Here, the hospitality and comfort leave a lasting impression. The table d'hôtes meals are hearty and of excellent quality. The wine served at the table comes from the southern Cévennes, and the bread is homemade.
An avid traveler, Philippe will introduce you to a completely different approach to tourism and hospitality, which he has discovered and developed through regular exchanges with other guesthouse owners worldwide. He is a multi-talented adventurer who, despite his busy schedule, always remains relaxed and open-minded. The house is very spacious, as are the bedrooms, which offer beautiful views of the Allier river and the park. Philippe knows the Cévennes region and its many hiking trails inside out. From a few hours' walk to multi-day loops, he keeps all the information readily available for his guests in a large green folder. It has everything you need for a fantastic, rejuvenating getaway!
La Bastide-Puylaurent is located just 1 km from the water divide and, thanks to its unique location, offers a rich and varied array of landscapes. To the east, the Ardèche and its canyons; to the north, the Haute-Loire and its plateaus; to the west, the Lozère and its forests; and to the south, the Cévennes and its national park. A mere 500 meters from the village, you are already deep in the heart of nature. Do not be surprised to cross paths with a deer, a wild boar, or to stumble upon porcini mushrooms, much to the delight of foragers.
Day 1
We hike towards the Cévennes to Le Bleymard, following the GR®70 (Stevenson Trail), which climbs up to the Moure de la Gardille near the sources of the Allier river before descending to Chasseradès, where the Chassezac river flows.
After crossing the majestic Mirandol viaduct, where the small train connecting La Bastide-Puylaurent to Mende passes, we begin the long ascent of the Goulet Mountain. The route takes us through L'Estampe (where Guillaume Perier, lord of Lestampe and the last baron of Mirandol, once lived) and its dense forest. This is followed by a long descent through Les Alpiers into the Lot Valley and Le Bleymard, facing Mont Lozère. It is a somewhat long 28 km stage, but the beauty of the landscape—alternating between forests, moorland, and pastures—makes you forget the distance. The comfortable La Remise hotel offers a great place to rest and recover. If this hike seems too long, you can stop at the Gîte de Mirandol (15 km), run by the Hotel des Sources in Chasseradès, or at the guesthouse of Tiny Aubenque, a Dutch woman who has been running her hikers' accommodation in Les Alpiers for several years (26 km).
Day 2
Heading to Le Pont-de-Montvert. It is an easier hike of just 18 km. We pass the Mont Lozère ski station via the Col du Santel (400 meters of elevation gain). Just a little more effort is needed to reach the summit of Finiels at 1,699 meters—the highest point of Mont Lozère, offering an exceptional panorama over the entire Cévennes.
We then descend to Le Pont-de-Montvert, the scene of the bloody Camisard Wars, where Protestants and Catholics fiercely fought throughout the Cévennes (see also the history of Lozère by Victor Adolphe Malte-Brun). From here, I leave the Stevenson trail and spend the night at the communal guesthouse. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote: "One of the first things encountered at Pont-de-Montvert, if I remember correctly, was the Protestant temple. But that was only the harbinger of other novelties. A subtle atmosphere distinguishes a city in England from a city in France or even Scotland."
Day 3
On the way to Mas de la Barque. I improvise my route, walking 1.5 km along the D998 through the hamlets of Futgères, Le Merlet, and Felgeroles, where I rejoin the GR®72, which I will follow all the way back to La Bastide-Puylaurent. After Felgeroles, the GR®72 follows the upper course of the Tarn river. The Altier, the Lot, the Tarn, and the Gardons all originate on Mont Lozère.
From the Tarn bridge, I take a detour to visit Mas Camargue and the hamlet of Bellecoste. The Gîte du Mas de la Barque, with its great comfort and warm hospitality, makes me want to spend two days there—a wish I happily grant myself.
Day 4
I leave the Gîte du Mas de la Barque for a day hike from the gîte. Heading towards Pic Cassini (1,680 m), the weather is clear and the panorama is magnificent; the view extends all the way to Mont Aigoual. I return across the moorland, passing through the hamlet of Bellecoste where a shepherd is preparing the fences for the upcoming summer pastures. Walking through the Bois du Commandeur (Commander's Woods), I return to the Gîte du Mas de la Barque for a restful stage of only 16 km.
Day 5
It rained during the night. I stick to the road for 1 km until the GR®72 joins a DFCI (forest fire prevention) track, allowing me to walk on dry ground. The descent to Villefort is steep, but the sun has returned to the Cévennes. After walking along the banks of the lake and crossing the dam, the path climbs back up to the plateau. I visit the fortified village of La Garde-Guérin and the Chassezac gorges before arriving at Albespeyre, my destination for the day. A beautiful 19 km hike.
Here, we cross the GR®700, the Régordane Path. This was the route of knights, pilgrims, and peddlers, as well as jugglers and troubadours. It was a trade route for wine, spices, salt, oil, and cheese. It also served as a strategic route for transporting tin to the Mediterranean. It was trodden by Frankish knights marching against the Saracens, and by monks on pilgrimage to Saint-Gilles and perhaps even to the East. A true path of stars in the Milky Way of medieval travel.
The journey of the priest Aulanier du Brignon in the 17th century:
"November 17: departed at dawn from La Bastide, had dinner in Villefort at the Logis des Trois Rois, spent 17 sols 6 deniers; snack and horse feed in Génolhac, 4 sols 6 deniers; supper and bed in Le Pradel at the Logis called Fornier, spent 19 sols 9 deniers."
Today, the Gîte de la Butinerie is located in a former 18th-century bastide, tastefully renovated while preserving the site's original architecture. The courteous and warm welcome of the hostess, originally from Lunéville (Meurthe-et-Moselle), must also be highlighted.
Day 6
Only 17 km left along the Régordane path to return to La Bastide-Puylaurent, passing the Rachas dam, the heights of Prévenchères, and Le Thort. It is here that we cross the water divide between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean at an altitude of 1,133 meters.
Arrival at L'Étoile Guesthouse, where I am reunited with my car and my friend Philippe. My journey has been filled with exciting encounters: deer, hares, eagles, and beautiful wildflowers, not to mention the numerous trout I spotted while crossing the footbridges over the streams. Ah, the Cévennes! You come here, you feel great, and you always want to return!