Bike roadbook Cévennes - Drôme


This route allows tourists to discover a varied exceptional environment where mankind left its mark in the landscapes which reflects activities, beliefs and traditions. An itinerary crossing the Gard, the Lozère, the Ardèche and the Drôme Departments. The route uses only low-traffic country roads and bike paths. 

In 353 km, 5 stages and about 3,700 m of + height difference between Mialet in the Gard and Die in the Drôme Department, this "bike road" follows as closely as possible the pedestrian route and allows to follow up in Die with the "bike road" from Dauphiné to Geneva. It was implemented by Cyclo-rando - Alès en Cévennes.

The presentation of each recommended stage as follows.

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Étape 1 : Mialet – Barre des Cévennes

48 km • cumulative height difference +1 290 m / -532 m

The route starts in the heart of the Camisards valley (the touristic valley of Mialet) and the Mas Soubeyran, where the Desert Museum is located. The Museum is housed in the birthplace of the camisard chef Pierre Laporte, in a typical cevenol hamlet made of old stones and small alleys. The first stage of the route is linking hamlets and river banks by small and historical roads that allow to discover the architecture of the old Cévénol's farmhouses, places of refuge of the Camisards.

Étape 2 : Barre des Cévennes – Génolhac

61 km • cumulative height difference +940 m / -1 340 m

This second stage will take us to the village and the bridge of "Pont-de-Monvert" which was one of the most ardent places of Protestantism in the Cévennes. The uprising of the Camisards began here on July 24, 1702, following the murder of the archpriest of Chayla. Guillaume de Grimoard, future pope under the name of Urbain V, was born at the castle of Grizac in 1309.

Étape 3 : Génolhac – Les Vans

44 km • cumulative height difference +440 m / -749 m

This stage is linking the Cévennes region and the Ardèche department.  The Cèze river, flowing from west to east, offers us an impetuous and gentle nature. An elegant valley with several beautiful villages to discover.

Étape 4 : Les Vans – Vallon Pont d'Arc

36 km • cumulative height difference +499 m / -589 m

The Reformation preached from 1528, disseminate very quickly in the region of Vivarais. The religion wars, the Edict of Nantes and the military siege of Privas in 1629, concentrated and consolidated the Protestant settlement. At the Revocation, in 1685, Protestantism remained in five regions: the Upper Vivarais, the plateau of Vernoux, the Boutières, the region of Privas and in the lower Vivarais (Vallon, Lagorce, Vals-les-Bains and Les Vans).Freedom of conscience was achieved by the Declaration of Human and Citizen Rights in 1789. The reconstruction of the temples in the nineteenth century consecrated the recognition of Protestantism in Ardèche.

Étape 5 : Vallon Pont d'Arc – Viviers

58 km • cumulative height difference +624 m / -664 m

The beauty of the landscapes, often unknown, the description and comments of the events that took place in the visited places enables a living approach to the identity of the Huguenot people. Furthermore, the history of the Ardèche Protestants is less known than that of the cévenols.

Étape 6 : Viviers – Allex

60 km • cumulative height difference +352 m / -279 m

Cross the Rhône river, then follow the Via-Rhôna, the mythical bike-road from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea. Be careful, this bike-road is still in progress, it includes sections of shared tracks and crosses two high-traffic roads such as the departemental roadway number 86 and national roadway number 7.

Étape 7 : Allex - Die

54 km • cumulative height difference +449 m / -243 m

The Drôme valley lies in the heart of the department with the same name in the south of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. <span '="" id="s2_2">The valley extends from the southern foothills of the Vercors to the plain of the Rhône Valley. During this stage you will appreciate the river Drôme between Allex and Die by taking the time to stroll along the banks or refresh yourself in its turquoise waters!

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