- L’Autre Chemin
- Séjours
- Grands Plateaux, the Mézenc massif by bike
From €980 / pers.
with luggage transfer
The Grands Plateaux, the Mézenc Massif by Bike
A spectacular itinerary, a cycling holiday open to all, exploring the wide open spaces, the plateaus of the Mézenc and Lignon regions, and the Sucs du Meygal. Travel by electric bike or mountain bike (depending on your preference), and you’ll also ride along pretty country roads. An exotic and authentic cycling trip that will introduce you to mountain landscapes, volcanic lakes and meadows, and the architecture and gastronomy of the Haute-Loire region. But that’s not all; the electric bike tour will allow you to easily meet and interact with the locals of Haute-Loire.
To plan your stay, check out our tips!
What we love: the high plateaus of Mézenc, undulating in the wind, and the climb to Saint-Clément.
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The advantages of your bike tour:
- You travel independently and follow a specially adapted route.
- You can also choose from modern electric bikes for comfort and convenience.
- L’Autre Chemin also offers children’s bikes or child trailers.
- Your stay is half-board
- Easy to navigate, you have access to a digital guidance app.
- Your luggage is delivered at each stop (one bag max. 13kg/person).
- For this trip, the bikes provided by the agency include the guarantee “Sereine mind”. For more information, see the Insurance section.
- Our travel bikes for this trip
Your route:
- Elevation gain 4,900 m – Country roads and trails
- Self-guided cycling tour, you choose your departure
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Medium difficulty – Paths sometimes a little stony and small country roads
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Family: Children aged 13 and over (depending on their ability – variations and additional days are possible to make it accessible to younger children, please contact us)
- Accommodation: In a private room (B&B, cottage, hotel, or alternative accommodations)
- IMPORTANT: Cycling touring requires good self-management skills: Knowing how to change an inner tube, repositioning a derailed chain, and also good bike handling skills.
- What climate? See our Frequently Asked Questions
Please note that every stopover is given as an indication and may be modified according to the availability of accommodation
A day exploring the town of Le Puy-en-Velay.
An opportunity to discover the Velay city! You'll stroll through the secret streets of the upper town and discover the Cathedral, the starting point of the Way of Saint James.
Discover:
> The Cathedral and its Cloister, the starting point of the Way of Saint James
> Notre-Dame de France
> The Saint-Michel Chapel
> Crozatier Museum
> The narrow streets of the upper town
> The Hôtel-Dieu and its exhibitions
> The Polignac Fortress
> Monument passes on sale at the Tourist Office or at the monument ticket offices.
> Bobbin Lacemaking Training Center
> The Henry Vinay Garden (Horseshoe Park)
Let's begin your cycling trip. First, you'll cycle along the greenway towards Brives and Coubon, then follow the Stevenson Trail. You'll ride along the ridges between the Gazeille and Laussonne rivers. Your route will continue via the Chemin de Saint-Régis via Freycenet-la-Tour and its Barres pond before reaching Moudeyres, a magnificent thatched cottage village.
Discover:
Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille
> The Abbey of Saint Chaffre, which combines Romanesque and Gothic architecture. > St. John the Baptist Church
> Circular fountains and wash houses
> Museum of Popular Beliefs
> School Museum
> European Cultural Space (exhibitions)
> Recoumène Viaduct
• Freycenet La Tour
> 11th-century church
> Barthes Pond
• Moudeyres
> Perrel Brothers Museum
> The village and its thatched roofs
> The two houses of the Béate
You'll arrive on the high plateaus of Mézenc, with its pastures, its Mézenc fin gras cattle farms, and its characteristic homes. Your pedaling will take you to Saint-Front, a small village typical of the highlands, with its volcanic lake, before further on reaching Chaudeyrolles and its volcanic narcissus. Then, you'll pass Mont Mésencéphale, which will welcome you to the Col de Peccata before descending back to Les Estables via the Tour de Ronde du Mont L'ambre. Magnificent!
