Rochecolombe, the Royal Road and St-Maurice-d'Ibie

From the Info Rando sign in the square, head towards the war memorial (on the right), then the ‘Rochecolombe’ hiking signpost.

1. From there, head towards “Hameau de Leyris 2.2 km”. Keep following the signposts. The path winds its way up above the houses. Go through a gate and take the path on the right. Cross a stream and climb up a path alongside the stream on the right (on the left bank). The path joins a track and continues along the ridge.
2. At the signpost “Les Clos”, follow “Valos 4.4 km St-Maurice-d’Ibie 6.2 km” to the left. At the next junction, turn left and continue along the track. Walk past a house, then after 300 m, leave the tarmac road and take a dirt track to the right.
3. At the signpost marked ‘Montagu’, follow ‘Valos 1.3 km St-Maurice-d’Ibie 3.8 km’, crossing the Voie Royale. By decision of the Languedoc administrators, the Voie Royale was built to link Villeneuve-de-Berg to the south of the Vivarais in the 17th and 18th centuries. Follow the stony track.
4. At the ‘Valos’ signpost, follow the sign for ‘St-Maurice-d’Ibie 2.5 km’ to the left. Head down a stony path.
5. At the signpost marked ‘Petit Montagu’. After heavy rain, to avoid an impassable ford, head straight to the ‘L’Ibie’ junction (6) and follow ‘Villeneuve-de-Berg 9.8 km’ to the left. Otherwise, in dry weather, follow ‘St-Maurice-d’Ibie 1.9 km’ to the right. Join a tarmac road and follow it downhill to the village. On leaving the village, turn left onto a tarmac road leading down towards the river. Cross it via a ford
6. At the “L’Ibie” signpost, follow “Les Ausses” 100 m.
7. At the signpost ‘Les Ausses’, follow ‘Tête de Crespi - Rochecolombe’. The path runs alongside a stream then climbs for approx. 1.5 km
8. At the “Tête de Crespi” signpost, follow “Rochecolombe 2.6 km” on the other side of the Route Royale. Head back down and, near a house, continue along a descending path. Follow a stream.
9. At the signpost marked ‘Ron Chamorel’, follow ‘Rochecolombe 1.3 km’ to the right. The path overlooks the Vendoule stream (which intermittently feeds the Rochecolombe Waterfall) and leads to a small tarmac road at an old stone farmhouse. Follow the road down to the right, then leave it after 80 m to continue along the path opposite.
10. At the ‘Ancien Village’ signpost, follow the sign for ‘Info Rando Rochecolombe 0.4 km’ to the left. Head down a path, then at the junction, continue straight ahead along a cobbled path back to the starting point.