Itinerary:

q  Day 1: Fly to Lyon or Paris and transfer to Le Puy where our hotel is 5 minutes walk from the station.

q  Day 2: Taxi transfer (included) from Le Puy to Le Monastier where the Stevenson trail starts. We walk on via the village of St. Martin de Fugeres to Goudet where we cross the River Loire. It is an hour or so's walk upstream to Arlempdes. 9 miles/14 km.

q  Day 3: Arlempdes to Pradelles. There are two alternative itineraries for today. The longer alternative follows the GR70 Stevenson's Trail all the way for 34km/21miles. We walk through Montagnac, Ussel, Le Bouchet St Nicholas, Landos and Arquejol to Pradelles. The shorter alternative 22km/14 miles, goes more directly via La Sauvetat to rejoin the GR70 at Landos and follow it to Pradelles. 

q  Day 4: Pradelles to La Bastide Puylaurent. Once again there are longer (GR70; 35km/22miles) and shorter (22km/14miles) alternatives. We walk to Langogne and cross the River Allier. A series of paths past mills and wayside cavalries brings us to the ruined village of Fuzilhac. Of this region Stevenson wrote, "Moor, heather marsh, tracts of rock and pines, woods of birch, green and stony cattle tracks wandered in and out...." Little has changed. Pass through the village of Cheylard and the Chabadoures ravine on to La Bastide Puylaurent. The shorter alternative leaves the GR70 at Langogne and rejoins it just before Luc. 

q  Day 5: [Note if you want to add another rest day to the tour we suggest La Bastide, from which it is an easy day walk to the abbey of Notre Dame des Neiges, where Stevenson spent several nights]. La Bastide Puy Laurent to Le Bleymard. 15 miles / 24 km. We head south away from the river through woods and past dolmens to reach Chasserades. A walk over the Montagne du Goulet ridge brings us to Le Bleymard.

q  Day 6: 22 km/14 miles. We head south along an old drovers road, over the Col de Finiels, past the Chalet du Mont Lozere. The col with its fine viewpoint over the Cevennes, makes a delightful lunch stop. There is an opportunity in clear weather to reach the Sommet de Finiels (5574 feet), the highest point in the Lozere range. We descend to Le Pont de Montvert. There are alternative routes from Sommet de Finiels to Le Pont de Montvert.

q  Day 7: 14 miles/22 km. From Le Pont de Montvert we head south along the Martinet valley and ascend the ridge of the Montagne du Bouges. From here we continue along the crest of the two valleys of the Tarn and Mimente. At the end of the ridge we descend into Florac. You can discover the region's history and geology at the imaginative exhibition house in the old chateau. The quaint boulevards of the old town offer a tempting array of cafes. (End of tour for 8-day trip).

q  Day 8: 8 day tour ends in Florac. 10-day tour continues. 15 miles / 24 km. We continue up the valley of the Mimente to reach the Col de Jalcreste. From here an old shepherd’s trail leads through the forest, chestnut groves and deserted farms to St Germain de Calberte.

q Day 9: 14 miles/22 km. From St Germain the route leads through the sleepy village of St Etienne. We pass a picturesque manor house before our final walk through forest to St Jean de Gard.

q Day 10: 10 day tour ends after breakfast at St Jean du Gard. Bus to Ales (not Sundays), then train to Nimes.