Stevenson: the complete route
Hike through the Cévennes, from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-du-Gard.
More than a century ago, the young writer Robert Louis Stevenson set out on foot to discover an unknown country in the company of the donkey Modestine, thus becoming the father of all modern hikers. After his journey, he published his diary under the title “Voyage avec un âne à travers les Cévennes” (“Journey with a donkey through the Cévennes”). We invite you to discover its entire itinerary, with the added bonus of a departure from Le Puy-en-Velay and a visit to this pretty little town.
Leaving from the town of Le Puy-en-Velay, set in a verdant landscape where the water and fire of volcanoes have sculpted a fantastic natural backdrop, the volcanic plateaus of the Velay (Mézenc and Devès), areas of livestock farming and mountain cultivation (Puy lentils), the steep gorges of the Loire and Allier rivers, the forest-covered granite plateau of the Gévaudan as far as Chasseradès. The route takes in altitudes between 700 and 1300 m.
After a wooded section on the Goulet mountain and a crossing of the Lot valley, the atmosphere becomes mountainous on Mont Lozère. It is the highest point in the Cévennes, perched at an altitude of 1,699 m. It features a heavy granite ridge dotted with chaos and carpeted with blueberries, broom and pastures. Beyond Florac, home of the Parc National des Cévennes, we approach the greenhouses and valats of the Cévennes, land of goats, silkworms and chestnut trees. A mysterious and wild land, where the traces of man can be found at every turn: mule tracks, transhumance trails, terraced cultivation and typical architecture. The route takes in altitudes between 200 and 1,699 m.
Self-guided walking tour – Duration 14 days / 13 nights (possibility of completing only part of the trail) – Departure between 07/04 and 30/09, depending on your availability and budget.
Program
Day 1
Le Puy-en-Velay
Arrive late afternoon in Le Puy-en-Velay.
If you arrive in Le Puy-en-Velay in the late morning or early afternoon at the latest, you can visit: the old town, the cathedral and its 12th-century cloister, the rock and chapel of Saint-Michel d’Aiguille, the various museums…
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 2
From Puy-en-Velay to Monastier-sur-Gazeille
The route follows the route of the Saint-Jean-François-Régis trail. Leaving the town, the path climbs up to the plateau, offering increasingly extensive views of the Puy basin and its exceptional site. The route then descends into the Loire valley, which must be crossed at Coubon. Then up onto the plateau to Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille.
Distance covered: 19 km Hours of activity: approx. 5 h
Total ascent: 550 m Total descent: 230 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 3
From Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille to Le Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas
Le Monastier is the starting point of the route taken by R.L. Stevenson and his donkey “Modestine”. From the village, the path crosses the plateau from which a few volcanic cones with rounded tops emerge. After crossing the steep gorges of the Loire at Goudet, we arrive at the village of Le Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas.
Distance covered: 24 km Hours of activity: approx. 6 h
Total ascent: 650 m Total descent: 350 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 4
From Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas to Pradelles
This day may provide an opportunity to discover, in one or other of the villages we pass through, a few reminders of how life used to be in the countryside: numerous wayside crosses, wash-houses, shoeing looms, ovens, assembly houses…
Distance covered: 21 km Hours of activity: approx. 6 h
Ascent: 250 m Descent: 315 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 5
From Pradelles to Le Cheylard-L’Évêque
Langogne, arrival in the ancient province of Gévaudan. This is the land of the “ferocious beast”, which struck fear into the hearts of its inhabitants for over a hundred years before Stevenson’s visit. This stage takes you through a landscape of moorland, heather-covered marshes, rocky and pine-covered stretches, small birch groves…
Distance covered: 22 km Hours of activity: approx. 6 h
Total ascent: 390 m Total descent: 420 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 6
From Cheylard-L’Évêque to La Bastide-Puy Laurent
The hike joins the old Voie Régordane at Luc, which was once the Cevennes section of the ancient road from Paris to the Lower Languedoc, crossing the Massif Central. After Luc, the route follows the Allier valley up to the Notre-Dame des Neiges abbey, where Stevenson stayed. Welcome to the hotel in La Bastide.
Distance covered: 26.6 km Hours of activity: between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.
Total ascent: 655 m Total descent: 760 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Option: Possibility of shortening (approx. 4 km) the stage by not going as far as Notre Dame des Neiges (the variant is indicated on the topo-guide).
