About Stone Qyrool, blog columnist Lyon City Crunch.
As summer is coming to an end and the unbearable summer heat is behind us, we thought that a short trip to Haute-Loire would be perfect for a back-to-school getaway. Still spared by mass tourism and the hordes of Instagrammers, this sector is full of nuggets to discover, including the fabulous and wild Gorges de la Loire…'
Go hop, take your backpack and a good pair of shoes, we take you to this little paradise.
Day 1: Artias Castle, Lace Museum and Rochebaron Castle
7:50 am
We got up super early to make the most of our weekend. Sacrificing a lie-in to fill up on nature and beautiful landscapes has never been a concern for us. We are at the Part-Dieu station and get on a first train to Saint-Etienne. If you are a fan of the Petite Reine (cycling, mountain biking, Gravel…) no problem for it to accompany you in the Ter! there will always be room for her and it can be a very good plan to move more easily on the spot.
8:40 am
45 minutes later, we arrive in Saint-Etienne-Châteaucreux. We only have a few minutes to jump aboard a second train. Direction Returnnac. The city quickly gives way to green landscapes, the morning mist still clings to the reliefs. The train then enters the Loire gorges. The landscapes that parade before our eyes already amaze us and promise the most delicious of stays.
9:45 am
We arrive at the small station of Retournac and come face to face with a goat. No doubt, we have arrived in the countryside. We then head to our first destination of the day: the Artias Castle.
10:00 am
We take the path that leads to the castle perched on a spur. The mist is still very present and the castle barely stands out behind the clouds. This spooky atmosphere is not displeasing to us. As we ascend, the sun comes out as if to celebrate our arrival.
10:45 am
We are at the top. Not much remains of the castle which dates from the XNUMXth century, but what a view! A few wisps of cloud remain, but they still let us see a marvelous panorama. You can see the Sucs, the mountains of volcanic origin in the region, as well as the Loire below which meanders between the hamlets.
11:15 am
After climbing the castle, we have planned a visit to the Museum of Lace Manufactures. To be honest, we were expecting a dusty museum, but that's not the case! Through the history of lace and the town of Retournac, we discover the richness and complexity of this type of work. The explanations are well done and we are quite fascinated by the way the designs were imagined by the creators to then be made by the lacemakers.
12:30 am
We then come to the Fromentaux Farm, an atypical farm where lives a small community of passionate and committed people. In the middle of trees, fields, yurts and goats, we swallow our sandwiches prepared the day before.
14:00 am
We change village, direction Bass-and-Basset to visit his famous Rochebaron Castle. After a good half hour of climbing on foot, we see the imposing building taking shape above the trees. The current ruins are the remains of a vast complex erected from the XNUMXth century and marking the border between the county of Velay and that of Forez. We wander around the old stones, the sky begins to darken, it almost feels like Scotland. One of the particularities of this castle is that it has an aviary and offers a spectacle of birds of prey. We therefore sit in the wooden bleachers which offer a wide panorama of the valley.
16:00 am
The rain seems to have waited for the show to end to fall on the castle. We take refuge inside, which allows us to chat with the falconer and a volunteer who takes the opportunity to tell us some anecdotes about the place.
17:30 am
The sun is back. We head to our base for the night. The guest room Barrett. We meet Sandy who manages alone this former hotel-restaurant transformed into a lodge to welcome, among other things, walkers from the GR 3. We sit in our room, delighted to rest a little after this day full of discoveries.
19:00 am
Sandy cooked us our evening meal. Drawing from his vegetable garden, he prepared tasty dishes for us. Gazpacho, salmon tartare, duck parmentier… We enjoy it! The meal is over and Sandy makes us taste a little homemade alcohol made from verbena. Perfect to end this day and sleep well.
Day 2: canoeing down the Loire and visit Aurec
9:30 am
After a hearty breakfast, Yvan, from Canoe Nature Leisure, come and pick us up for a canoe trip. And yes, we will continue to descend the Loire, but by waterway. We go to the starting point, we put on our suits and we push the boats into the water. Here we go!
10:00 am
The Loire is incredibly calm. There is no one else but us, apart from a few herons, kingfishers and other cormorants which fly away as we pass. We go slowly along the river in a pure moment of serenity. At regular intervals, small rapids bring a little animation (and even end up capsizing the author of his lines for a small morning swim).
10:30 am
We take a break halfway through in a fabulous setting where nature reigns supreme. Yvan takes out white wine, sausage and cheese from his waterproof container for a snack. It's perfect !
11:00 am
We continue our descent. In some places, the Loire is so calm that the waters look like a mirror in which the fabulous landscapes we cross are reflected in perfect symmetry.
11:30 am
Here we are after 9 km that we did not see pass. We go up the canoes, we take off our suits, we dry off and we change. All this with a smile on your face after this exquisite nature shoot.
12:00 am
It's time to regain strength. We go to Blue Cedars. The restaurant, whose terrace overlooks a pretty park planted with cedars, offers a semi-gastro lunch menu for €15. Delicious and unbeatable.
14:30 am
We cross the Loire by a Himalayan footbridge to discover the opposite bank of Aurec. The murals are also numerous, but this is street art. We come across a huge giraffe, a colorful hummingbird and many other inspired works.
15:30 am
We then join the nautical base of Aurec to recover a hiking trail, 4 km round trip, which leads to the Jumping Dog Footbridge, from which we enjoy a magnificent panorama of the majestic river. Ride possible on an electric scooter in high season!
16:45 am
We reached the center of Aurec and we wait on the platform of the small station while waiting for the TER to take us back to Saint-Etienne, then to Lyon.
Verdict
What a great weekend it has been! The Haute-Loire in general and the Gorges de la Loire in particular are a destination too often underestimated by us Lyonnais. Only 1h30 from Lyon, you can hike in wonderful landscapes, go down the river in peace, explore impressive castles, see breathtaking panoramas, eat well... And even see street art! What more ?
Budget
Return trip by train: €41
Night and meal at the Chambre d'Hôte Le Barret: €75 per room for 2, €30 per meal
Museums of Lace Manufactures: €5
Rochebaron castle + bird of prey show: €10
Canoeing down the Loire: €15 per person
Menu of the day at Les Cèdres Bleus: €15,50
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