Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
The Haute-Loire: A Highlight for Hikers in the Lush South of Auvergne
The Loire River can truly be called the queen of rivers. The longest “wild” river in France has its source in the Haute-Loire, a department located between the cities of Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand. This lush region in the Auvergne is a paradise for nature lovers, hikers, and those seeking peace and quiet.
And that’s why we’re here. The most important question we have to answer today is: are we going rafting or hiking? The great thing is that we can do both, because if you walk through Chamalières-sur-Loire and follow the GR3 signs, you’ll end up at the rafting spot without even realizing it.
The GR3, France’s oldest hiking trail
After less than ten minutes, we’re already crawling and creeping through the tall, wet grass. You have to watch your step here so you don’t slip on the slippery trail. But taking it easy is certainly no punishment, because down by the water’s edge, bright red poppies stand out beautifully against the picturesque village of Chamalières across the way. I spot a Romanesque church with graceful arches.
This hiking trail is also close to the route to Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, we’ve already seen the symbol of the pilgrimage route, the famous St. James shell. As we walk along the riverbank, we see rafts passing by with people paddling wildly inside them. Our hiking trail briefly turns into a small paved road that leads through a typical sleepy little village.
After the village, the road turns into a steep, gravel-covered forest path. Once we reach the top, we look out over a deep valley through which the green Loire River winds. We take a moment to catch our breath and enjoy the view.
The Haute-Loire is a beautiful department in the Auvergne region. Its remarkably varied landscape was shaped by hundreds of volcanoes in the most extraordinary forms. Rivers and small lakes have carved their way through and around them.
The GR3 is France’s oldest hiking trail and runs right through the Haute-Loire. If you have the energy—and the time—you can hike all the way from the mouth of the Loire, where we are now, to the Atlantic Ocean. Starting in Aurec-sur-Loire, it follows the course of the Loire all the way to Mont Gerbier de Jonc in the Ardèche. Covering a distance of about 230 km, you can hike the GR in about 12 days.
Peace and quiet and untamed nature in the Haute-Loire
A little further on, the landscape changes completely, with ferns and deciduous trees here and there. We also see huge mushrooms along the path. Some of them have been nibbled on a bit. There are many legends about gnomes in this area, and I can easily imagine that in a setting like this.
We head back downhill and continue along the winding Loire River. On this stretch of the G3, we hardly come across any other hikers. What a difference from the Ardèche, which isn’t far from here. That’s truly one of the great advantages of this area. There’s still very little tourism, so you can fully enjoy the untamed wilderness.
Singing Evenings on the Loire
The water of the Loire is crystal clear and really freezing cold. We have a “canoraft,” as they call it in France. That means two people sit in an inflatable boat. After a thorough explanation, we’re given a snug-fitting wetsuit, a helmet, and a paddle. Rafting is really great once you get the hang of it. After an hour of vigorous paddling, we pass Chamalières-sur-Loire, which we walked past this morning. A little later, we pull the boat ashore. On the campground’s cozy terrace, we enjoy a locally brewed beer.
We don’t feel like cooking ourselves, so we end up at a restaurant in the tiny hamlet of Solignac sous Roche. A fitting name—“roche”—because the restaurant, Auberge Lou Pinatou, sits atop a rock surrounded by magnificent views of no fewer than three mountain ranges. We’re told that they’ve been cooking up a storm here for 150 years. You can tell from everything that the food here is prepared by people who are truly passionate about it. Everything is prepared with care and love and served with pride.
Le Plateau de laDanse
The next morning, we’re out and about early again. About an hour from our lodging lies Saint-Victor-sur-Loire, just west of Saint-Étienne, the department’s capital. Here, the river winds its way through the landscape, as it were, through a gorge. The area is teeming with hiking trails. Today we’re going for an easy hike: the Plateau de la Danse.
Meadows, forests, rocky areas, and the occasional glimpse of the winding river below make for a very varied landscape. We walk to the lookout point on a rock where, far below, lies the medieval village of Saint-Victor-sur-Loire with its little harbor. The jagged gorge resembles a giant snake. In the distance across the river, I can see the sandstone towers of Château d’Essalois peeking out from among the dense forest.
Who says there aren’t any castles here? They just look very different from those further north. No frills or fuss, just sturdy fortresses built to withstand a beating. D’Essalois Castle was first mentioned in the14th century. You can visit it for free, and the view is priceless.
An electric boat tour on the Loire
We make our way down gently and then board an electric (!) tour boat. The little harbor of Saint-Victor-sur-Loire is situated on a huge reservoir. As we enjoy the view gliding by, an enthusiastic guide—clearly proud of her area—provides us with commentary. Meanwhile, we’re also treated to a delicious lunch. We cruise through a fabulous landscape with beautiful, gleaming granite rocks and the occasional medieval village.
Then, suddenly, a small island comes into view. This is Île de Grangent, featuring a castle and a chapel. This imposing castle once stood on a rock dozens of meters above the Loire. Since the construction of the dam, it has become an island. It’s truly impressive. Unfortunately, you can’t visit it—you can only admire it from a distance.
After an hour on the water, we return to the little harbor. We’re fully recharged and ready for another hike in this stunning region. There are plenty of options! The Haute-Loire is known as the “green south” of Auvergne, and as far as we’re concerned, it’s a highlight for hikers.
Practical Tips for Hiking in Haute-Loire
You’ll take the train via Paris to Lyon. From there, you’ll take the train to Le Puy-en-Velay, and then it’s another half hour to Chamalières-sur-Loire.
It’s 1,000 kilometers from Amsterdam by car.
We spent the night at the Cosycamp eco-campground in Chamalières-sur-Loire.
Bonjour, my name is Nathalie. France is my great passion. I take just about every opportunity to travel to France (preferably by train) to highlight undiscovered gems.
Whether cycling, hiking or climbing. I prefer to combine nature and culture so France is the place to be!
In addition to writing and vlogging, I organize (group) trips in cooperation with magazines and travel agencies.
For Nature Travel Lab, I also like to take occasional trips into my own country, the United Kingdom and whatever else comes my way. Will you join me?
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Peloponnese Hiking Tour
A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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Are you looking for the most beautiful hiking and biking routes? Or do you want information about traveling by train or advice for the most beautiful road trips through nature. Get inspired for your next trip in green; ideas for planning your own trip or opting for an organized trip.
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