Day 7
From Bastide-PuyLaurent to Chasseradès
Today’s hike climbs to “La Mourade” at 1310 m altitude, below the source of the Allier. Arrival on the “ridge” of the Massif Central and on the watershed between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Distance covered: 13 km Hours of activity: between 3 h and 4 h
Total ascent: 350 m Total descent: 200 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 8
From Chasseradès to le Bleymard
Cross the Montagne du Goulet at an altitude of 1450 m and pass close to the Lot springs hidden in the coniferous forest. Before descending to Le Bleymard, contemplate a beautiful panorama of the bare crests of Mont Lozère.
Distance covered: 17 km Hours of operation: between 5 and 6 a.m.
Total ascent: 610 m Total descent: 690 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 9
From Bleymard to Pont-de-Montvert
This is the highest point of the hike, crossing Mont Lozère at the “Sommet de Finiels” perched at 1699 m altitude. It’s a mountain of summer pastures, with its characteristic drailles and magnificent 360° views: to the north, the ancient province of Gévaudan, to the west the Gorges du Tarn, to the east the Alps and to the south the Cévennes and Mount Aigoual. At the end of the day, descent to Pont-de-Montvert.
Distance covered: 19 km Hours of activity: approx. 6 h
Ascent: 820 m Descent: 1015 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 10
From Pont-de-Montvert to Florac
New day, new river: crossing the clear waters of the Tarn to climb the Bougès mountain. This is “Camisard” or Protestant country, and it was at Le Pont-de-Montvert that the war broke out. This beautiful day ends in Florac, at the confluence of the Tarn and Tarnon rivers.
Distance covered: 28.5 km Hours of activity: approx. 7 h
Total ascent: 690 m Total descent: 940 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Alternative route: Possibility of shortening the stage (approx. 5 km) by taking the GR 68 (Tour du Mont-Lozère) from point 102 (the variant is indicated in the topo-guide).
Day 11
From Florac to Cassagnas
You’ll have to travel up the Mimente valley along the old railway line that ran from Florac to Chamborigaud. The path, under a canopy of chestnut trees, leads to the village of Saint-Julien-d’Arpaon. Arrive at your accommodation in the former disused railway station in the small village of Cassagnas, a rare French commune with a temple but no church.
Distance covered: 17.5 km Hours of activity: between 4 h 30 and 5 h
Total ascent: 340 m Total descent: 180 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 12
From Cassagnas to Saint-Etienne-Vallée-Française
This stage plunges into the heart of the schistose Cévennes, the Cévennes of sharp “serres” and deep “valats”. As you climb up to the Plan de Fontmort, the dominant colors are green and black, and depending on the season, the yellow of the flowering broom or the mauve of the heather.
Distance covered: 24 km Hours of activity: between 5 and 6 a.m.
Total ascent: 350 m Total descent: 450 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 13
From Saint-Etienne-Vallée-Française to Saint-Jean-du-Gard
This final leg of R.L Stevenson’s journey leads to Saint-Jean-du-Gard, a charming town with a remarkable museum of the Cévennes valleys. The final hours of the walk, on the Corniche des Cévennes, see the country soften and become “southernized”. Enter the heart of vine and mulberry country.
Distance covered: 13 km Hours of activity: between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Total ascent: 480 m Total descent: 600 m
Accommodation – meals : Half-board
Day 14
Saint-Jean-du-Gard
End of program after breakfast.
Variant : On request, we can add a day’s hike to Alès. A final stage through the garrigue via Mialet and the Moncalm ridges before reaching the former mining town of Alès in the Gardon valley. A not-so-easy step that can get very hot in summer!
Distance covered: 25 km – Hour of activity: 7 h minimum – Ascent: 850 m – Descent: 900 m
Possibility of completing only part of the trail – contact us for more information.
Map
Practical information
Departures: April 07 to September 30.
Level: 6 h walking per day on average.
Documentation supplied: 1 topoguide FFRP du Chemin de Stevenson including extracts from IGN 1/50000° maps in color with the itinerary and day-by-day stage descriptions.
Accommodation: Nights in hotels and/or guesthouses of various categories (shower + WC or bath + WC in the room most of the time). Please note that in Cassagnas, exceptionally, you may be in small 6-person dormitories, subject to availability (sheets provided, shared bathroom facilities, single not possible).
Precaution / hygiene: All our accommodations have been selected for their quality of welcome, comfort and cleanliness. Despite this, some of them have reported the return of bedbugs, most often carried by hikers. To help accommodation providers eradicate this plague, and to limit the risk of bites, it’s a good idea to spray the inside and outside of your luggage (daypack and carry-on), as well as all your clothes and shoes. Sprays are on sale in chemists’ shops and in some lodgings; some products are 100% natural and ECOCERT-labeled. To limit the risk of spread, we ask you to scrupulously follow the instructions given by the accommodation providers, without taking them as bullying (for example, the ban on taking your luggage and backpacks into the rooms or dormitories). When you get home, if in doubt, we advise you to wash all your belongings at 65°C, or else put them in a freezer for 2 days (bedbugs don’t survive at temperatures below 0°C).
