MONT GERBIER-DE-JONC

Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc, a listed site since 1933, is known as the source of the Loire River. Behind the Gorges de l'Ardèche, it is the second most visited tourist attraction in the département. This strange hump is a "suc", a relief formed by the hardening of cold, viscous lava from the eruption of a volcano. Other neighbouring sucs are more or less famous: suc de Pradou, suc de l'Areilladou, suc de Montivernoux, not forgetting Mont Mézenc... Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc, which rises to an altitude of 1,551 m, was erected nearly 8 million years ago. It takes just 45 minutes to reach the summit. Its etymology is of pre-Celtic origin: "gerbier" derives from gar (rock) and "jonc" from jugum (mountain). In 2017, Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc opened its own dedicated house. It's a great way to get behind the scenes of this mountain, its history, its uses, its source...

Hiking: the site offers several possibilities for hiking, including the "Sentier des sources de la Loire" interpretation trail. On a signposted circuit just three kilometers long, you can wander for around an hour and a half. Discover the springs ("l'authentique", "la géographique", "les prairies tourbeuses" and "la véritable") and follow the first thread of the Loire. Bonus: in summer, you can cool off in one of the many mountain streams. Access is free all year round, and in July and August the site offers guided hikes.