Hiking - Hamlet Trail - Saint-Appolinard n°3

From Place de la Bascule, head right onto Rue des Tilleuls, towards the church, and walk alongside it. Continue until you reach a cross, then turn right onto Route de Limmone and follow it straight downhill for its entire length (about 1 km). At the end of the road, leave the tarmac and continue straight onto a dirt path. Follow this path downhill for another 800 metres until you reach a 4-way junction.

Turn left, and after crossing the stream, climb for about a hundred metres before turning left again. After 200 metres, you will reach a flat path (the ox trail), which you will take by turning left. At the next fork, turn left again. At the following junction, turn right and head uphill towards the hamlet of Choron.

Once on Chemin du Ruisseau, you will reach Route du Tracol. Cross it carefully and head up Rue des Chardonnes. At the junction, leave the paved road and take Chemin des Châtaigners on your right. Continue straight on to the hamlet of Paradis, where you will take the uphill path on the left to join a paved road. At the junction, turn left onto Route de Bazin. At the entrance to the hamlet, take a path on the right and enter the forest.

After crossing the woods, continue straight ahead. At the end of the path, turn right, then left 20 metres later, and take the path that will lead you to the highest point of the walk. Turn right onto the paved road for a few metres, then left through the grove. From there, you can see the Saint Sabin chapel on your right, and the Rhône valley and the Ardèche on your left. Cross the paved road and take the path straight ahead until you reach another junction with a signpost. There, you will join the 'sentier des hauteurs' (trail n°2), which shares the same route as ours until the finish.

Begin the descent by taking the path on the left to reach Route de Pourzin. Go through a few junctions, keeping straight ahead. When you reach the road, turn right until you get to the bridge, then turn left to join Route du Tracol. Note that this bridge is a bat sanctuary. An information board is available to learn more about this mammal. Once on the main road, turn right, then after a few metres, turn left into Rue de la Forge. This will lead you to Place du Piorard, and then to Place de la Bascule, the end of the hike.

⚠️ Caution, high-traffic road, stay safe.

Everyone is responsible for their own sécurité. Therefore, you hike at your own risk. Stay on the marked trails to protect fragile environments.

A few recommendations:

• Check the météo forecast before you leave


• 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, do not pick them.


• Tick bites can cause serious illnesses ; as a preventative measure: wear clothes that cover your skin, use insect repellent, check your body 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.