CyclingExpertBoucle

39 - Chalencon and the Ance gorges

Start: 11 Avenue du Mréchal Leclerc à Beauzac

You will leave from Beauzac and follow the Ance valley for a while. Very soon, you will have to push hard on the pedals to reach Tiranges, but your efforts will be rewarded by a treat for the eyes: a sensational view over the sucs (volcanic peaks) of the Velay. Further on, towards Solignac sous Roche, an unobstructed view of Chalencon and its château, a medieval beauty of rare harmony. Before returning to Beauzac, you will still pass through a great diversity of landscapes and reliefs, with views over the Ance and the famous Mont de la Madeleine, a strangely flat volcano in the middle of the string of sucs!

Distance: 33.5 km
Elevation gain: +856 m
Elevation loss: -858 m
Duration: 2 h

Route on the map

Base map © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA): route licensed under ETALAB-2.0 via Données : Comité Départemental Randonnée Pédestre Haute-Loire · FFRandonnée · sportsnature.hauteloire.fr — sous licence ETALAB 2.0.

The feel of the route

Chalencon This hamlet in the commune of Saint André de Chalencon is a real little marvel that seems to come straight out of the Middle Ages. A single lane dotted with houses leads to the remains of the château and to the chapel from the early 11th century, with its polychrome façade. From the village, a calade (cobbled path) leads to the Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge), an elegant Romanesque structure that spans the Ance. The whole village, cherished by its inhabitants like a precious ornament, overlooks the Ance stream from its rocky spur. The charm works in every season! The harmony with the surrounding wild nature is perfect. A tip for enjoying this journey out of time: make a detour and simply let yourself stroll … or, if your legs are itching for more, plan another outing on foot on the PR 666 or by mountain bike on one of the waymarked circuits: the “Grande Traversée de la Haute-Loire” or no. 36. These three routes all cross this emblematic site of Haute-Loire!