Hiking - The hamlets of Chèzenas - Saint-Pierre de Boeuf No. 3

Rhône and Pilat:
Feet in the water,
Head in the clouds.

The 'Mémoire Pétribocienne' association has installed interpretation panels about the local heritage of St-Pierre-de-boeuf called "les empreintes du temps" (the footprints of time): https://www.lamemoirepetribocienne.fr/index.php/les-empreintes-du-temps/

WARNING: For hikes along the banks of the Rhône, check flood risks before you set off: contact the town hall, or visit www.vigicrues.gouv.fr or www.inforhone.fr

Turn right onto rue du Milieu (the central street). On this street, you will pass the first church of St-Pierre, built in 470 AD. After the Place du Carcan, on your right, you can see a façade with mullioned windows and an Archbishop's cross. Turn right onto the Passage du Marché to reach the Place de l’Eglise, dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul (built in 1863).

Cross the D 1086, take the Chemin des Ecoliers, formerly the Route de la Dame (from Puy en Velay), turn left into the Quartier du Soleil, then take the first right: the Les Abricotiers housing estate. Go straight ahead to join the Route du Grand Val. Go uphill and turn left onto the Chemin des Vignes, which winds through the wine-growing showcase (St-Joseph Appellation). Follow the path to the Route de Chèzenas and continue left to the viewpoint. Take a break to admire the scenery. Go uphill alongside the vineyards (Condrieu Appellation), and take the path on the left. Following the waymarking carefully, go uphill on your right towards Le Biez.

At the hamlet of Le Biez, follow the paved path to the junction with the Route de la Chapelle, turn right and continue to the bus shelter (at the locality known as La Chamble Jaure), in the direction of Bois Prieur.

In front of the Bois Prieur cross, go straight ahead, taking the path between the houses towards the locality of Petit-Louis; at the end of the path, turn left. 200 m after the Ecuries du Rolibey, follow the path on the left. Leave the uphill path to the Bois de Thorée on your right, then continue straight on the Route de Matricon (on this road, in the middle of apple orchards, a vase containing multiple bronze objects from the Late Bronze Age—7th to 8th centuries BC—was found in 1913 at the locality of Les Claustres. These objects are displayed in a case at the town hall).

When you reach the village of Chèzenas, turn left and pass the square. At the far end, a small stone cross is set in the wall in memory of the 6th Baron of Malleval (only the '1' from the date 1701 is visible). 50 m later, turn right then take the first left towards the Chapel. This building was given to the inhabitants of Chèzenas by M. Louis-Pierre Bellet de Saint-Trivier on 3 September 1807. When you reach it, turn right; 100 m further on, admire a stone cross bearing a Madonna and Child, remarkable for its fine detail. Turn left (at the Loire/Ardèche border), and after the last house, turn left onto Chemin de Digue. Go downhill to the crossroads and turn left. When you reach the locality of "Magasin", take the D 1086 (⚠️ Warning: this is a busy road, be careful.) and cross the Pont Laniel. Turn left onto the towpath (Chemin de Halage - paths used by horses to pull boats). At the boules court, admire the Liberty Tree (Platane de la Liberté), next to which the rope ferry ("traille") used to depart. Continuing along the towpath, pass the Place de la Roche and Rue du Champcalot. At the footbridge, turn left and go through the Passage Donzelle (an archway), then take Rue des Fleurs, which will lead you to the Place de la Croix.

Everyone is responsible for their own safety. Therefore, you undertake these hikes at your own risk. Please stay on the waymarked trails to protect fragile ecosystems.

A few recommendations:

• Check the weather forecast before you set off


• Some routes cross busy roads: Be careful


• Keep dogs on a leash


• Do not light fires


• Take your litter home with you


• Enjoy the flowers, but do not pick them.


• Tick bites can cause serious illnesses. To prevent them: wear clothing that covers your skin, use insect repellent, check yourself when you get back, remove ticks with a tick remover tool without applying any substance to them, and consult a doctor if you see any redness, experience flu-like symptoms, or are in a high-risk group.


• For emergency services, dial 18 or 112.