Discover:
• Saint-Front
> The typical highland village – Saint-Front
> The 12th-century Romanesque church – Saint Front
> The volcanic lake
> The Souteyros waterfall
> The thatched village and the Bigorre ecomuseum
• Chaudeyrolles
> Maison du Fin Gras
> Les Narces
> The Salin waterfall
• Les Estables
> Climbing Mont Mézenc – Roof of the Haute-Loire and Ardèche
> The church of Les Estables
> Lugik Park
From Les Estables, you'll head towards Les Boutières to descend to the village of Borée, where you'll have the opportunity to admire the Tchier River and its strange dolmens. Your route will take you through the Saliouse Valley to La Chapelle-sous-Chanéac before a magical climb back to Saint-Clément and its wind people, before reaching the remarkable village of Fay-sur-Lignon.
Discover:
• Borée
> The alignment of dolmens - The Tchier Era
> The yellow tuff church
• La Chapelle-sous-Chanéac
> Lake
• Saint-Clément: The Wind School
• Fay-sur-Lignon:
> The Saint Régis Fountain
> The Place du Foiral
> Various producers: honey, trout, jams
A day spent exploring trails and roads. You'll explore the Monette Chasm (45-minute round-trip walk) before reaching the highland village of Saint Agrève and its Mont Chiniac. Further on, you'll encounter the waters of Lake Devesset (depending on the season, you can take the opportunity to swim ;-). Soon, Le Chambon-sur-Lignon will welcome you.
Possible variation - 10km
Discover:
• The Monette Chasm
• Devesset: Swimming and water sports center
• Le Chambon-sur-Lignon:
> Steam train
> Memorial site
A day trip through the Lignon and Meygal regions. From Le Chambon-sur-Lignon (a village of Righteous Among the Nations), you'll head towards the Pic du Lizieux before reaching the vast Meygal forest, home to Mount Testavoyre. Further on, you'll reach the village of Queyrières, offering an incredible view of the volcanic peaks.
Possible variation - 7 km
Discover:
• Mazet-St-Voy: The Botanical Garden
• Montusclat
> The charming village
> The 12th-century church
> The monumental cross
• Champclause
> The church
• Queyrières
> Mount Testavoyre
> Queyrières volcano chimney
From Queyrières, you'll glide along the incredible road that winds between volcanic peaks and small villages. Soon, you'll discover the cascading mills of Neyzac before reaching Saint-Julien-Chapteuil and its magnificent church. You'll then climb towards Auteyrac to join magnificent forest trails, and further on, you'll cycle along the Camino de Santiago (Geneva Way) to reach Le Puy-en-Velay.
End of stay with luggage collection from 5 p.m. at our partner's or optionally with an additional night in Puy-en-Velay (overnight stay & breakfast with luggage delivery to the hotel).
Discover:
• Saint-Julien-Chapteuil
> Romanesque Church
> Les Autruches de la Tortue
> Les Moulins de Neyzac
• Eynac
> Basalt Rocks
• Saint-Germain-Laprade
> Château du Bourg
> Remains of the former Doue Abbey
• Brives-Charensac
> The bridges spanning the Loire
The 13th-century Chartreuse Bridge, the 12th-century Old Bridge in the center of Brives-Charensac, of which only two arches remain, and the Gallard Bridge, used by cars.
Prices include:
- Accommodation in a double, twin, or multiple-occupancy room with half-board
- Tourist taxes,
- Luggage transfer at the stopover (one bag, max. 13kg/person),
- Access to the guidance app and travel diary,
- Telephone assistance.
Extras
- Electric bike rental or a non-electric bike rental, two rear panniers, a helmet, a light repair kit,
- Multrisks and cancellation insurance
- Single supplement
- Additional night in Le Puy-en-Velay (B&B basis)
This price does not include
- Transportation and transfers to the starting point Meals other than those listed in the description
- Multirisks and annulation insurance
- 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
- Generally, anything not listed in the “This price includes” section
Administration fees
- €12/person if ordered online
- €15/person via quote
As an optional extra, L’Autre Chemin offers:
You want to rent a bike
- Electric-assisted hybrid bike rental with two 20-liter panniers: +€215/bike
- Non-electric hybrid bike rental with two 20-liter panniers: +€145/bike
If you plan to travel with your bike, please ensure certain points: If it is an electric-assisted bike, the battery must have a minimum power of 400 or even 500 watts. Please note: the battery must be removable; if not, please contact us to check availability. It is imperative that your bike is in perfect working order before departure. Remember to have it serviced. Please bring a suitable repair kit and a smartphone mount for the handlebars. Our routes combine small roads and trails; your bike must be a hybrid, mountain bike, or gravel bike with suitable tires. City and road bikes are therefore prohibited. Our trips are more or less sporty, and a basket on the handlebars is to be avoided, as are large city bags. You’ll be riding on trails, and this type of equipment risks destabilizing the bike’s balance and making it difficult to transfer bikes (similarly, front mudguards make it difficult to load bikes onto trailers, so avoid them). Any doubts? Contact us.
