Alleyrac – Hiking and Nature

When planning a stay in Alleyrac, you can choose from a range of activities: the PR581 circular trail to Moulin du Rocher, a discovery trail on the Grand Suc de Breysse and activities with donkeys. The routes differ in length and stated duration, and the type of outing varies too. When planning your time in the area, you can use these specific details as a guide when choosing.

Hiking to Moulin du Rocher

PR581 Le moulin du Rocher is a circular trail starting in Alleyrac. The route is listed as 12.0 kilometres long, with a walking time of 3 hours 45 minutes. It also involves 300 metres of ascent and 299 metres of descent. The trail is rated difficult and marked with the Petite Randonnée trail markings. These details offer several points of reference for planning: distance, walking time, elevation gain and difficulty describe different aspects of the route.

The route passes through the Holme Valley to Moulin du Rocher and goes past the mill. The mill site is also in the Holme Valley. Water diverted from the stream was used there to power millstones and grind grain. The water set the stones in motion to process the grain, linking the mill to a specific place and its former use.

Rock organs and volcanic landscape

There are also rock organs at Moulin du Rocher. They formed from a more recent lava flow that emerged from the incomplete crater of the Grand Suc de Breysse, plunged into the bed of the Holme stream and cooled slowly. The rock formations and the former mill represent two different aspects of Moulin du Rocher: formation by lava and the use of stream water to grind grain.

The Grand Suc de Breysse is a Strombolian volcano that stretches across the communes of Alleyrac, Présailles and Monastier-sur-Gazeille. It has a five-kilometre-long discovery trail. The round trip is listed as taking about two hours. This means you can consider the trail based on its own distance and time information, without treating this as a simple one-way walking time.

Comparing it with PR581 can also help when narrowing down your options: the discovery trail on the Grand Suc is five kilometres long, with about two hours listed for the round trip; PR581 is twelve kilometres long, with a walking time of 3 hours 45 minutes. PR581 also lists the ascent, descent and difficulty rating. Read each time estimate in relation to the route it refers to.

Out and about with donkeys

Rando-Âne offers treks from Alleyrac with pack donkeys for half a day, a full day or several days. Short donkey rides are available for children, accompanied by their families. So, alongside the hiking trails, there are also outings with pack animals to choose from; the duration and focus of the activities vary.

The L’Ardéchoise donkey trek starts in Alleyrac, passes through Les Padgels, Le Béage and Lac d’Issarlès, and returns to Alleyrac. The places named give a clear picture of the route: it starts and ends in Alleyrac and passes through several places along the way. When deciding between a hike and an outing with donkeys, you can first consider which type of activity you would like to include in your stay.

Discover more destinations: Queyrières, Monistrol-D'allier, Lapte, Alleyras, Freycenet-la-Tour, Bas-En-Basset, Varennes-Saint-Honorat, Le Monastier-Sur-Gazeille

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