Hiking - Val du Ban - La Valla en Gier n°1

Start: Marie Badard community hall. Head down rue du frère François towards the church, then turn left at the town hall. Go down the D2 to take rue de la Croix Rouge, which leads down towards the dam. After a few metres, the tarmac gives way to cobblestones, a reminder that this was the old main road until the 1870s.

At la Croix Rouge (the spot where Marcellin Champagnat knelt upon his arrival in la Valla in 1816), take the path on the left. Cross a first stream, the Jarret (metal bridge), then a second, the Ban (wooden bridge). Immediately turn left, climb the path and cross the D37 road to reach the hamlet of Rossillol.

Alternative route: take the path on the right for an optional out-and-back trip (approx. 1 hour) to the hamlet of Soulage, passing through la Fourdière. In Soulage, admire a remarkable 17th-century cross, a renovated sundial and a wash-house.

In Rossillol, take a path on the left towards “Chomèol” and follow the trail markers. Go through this hamlet and continue on the path. When you reach the D37 road, take the marked path on the right to the hamlet of Maisonnettes. Go through it and head down to rejoin the D37 road, turning right. Follow the signs for “Frominet”. At the crossroads, take the path on the left that runs alongside the stream and continue. Go through the locality of “Sordel” and follow this path to an intersection; take the road on the left, which will lead you back to the village.

⚠️ Caution: this is a busy road, please be careful.

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

A few recommendations:

• Check the weather forecast before you set off


• Some routes cross busy roads: Be careful


• Keep dogs on a lead


• Do not light fires


• Take your litter home with you


• Admire the flowers, do not pick them.


• Tick bites can lead to serious diseases; for prevention: wear long clothing, use repellents, check your body upon your return, remove any ticks with a tick-remover tool without applying any products to them, and consult a doctor if redness or flu-like symptoms appear, or if you are in a high-risk group.


• For emergency services, dial 18 or 112.