L’Autre Chemin has developed numerous partnerships with guesthouses and small traditional hotels to offer you the best of Haute-Loire and to ensure that each stopover is an opportunity to discover the architecture, the art of living, the gastronomy, but also a moment of exchange and meeting.
By Train
The town of Le Puy-en-Velay has a train station that takes you right to the city center, close to your first hotel and all the sights and shops. In short, it’s very pleasant to take the train from home to begin your cycling trip to Le Puy. Psst, even if the journey may seem long, when you arrive via Saint-Etienne, the tracks run alongside the wild Loire Valley, a very pleasant sight.
By Car
Le Puy is accessible by road, notably via two main roads: the RN88 from Saint-Etienne/Lyon or Aubenas/Mende, or via the RN102 (Clermont-Ferrand). There are suitable parking lots on site, but we’ll explain everything in your travel guide!
- Paris: 515km
- Lyon: 134km
- Marseille: 300km
- Toulouse: 350km
- Montpellier: 250km
Where to park in Le Puy?
- Breuil underground car park – Place du Breuil (near Ibis Styles and Ibis Centre) – Closed Sundays and public holidays – 7 days: €60 & 14 days: €100/14 days – Reservations: +33 4 71 02 03 54
Le Puy above-ground car parks – Rates: €10/week and €20/month. Subscriptions must be reserved and paid in advance at the Mobilité-en-Velay commercial center. Tel. +33 4 71 02 60 11 (open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) – Height limit 2.20 m & length 5.50 m maximum. These car parks are served by a free shuttle or the urban transport network.
- Bertrand de Doue Parking: Parking without video (near train station, Ibis Styles & Budget)
- Estrouilhas Parking: Parking without video (near Ibis Centre)
- Quincieu Park and Ride Parking: Parking without video (near Ibis Centre)
- Montredon Park and Ride Parking: Parking without video (free bus service to the city center)
- Dunant Parking (free bus service to the city center)
- Train Station Parking: Video-monitored parking – €6 / 24 hours (near Ibis Styles & Budget)
- Carmes Parking: Video-monitored parking – €30 / week – Reservation: +33 7 68 10 76 81 (near Ibis Styles & Budget)
- Foch Parking – 6 avenue du Maréchal Foch – Video surveillance – (near Ibis Styles & Budget) – 7 days: €30 & 14 days: €60 – Reservation: +33 7 68 10 76 81
- Saint-Jacques Parking (Center served by bus) – 13 bis de Roderie – Aiguilhe – Video surveillance – Reservation: +33 4 44 43 97 43 – 7 days: €29 & 14 days: €55 (near Ibis Center)
- La Malle Postale – Parking at 7km from Le Puy – Drop-off and pick-up guaranteed – 7 days / 7– 7 days: €30 & 15 days: €50 – Reservation: 04 71 04 21 79 Prices given for information purposes only, subject to change without notice
Whether you want to book your cycling trip to the heart of the Mézenc highlands or ask us any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
with L'Autre Chemin
From €365 / pers
with luggage transfer
The round of cottages
A cycling trip to discover the thatched cottages of Mézenc
€880 / pers.
Luggage transfer & journey back included
Conclusion of the Stevenson trail from Chasseradès to Saint-Jean du Gard
The South Stevenson Trail, hike in the Cévennes from Chasseradès to St-Jean du Gard or to Alès depending on your choice
From €360 / pers
with luggage transfer
Getaway on a plateau
Getaway to a plateau, an electric bike trip or a bike trip to discover the high plateaus of Mézenc