- L’Autre Chemin
- Séjours
- A chat with Stevenson, a sporty cycle tour on the Stevenson Trail
€790 / Pers
with luggage transfer and journey back
A chat with Stevenson
A cycling adventure along the Stevenson Trail for tireless calves accustomed to stony paths. The stages are long, steep, and, above all, magnificent. A real challenge!
This trip is suitable for cyclists accustomed to pedaling energetically, even if they use an electric bike.
Please note: As our bike fleet (hybrid bike) is not suitable for this rather technical and stony route, this trip is intended for those with their own electric mountain bike (minimum 500-watt battery). You can also rent electric bikes or full-suspension electric bikes in Brives-Charensac (near Le Puy-en-Velay).
Bonus: The L’Autre Chemin agency is located in Le Puy-en-Velay at 5 rue Grangevieille. This allows us to easily meet you upon your departure and provides us with in-depth knowledge of the trail.
To plan your stay, check out our tips!
What we like: A sporting adventure on a legendary path that will amaze travelers!
[WEBRESA]
The benefits of your stay:
- You travel independently
- Optional: You have access to modern electric bikes for comfort and convenience.
- Easy to navigate: you have a digital guidance app to download to your smartphone
- Your luggage is delivered at each stop – It is picked up in the mornings at 8 a.m.
- The journey back is organized and included in the stay
- Our travel bikes for this stay
Your itinerary:
- Elevation gain 4,275m – Country roads and trails Self-guided cycling tour (you choose your departure point and go solo, with family, or with friends)
- Fitness route
- Family: Children aged 14 and over (depending on cycling ability) Accommodation: in a private room (B&B, cottage, hotel, or alternative accommodation)
- What’s the climate like? See our Frequently Asked Questions
- Program day / day
- What's in your bike tour ?
- Extras
- Accommodation
- Access to Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille
- Need help ?
Note: The steps are given for information purposes only and may be modified depending on host availability.
Welcome to the small, characterful town of Monastier-sur-Gazeille, beloved by Sir Stevenson, where there is so much to discover! Explore the village to discover the Saint-Chaffre Abbey, the abbey castle, which houses the Museum of Popular Beliefs. Le Monastier was also supposed to be served by the Transcévenole railway line, which ultimately never saw any trains. You can discover one of the most beautiful examples of the project by crossing the Recoumène viaduct.
Discover:
Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille
> The Abbey of Saint Chaffre, which blends Romanesque and Gothic styles.
> The Church of St. John the Baptist
> The circular fountains and wash houses
> Museum of Popular Beliefs
> School Museum
> The European Cultural Space (exhibitions)
> The Recoumène Viaduct
Photo: schapeller
You'll begin your day with a descent, followed by a steep climb before descending into the Loire Gorges. From there, you'll ascend to the Devès plateaus (a hotspot for Puy green lentil cultivation) to reach Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas, where you'll cover most of the day's elevation gain. You'll now ride along red (volcanic) dirt roads and cross Landos, before reaching Langogne for a well-deserved break!
You'll explore varied landscapes (plateaus, forests, villages) during a demanding and sometimes technical section.
Discover:
• Saint-Martin de Fugères
> The church
• Goudet
> Stroll through the village center and discover the polychrome roofs
> Walk along the path that runs along the Loire and leads you to wild gorges
> Beaufort Castle
• Le Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas
> The Bouchet volcanic lake
• Landos
> The washhouse and its fountain
> St. Félix Church
> The Marais de Ribains
• Arquejols
> Viaduct
> Jagonas Castle
• Pradelles
> Neo-Gothic church
> The view of Gévaudan
• Langogne
> Naussac Lake – Water sports and swimming
> The Calquières spinning mill
> Museum of Sacred Art
The landscapes will begin to change. You will continue your route along the GR70 through the intimidating Mercoire Forest, a preserved natural setting, before descending the trail towards the village of Cheylard-l'Evèque. The trail will then take you through a magnificent forest in the foothills of the Gardille Mountains before descending to Luc, dominated by the ruins of its medieval castle, where the first waves of the nascent Allier await you. You will easily reach Laveyrune before climbing towards the Abbey of Notre-Dame des Neiges. And as Stevenson seemed to appreciate, once at the top, you will have to descend along a magnificent trail. After a steady climb up the slopes of the Gardille Mountains, you will finally reach Chasseradès, a typical village of the Haut Gévaudan, with its Saint-Blaise church and granite houses.
Discover:
• Saint-Flour-de-Mercoire
> The dense forest
> The small church
• Cheylard-l'Evèque
> Our Lady of All Graces on the heights
• Luc
> The remains of the medieval castle
> The nascent Allier
• La Bastide-Puylaurent
> The Abbey of Our Lady of the Snows
• Chasseradès
> The Church of Saint-Blaise
> The sources of the Allier
The cycling stage of the Stevenson Trail (GR70) between Chasseradès and Bédouès takes you through one of the most emblematic sections of the route, passing from the high plateaus of Gévaudan to the Cévennes valleys. More beautiful hills... A short morning warm-up by reaching the Goulet forest before descending towards Bleymard. Bleymard is a small village at the foot of Mont-Lozère, just waiting for your wheels. After a beautiful climb by road, you will reach the pleasant Col de Finiels before an intoxicating descent towards the Pont de Montvert (mixed path/road) where you will find the first murmurs of the Tarn. You will then climb on a magnificent balcony road overlooking the Tarn gorges before reaching the Col du Sapet which will offer you a magnificent forest descent towards Bédouès where stands the Gothic collegiate church, a jewel of Lozère heritage.
