its characteristic shape. We continue towards the hamlet of Echamps where we find the classic road leading to the Ardéchoise pass. Shortly after the pass, one of the most beautiful panaormas in the region is revealed with the village of Borée, at the foot of Mont Mézenc and other sucs!

We will continue our journey towards Mont Gerbier de Jonc, then we will take a more bucolic route on the plateau to discover the many rivers that feed the nascent Loire.

On the menu for this day, part of the Ardéchoise trip with the famous Barricaude pass.

Depending on your form of the day, several options are available to you to reach Burzet, the foot of this climb. It is at Lachamp-Raphaël, shortly after your departure that you will decide on your route.

The most courageous will return to the Col de Mezilhac to find the trips of the Ardéchoise and the Ardéchoise Vélo Marathon. On the descent to Laviolle and Antraigues-Sur-Volane, you will overlook the wild gorges of the Volane. The small passes of Aizac and Moucheyres will then lead you to Burzet.

The main circuit will pass through Freyssenet where you will join Burzet via the Moucheyres pass. This way you avoid the Aizac pass.

Those who choose the short trip will go directly to Burzet via Pereyres. Don’t forget to stop at the lookout of the Ray-Pic waterfall.

From Burzet, a regular climb awaits you to Sagnes-et-Goudoulet. We will then return by small roads via the villages of Usclades-et-Rieutord, and Cros-de-Géorand.

Heading south, you will discover all the charms of the Tanargue, nicknamed the “Thunder Mountain”. First of all, you can travel along its ridge line via the Croix de Bauzon pass, the Pendu pass and the majestic Meyrand pass. Don’t miss the stop at the large orientation table located shortly after the pass: you will discover a panorama going from the Mont Ventoux to the Cévennes.

A long descent of 22 km awaits you via the Beaume valley and the town of Valgorge. It is by a succession of small roads crossing typical villages (Rocles, Jaujac..) that we will take you to Vals-les Bains, your place of stay for the next 2 days.

This day in Vals-les-Bains will be an à la carte day for everyone, with a wide variety of choices in the day’s trip. You will be able to take full advantage of your beautiful accommodation and the activities in Vals-les-Bains.

A transition day for those who choose the short loop via Antraigues-sur-Volane, Jean Ferrat’s adoptive village. You will have all the time in the world to visit this village which keeps an imperishable memory of the singer.

For the others, we will go back up to the plateau via a very beautiful ridge road. From the Col de la Fayolle to the Col de Mézilhac via the Col des 4 Vios, this magnificent road will once again offer you magnificent panoramas. The most courageous will even continue to the Mont Gerbier de Jonc!

This return to Saint-Félicien will take the superb Col de Mézilhac, by its southern side, a side little known to the cyclists of the Ardéchoise. The route follows the wild Volane gorges to reach the pass at an altitude of 1119 m.

You will continue with a beautiful descent to Le Cheylard before reaching Lamastre. About twenty kilometres will then bring you back to Saint-Félicien, along the Doux gorges, where you may see the Mastrou, the famous steam train of the Ardèche.