English information

The project

In the wild and remarkable Drobie Valley, within the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Natural Park, local residents and users decided to come together and reflect on the future of their living environment. Aware of the extraordinary value of their landscape, and of the difficulty of finding a suitable path for development in an area weakened by rural depopulation, they began to imagine a collective project based on a cultural approach.

This initiative gave rise to Sur le sentier des lauzes, the association responsible for implementing the project of the same name.

The project’s philosophy

The stated aim is to establish a long-term cultural dynamic in the Drobie Valley, encouraging collective awareness about the valley’s future and enriching development scenarios through creative and innovative contributions. We call this dynamic a “Cultural Valley”, in reference to an experiment carried out in Quebec by the Groupe Territoire Culturel. Its purpose is to encourage the emergence of a coordinated and harmonious form of development—what is now commonly described as sustainable development.

In practical terms, this means protecting and enhancing the legacy of the past while helping to define contemporary forms of development suited to this specific territory. To help everyone understand the fragility of their environment, recognize the risks posed by current changes, and also perceive the development potential within their surroundings, the association has chosen to explore and reinvent the landscape through the eyes of artists and designers.

To encourage dialogue—seen as a source of mutual enrichment—the association works to create opportunities for encounter between residents, artists, and the landscape itself.

The proposed activities are organized around an existing hiking trail, the Sentier des Lauzes, which forms a loop across the municipalities of Saint-Mélany and Dompnac, with branches extending to other villages in the valley (Sablières, Beaumont, Saint-André-Lachamp, Valgorge, and Ribes).

Since early 2001, the association has demonstrated through these “first artists’ steps” that this path of development—without claiming exclusivity—can bear fruit: a genuine cultural momentum is emerging in the Drobie Valley.

We invite you to discover it and take part in it.

The Sentier des Lauzes

The Sentier des Lauzes is a hiking trail forming a loop through the municipalities of Dompnac and Saint-Mélany, with branches extending to the neighbouring villages of Beaumont, Valgorge, Sablières, Saint-André-Lachamp, and Ribes.

The association has chosen to develop its activities along the trail, highlighting the rural heritage it passes through: stone bridges, barns, terraced fields (faïsses), chapels, mills, and other vernacular landmarks.

The trail

The Sentier des Lauzes connects with the GR® 4 and GR® 7 long-distance hiking routes, linking the Ardèche plateau, the southern Cévennes, Lozère, and the watershed dividing the Mediterranean and Atlantic drainage basins.

The complete loop takes around five hours, with several shorter circuits of one to three hours, ideal for families and leisurely walks. The route includes only one significant climb, between Le Vernet and Croix de Grimal; the remainder is relatively easy. The trail ranges in altitude from 400 to 700 metres.

The ford across the Sueille River may become impassable after heavy rainfall. In such cases, walkers must use the road as an alternative, which lengthens the route. A permanent crossing is currently under consideration.

Route description

The trail begins in Saint-Mélany, whose church overlooks the Drobie Valley. The Bistrot de Pays « Au Bon Port », opposite the church, is a convenient meeting point where visitors can obtain the trail guide and a booklet describing the artworks along the route. Parking is available in the village centre.

Waymarked in yellow and red, the trail starts below the town hall, following a small paved road to the right. It then climbs the Pourcharesse stream valley, opposite the hamlets of L’Elzet and Le Charnier, passing through landscapes of vineyards and chestnut groves before reaching the hamlet of Le Travers.

The path continues up to the ridge overlooking the valleys of Saint-Mélany and Dompnac. Pine forests gradually give way to holm oaks and heather. Along the way, visitors can stop at Gilles Clément’s Belvedere of Lichens or at the Romanesque Chapel of Saint-Régis, both offering spectacular views over the Sueille Valley and the ridge leading towards the Tanargue Massif.

From Saint-Régis Chapel, hikers can also leave the Sentier des Lauzes to join the Tour du Tanargue GR® trail, leading to Christian Lapie’s artwork Nomadic Confluences.

The trail then descends along an old calade (traditional stone-paved mule track) into the village of Dompnac. After a short stretch on the road, it turns right towards La Cham de Merle, passes through the hamlet of Merle, and descends to the Sueille River, crossed by a ford beside an old mill.

The Sueille is a peaceful river where, with patience and a little luck, visitors may spot beavers. The trail follows the left bank before climbing gently to the hamlet of La Coste, from where a short section of quiet road leads back to Saint-Mélany.

Warning: The route includes a ford across the Sueille River. After heavy rain, the crossing may be difficult or impassable. Please check conditions before starting your hike.

Partners

Sur le sentier des lauzes receives support from the DRAC Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs), the French Ministry of Culture, the Ardèche Department, the Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes Region, the Pays Beaume-Drobie Community of Municipalities, and the municipalities of Beaumont and Saint-Mélany.