Discover:
• Mirandol
> The railway viaduct
• Le Bleymard
> The Lot River
> The Saint-Jean Chapel
> The slate roofs of Tournel
> The surprising Mont-Lozère
> The Lot River
• Finiels
> The granite blocks
> The view of the Cévennes
> The burons and the general architecture of the village
• Montvert Bridge
> The high Tarn Gorges
> The Mont-Lozère House
> The road leading up to L'Hermet
• The Col du Sapet
> The incredible view
• Bédouès
> The collegiate church
The cycling leg of the Stevenson Trail (GR70) between Bédouès and Saint-Jean-du-Gard marks the end of a unique journey through the heart of the Cévennes.
You will continue the route to Florac, a town of water and stone. Your route will take you along the Cévennes greenway that runs alongside the Mimente River, offering magnificent views of these beautiful pools of fresh, translucent water to reach Cassagnas. Now, as the writer usually does, the Trail will climb through a magnificent forest to reach the Plan de Fontmort before entering a more southern world with the subtle blend of scents of the vegetation of southern France. Your route will take you through magnificent Cévennes villages such as Saint-Germain de Calberte and then Saint-Etienne-Vallée-Française. You will enter the Gard department. The road naturally leads you to Saint-Jean du Gard.
Discover:
• Florac
> Crossroads of the waters of the Tarn, Tarnon, Mimente, and Pêcher rivers
> The Cévennes Park House located in the castle
> The small streets
• Saint-Julien d'Arpaon
> The magnificent and cool Mimente Valley
• Between Cassagnas and Saint-Germain la Calberte
> The ruins of the Gallo-Roman villa
> The panoramic view
• Saint-Germain la Calberte
> Les Châtaigners
> The 11th-century castle
> The Saint-Germain church
> The statue of the Cévennes Man
• Saint-Etienne-Vallée-Française
> Cambiaire Castle
• Saint-Jean du Gard
> The Old Bridge
> The Clock Tower
> Saint-Jean Castle
> The Maison Rouge spinning mill and its Horseshoe staircase
> The Stevenson fountain
> The steam train
You, your bikes, and your luggage will be picked up by a regular shuttle from Place Carnot in the center of Saint-Jean-du-Gard.
Depending on your choice and availability, departures are at 8:15 a.m. or 1:15 p.m., returning to Le Monastier at 12:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.
This price includes:
- Accommodation in a double, twin, triple, or multiple-occupancy room with half-board (excluding the Puy-en-Velay stopover, which is offered as bed and breakfast),
- Tourist taxes,
- Luggage transfer at the stopover (one bag, max. 13kg/person),
- Return (passenger & bike) to Puy-en-Velay,
- Access to the guide app & travel diary,
- The route map (one copy per group of travelers),
- Telephone assistance.
Extras:
- Provision of an electric bike or a non-electric bike, two panniers, a helmet, and a light repair kit
- Comprehensive cancellation insurance
- A stage log
- Single supplement
This price does not include:
- Transportation and transfers to the starting point
- Meals other than those included in the selected package
- Parking
- Bike rental
- GPX tracks (we do not provide GPX tracks for our routes – guidance via the app) Drinks, spending money, any visits or activities
- Cancellation insurance Administration
Administration fees
- €12/person if ordered online
- €15/person via quote
Optionally, L’autre Chemin offers:
The Stage Book
A veritable passport to be stamped at each stage of your journey. We offer an optional stage book, which will be a nice souvenir of the Stevenson Trail. Price: €7 / stage book when booking your stay – subject to availability
L’Autre Chemin has developed numerous partnerships with guesthouses and small traditional hotels to offer you comfort and authenticity, ensuring that each stage is an opportunity to discover the architecture, the art of living, and the gastronomy, as well as a moment of exchange and connection. Please note: The stages along the trail are determined by the walking pace that we feel is most appropriate. We strive to offer you stages that offer comfort, discovery, and authenticity in hotels, guesthouses, cottages, or unusual accommodations. However, the Stevenson Trail offers a range of amenities. Generally, bathrooms are integrated into the rooms, but they may be located on the landing or shared in some accommodations.
Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille is located 18km from Le Puy-en-Velay.
By train
The village does not have a train station; the nearest is Le Puy-en-Velay. From the train station, you will need to consider a taxi transfer to reach Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille.
By car
Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille is accessible by road, notably via two main roads: the RN88 from Saint-Etienne/Lyon or Aubenas/Mende, or via the RN102 (Clermont-Ferrand).
- Paris: 530km
- Lyon: 150km
- Marseille: 315km
- Toulouse: 370km
- Montpellier: 270km
Where to park in Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille?
In Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille, you can find long-term parking near the cemetery. Parking in Le Monastier is free but unattended. Do not park in the parking lot in front of the Post Office (weekly market), or in Place du Vallat at the beginning of August (Monastier Festival).
Whether you’re looking to book your cycling trip or have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
with L'Autre Chemin
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