Meals: Dinners and breakfasts are taken in hotel restaurants and at table d’hôtes. Picnics can be ordered the evening before at hotel restaurants and tables d’hôtes (not included, payable on site). You can also stock up on supplies at certain stages, thanks to small local shops.
Marking: The entire route is marked in red and white.
How to find us :
If you come by train:Arrival: Le Puy-en-Velay SNCF station. Your first accommodation is 400 m from the station. Return: you’ll need to get to Alès first: regular bus service between Saint-Jean-du-Gard and Alès, see the Lio website: https://www.mestrajets.lio.laregion.fr or contact the Saint-Jean-du-Gard Tourist Office, Tel: 04 66 85 32 11 or Taxi in Saint-Jean-du-Gard: Taxi JOUANEN, Tel: 04 66 85 38 20. From Alès, train connections to Nîmes (30 minutes), TGV and mainline connections.
If you come by car: Le Puy-en-Velay – You will not be able to park your vehicle at the first accommodation for the duration of your hike. In Le Puy-en-Velay, the municipality wants as much long-term parking as possible to take place outside the city center. Parking info for Le Puy en Velay: https://www.lepuyenvelay-tourisme.fr/commerce-service/parking-souterrain-du- breuil/. Peripheral parking lots are available, and shuttle buses can be organized. We particularly recommend Le Parking du Saint-Jacques, a video-surveilled parking lot open 24/7 – www.parkingdusaintjacques.com – tel: 04 44 43 97 43. In the city center, there’s the Breuil underground parking lot, also open 24/7, but at €60/week. Information and bookings Parc souterrain du Breuil – tel: 04 71 02 03 54. New parking lot at La Malle Postale (€30 / week, €50 / 15 days): https://www.lamallepostale.com/fr/services/parking
Environment: Part of the Stevenson Trail lies within the Cévennes National Park, and as such, any activity must respect its charter, particularly in terms of protection: respect for natural heritage, respect for cultural heritage and local people, respect for natural resources (water, soil, habitats, fauna, flora, climate). In Velay, an important agricultural area for the Puy lentil (appellation contrôlée), respect crops and pastures. The forests of the Cévennes are highly susceptible to forest fires, and the Mediterranean flora found there is very fragile. It’s important to follow the trails and paths, and to respect the recommendations of the Office National des Forêts’ Charte du Promeneur en Forêt, which regulates the area: no fires, no smoking in the forest from March 15 to October 15, respect for animals (they’re at home here) and plants that you don’t pick (a torn flower doesn’t grow back!). Everywhere, people take their garbage to the containers provided in the villages.
Climate: Mid-mountain climate, cool in spring and autumn, hot but tempered by altitude in summer. Risk of summer thunderstorms inherent to the mountains.
Dates
Departure dates at your convenience between April 07 and September 30, 2025.
Prices
Below is a list of prices per person for the year 2025.
Prices are per person.
| With luggage transport | Without baggage transport | |
| Double room | 1.550,00 € | 1.350,00 € |
| Single room | 2.065,00 € | 1.865,00 € |
Possibility of completing only part of the trail – contact us for more information.
Price includes :
– Half-board from dinner on 1st day to breakfast on last day
– Le Carnet de Route, 1 copy per registration form
– Luggage transport between accommodations according to chosen formula
– Tourist taxes
– Access to the My Chamina application (on request)
Price does not include :
– Lunches
– Visits
– Transport to and from the meeting point
– Insurance
– Luggage transport for the backpack option
– Registration fees
– Luggage surcharges in excess of 13 kg per person
Options
– Single room (mandatory for single occupants)
– Additional night(s) in Saint-Jean-du-Gard on a half-board basis (105€/pers. in a double room – 150€ in a single room)
– Additional night(s) in Le Puy-en-Velay with breakfast (€72/pers. in a double room – €115 in a single room)
– Return by minibus from Saint-Jean-du-Gard to Le Puy-en-Velay (departure at 8:15 or 13:15, arrival at 12:15 or 17:15) (€60 for 2 people or more – €25 supplement for 1 person)
From
1.350,00 €
Highlights
- Le Gévaudan, land of legends & Le pic de Finiels, summit of the Cévennes and Mont Lozère
- In spring, the yellow of broom, in autumn, the mauve of heather
- Cévennes villages steeped in Protestant history
In pictures
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Stevenson: the complete route1.350,00 € -
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Tour de l’Aubrac630,00 € -
The Gorges du Verdon860,00 €
