Discover La Chaudière

La Chaudière is a small village overlooked by the imposing cliffs of the Trois Becs. Several named hiking trails begin in the village or on its outskirts and lead to specific destinations or stages. When planning your trip, landscape, starting point and trail type are useful distinctions.

Village, cliffs and nature

The houses in La Chaudière share a uniform architectural style that shapes the character of the village. Together with the cliffs of the Trois Becs overlooking the village, they create a distinct impression of the landscape and townscape. The Natura 2000 site “grotte à chauves-souris des Sadoux” (FR 8201690) extends partly across the territory of La Chaudière. Nearby is the Grotte des Sadous in Pradelle; access is regulated and the cave is closed to the public.

Hiking routes and starting points

The Les Sadoux route leads from La Chaudière to the Chapelle des Sadous, which sits on a wooded spur. If you prefer a specific destination when hiking, the chapel is the landmark for this route. The Les Sadoux hiking loop begins in the village centre. The fourth stage of the GR 965, on the other hand, starts at the edge of the village, next to the departmental hiking trail sign.

The GR 965 stage from La Chaudière to Rimon et Savel has an elevation gain of 1,177 metres. This gives you a specific reference for the stated ascent when planning your hike, while details such as the village centre or edge of the village primarily indicate the starting point.

The Boucle des Huguenots – GR 965 variant begins either at the car park at Col de la Chaudière or in the village of Saoû. Two starting points are therefore named for this hike.

The Huguenot Trail and its historical context

The Boucle des Huguenots – GR 965 variant is part of the “Sur les Pas des Huguenots” trail. This trail runs from Le Poët-Laval to Germany and follows the historic route of the Huguenot exile to Switzerland and Germany after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. It is 1,600 km long. This length refers to the entire “Sur les Pas des Huguenots” trail; the loop is classified within it as a GR 965 variant.

These provide several points of reference to help you choose: a named destination on the Les Sadoux route, a starting point in the centre or on the edge of the village, a stated ascent for the stage to Rimon et Savel, and a historical context for the Huguenot variant. A start in the village centre and one on the edge of the village are different starting-point details; the elevation figure, by contrast, answers the question of how much climbing to expect. Before setting out, check the trail conditions for the Les Sadoux route, the fourth stage of the GR 965 and the Boucle des Huguenots.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Alixan, Lens-Lestang, Soyans, Saint-Gervais-Sur-Roubion, Molières-Glandaz, Les Granges-Gontardes, La Répara-Auriples, Sainte-Jalle.

For the broader travel overview: Drôme.