Cycling in the heart of the Ardèche Valley

From the start, cross the bridge and then turn left. Cyclists are permitted to ride against the flow of traffic on these one-way roads. Follow the ‘Via Ardèche’ signs and take the first road leading uphill to the right.

1. Once you reach the greenway, turn right. Enjoy the magnificent views from the viaduct of the old railway line. Follow the Via Ardèche for approximately 11 km, taking care at the two crossings of the D579.
2. In the village of Pradons, leave the greenway at the sign for ‘Chauzon’ on the right. After 100m, the traffic lights allow you to cross the D579 safely to join the D308 towards Chauzon. The bridge offers stunning views. To get a good view of the Cirque de Gens, continue straight on after the bridge and climb a little until you find an unobstructed viewpoint. Then take the road overlooking the Ardèche to the village. Pass through it and head up to the left when you reach a T-junction. At the roundabout, head up to the right. This small road climbs through the woods and offers superb panoramic views.
3. At the junction after the campsite, turn right. The road passes through a scrubland of austere beauty. Then the valley deepens, the road becomes steeper and offers the finest views of the charming village of Balazuc. Cross the bridge over the Ardèche. Admire the gorges carved out by the river. The road climbs back up through the village, listed among the most beautiful in France.
4. It’s time to leave your bike (there are bike racks above the car park) and go and explore the narrow streets on foot. Some of you might want to enjoy the beach or even go for a quick swim, unless you’d prefer to save that for the end of the route in Vogüé. Once you’re back on the road and have walked up to the edge of the village, head down to the right until you reach the D 579.
5. Cross this road carefully, then take the small road to the left. After about 500m, a path allows you to rejoin the greenway. Head north (to the right) for about 2.5 km.
6. Before crossing the RD, turn at the sign for ‘St-Maurice-d’Ardèche’. Take the small road to the right; then cross the bridge and head down to the right. At the bottom, turn left. You can visit the Romanesque church on the right. Then pass under the arched passageway. Continue along this road, which then climbs to the left and leads you to the D1.
7. Cross this road and turn left onto the D401 towards Rochecolombe on the right. When you reach a triangular square, turn left and, at the fork, head down to the left (signposted “l’Ardéchoise”).
8. The car park is equipped with bike racks. This allows you to visit the medieval village and the waterfall. The waterfall rarely has any water, but the site is very beautiful. Continue along the road as it winds its way uphill. The superb views will be a good excuse to stop for a while… and take some photos. The climb isn’t very long. You then head downhill to Sauveplantade.
9. At the junction, turn right. Pop in to visit the pretty little Romanesque church nearby.
10. Shortly afterwards, when the road curves to the right, turn left and go under the stone archway supporting a terrace. Then head down to the right and, in the hollow, go up to the left between the bins on the left and the stream on the right. Follow the bumpy road to the T-junction.
11. Turn left there. At the next junction, head right, along the street that takes you back to Vogüé Gare.
12. When the main road turns left, continue straight on (rue de la Micheline). You can then rejoin the greenway to the right to return to the starting point.