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Cycling in the Pilat Regional Nature Park | Helpful Tips
Parc du Pilat: Cycling with a View of the Rhône Valley
Parc du Pilat, officially known as the Parc Naturel du Pilat, is relatively unknown among the Dutch. The wines, goat cheese, and fruits from this region enjoy star status in France itself. This nature park, located between Lyon and Saint-Étienne, is just a bit larger than Texel.
With major attractions nearby like the Ardèche, Lyon, and Vienne, it’s easy to overlook the Pilat Nature Park. But that would truly be a missed opportunity, because its charm lies precisely in the fact that this park is still relatively undiscovered.
The landscape is varied: from hills covered with vineyards to picturesque medieval villages, forests, and beautiful views of the Rhône River; on a clear day, you can see the French Alps.
Of course, you can ride through the park on a regular bike or an e-bike, but I’m really glad I rented an e-mountain bike. In Pilat Nature Park, you can climb to an altitude of 1,430 meters (at Crêt de la Perdrix), and with an e-mountain bike, you can fly up the steep trails as if it were nothing. A narrow path leads almost straight up. I pass fruit orchards so heavily laden that the branches almost touch the ground. At the top, I’m treated to a magnificent view of the Rhône Valley. Lush grapevines grow here right up to the riverbanks. I’m amazed by the variety of shades of green in the landscape. I never knew there were so many shades of green.
Malleval, an authentic village with a turbulent history
Further on, the landscape becomes more rugged and the roads wind upward. As I round the bend, I see a medieval village, Malleval, that seems to blend into the surrounding mountains. Its ominous name, loosely translated as “Valley of Evil,” hints at a turbulent history. Over the centuries, one army after another marched through here. These days, you’ll see nothing more than hikers, e-bikes, and (e-)mountain bikes.
Cycling and Mountain Biking in the Parc du Pilat
Depending on the weather, you can enjoy about 2,000 kilometers of cycling here. An e-bike makes it accessible to everyone. The park has 31 mountain bike loops for the most beautiful off-road rides.
Hiking in the Parc du Pilat
I explored the park by bike, but you can just as easily do it on foot. The park offers no less than 2,500 kilometers of hiking trails. Pilat was even one of the first parks in France to have marked hiking trails. The park has established 9 routes; most villages have marked “walking loops,” and there are 3 long-distance trails.
The trails run along the Rhône, through the hills, and along the peaks—the crêts—of the mountains. The routes remain easily passable throughout, although you’ll occasionally have to navigate over boulders. The elevation ranges from 1,300 to about 1,400 meters. The GR65, the route to Santiago de Compostela, also crosses through the Parc du Pilat.
One of the most beautiful hiking trails is the “Crêts du Pilat.” It runs entirely along the ridges and is located in the heart of the Crest Nature Reserve. You’ll enjoy fantastic views of the surrounding mountains, including the Jura Mountains, the Alps, and the peaks of the Ardèche.
Sleeping in the Heart of Nature
Once I’ve taken in the breathtaking view, I cycle on to the charming, cozy chambre d’hôtes Le Grand Noë, run byCatherine and Denis Bruneton, right in the middle of the nature reserve. At the end of the day, the setting sun gives the reddish-yellow sandstone walls of the former farmhouse an even warmer glow. Along the side of the house stand lush red rose bushes that stand out vividly against the light blue shutters. In the spacious garden with a view over the valley. A serene calm prevails. This is the perfect place to retreat with a magazine and a glass of local wine or one of the refreshing, regionally brewed organic beers.
Tomorrow, we have a long hike and a canoe trip down the Loire River on the agenda. What a discovery this area is!
Practical Tips for Parc du Pilat
By train, you’ll travel via Paris and Lyon to Saint-Étienne.
By car, it’s just over 900 kilometers from Utrecht.
You can find more information about the Le Pilat Nature Park here: www.pilat-tourisme.fr
Here you’ll find more information about the walking and biking trails in the park.
You can find information about bike rentals in the Parc du Pilat here.
Before you go for a walk or a bike ride, be sure to check the weather forecast.
Here you can read more articles about the Auvergne region.
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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