Hiking - Le Mont Ministre - Chuyer no. 2

From the cemetery car park, walk up the road towards the village centre, then take the first road on the right. Continue for 50 m, then turn left, passing under the Town Hall archway. At the top of the stairs, turn right. Continue straight along the road to the hamlet of Valensagny. Pass to the left of the last house and take a path for 40 m. You will follow the gentle slope of the old mule track, used for bringing wine up from the Rhône Valley and coal down from the Gier Valley. Near the Col de Pavezin, you will come across trail no. 1. Continue on, leaving the Col restaurant on your left, then the forest road on your right. This short foray into the Pavezin area offers a view of its village below. Walking through the oak coppice, you will reach the ridgeline.

Warning: don’t miss the “Grotte aux Fées” (Fairies’ Grotto), a rock shelter, a megalithic altar and a remarkable viewpoint over Chuyer, the Rhône Valley and the Alps.

Make the short detour to the summit, Mont Ministre (764 m), from where you will also discover a view of the Saint-Étienne region. The track goes back down to the forest road. Follow it until you reach a wide section, then make a sharp left turn (almost a U-turn) to find a path lined with broom. Follow its steep switchbacks, which lead to a local point of interest, “le pied de Samson” (Samson’s Foot). Be careful, as the rock is slippery in wet weather. You will then rejoin the tarmac path to the hamlet of Bonne Bouche. At a very sharp bend near two twin houses, you will find a path and then the Roman road you took at the start. As you approach the village, enjoy the gentle melody of the stream that accompanies you on your way.

Everyone is responsible for their own safety. Therefore, you hike at your own risk. Please stay on the waymarked trails to protect fragile environments.

A few useful recommendations:

• Check the weather forecast before you set off


• Some routes cross roads with heavy traffic: Be careful


• Keep dogs on a lead


• Do not light fires


• Take your litter home with you


• Enjoy the flowers, but do not pick them.


• Tick bites can cause serious illnesses; as a precaution: wear clothing that covers your skin, use repellent, check yourself on your return, remove any ticks with a tick-removal tool without applying anything to them, and see a doctor if a rash appears, you develop flu-like symptoms, or you are in an at-risk group.


• For emergency services, dial 18 or 112.