The Chemin de Stevenson itinerary is certainly one of the most beautiful hikes in France. In this article, we give you all the advice you need to make your walk a success: presentation of the circuit, detailed itinerary, practical advice, duration and level of difficulty.
What is the Chemin de Stevenson?
The Chemin de Stevenson is one of France's most beautiful long-distance hiking trails. Routes de grande randonnée, or GR, are long-distance trails marked by the Fédération Française de Randonnée, and require several days to complete. Stevenson's path is therefore also known as the GR®70. But its real name comes from the fact that it was designed according to a route that Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson walked accompanied by a donkey in 1978. A year later, he published the book Voyage avec un âne dans les Cévennes, about his adventure. Along the way, the trail passes through magnificent landscapes of forests, valleys and mountains, including the heart of the Cévennes National Park.
Indeed, the route from Puy-en-Velay to Alès takes you to the heart of the Cévennes. Along its 272 km, the route crosses four natural regions: the Velay and its volcanoes, from which a route to Santiago de Compostela also starts, the Gévaudan and its beautiful valleys, the Mont Lozère and its granite reliefs, and finally the Cévennes, a superb hiking destination.
Detailed itinerary of the Chemin de Stevenson
The Stevenson Trail is 272 km long, and you can divide it up as you wish. However, it is traditionally divided into 12 stages of around 20 km each. The trail is dotted with accommodation of all types, including gîtes, hotels and campsites. There are several stations along the way, so you can choose to do only part of the route and return to the starting point by train.
Here are the 12 stages of the Stevenson route:
- Stage 1: from Puy-en-Velay to Monastier-sur-Gazeille for a total of 19.3 km.
- Stage 2: Monastier-sur-Gazeille to Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas for a total of 23.9 km.
- Stage 3: Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas to Pradelles for a total of 20.7 km.
- Stage 4: Pradelles to Cheylard-L'évêque for a total of 17.2 km.
- Stage 5: Cheylard-L'évêque to Bastide-Puylaurent for a total of 26.5 km.
- Stage 6: from Bastide-Puylaurent to Le Bleymard for a total of 29.3 km. Possibility of cutting this stage in two by sleeping at Chasseradès.
- Stage 7: Bleymard to Pont-de-Montvert for a total of 19.3 km.
- Stage 8: Pont-de-Montvert to Florac for a total of 28.5 km.
- Stage 9: Florac to Cassagnas for a total of 17.4 km.
- Stage 10: Cassagnas to Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française for a total of 23.9 km.
- Stage 11: Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française to Saint-Jean-du-Gard for a total of 12.7 km.
- Stage 12: Saint-Jean-du-Gard to Alès for a total of 24 km.
Tips for preparing your hike on the Stevenson trail
Follow these practical tips to organize your itinerary on the Stevenson Trail.
Sleeping along the Stevenson route
All along its route, the Stevenson Trail passes through numerous villages, each offering its own accommodation options. There's a wide choice of self-catering cottages, campsites, hotels, hostels with dormitories... Please note, however, that some accommodation is closed in winter, particularly at higher altitudes. It's advisable to book in advance, as some establishments may be fully booked during the season, not to mention the fact that this will take away the burden of having to find a place to sleep when the time comes, after you've been walking all day and just want to get some rest.
If you want to sleep in a tent, note that while camping in the wild is forbidden , bivouacking is permitted. The difference lies in the fact that wild camping often involves setting up camp for several days, whereas bivouacking involves setting up unobtrusively from sunset to sunrise, without exceeding these limits. Bivouacs are authorized in the Cévennes National Park for non-motorized hikers, in tents, staying a single night between 7 pm and 9 am, and reducing their ecological footprint.
Equipment to bring
It's important to travel light, as all your gear adds so much extra weight on your shoulders as you hike. However, there are a few essentials, including:
- Good walkingshoes
- Warm clothing (fleece, thick socks) and a waterproof windbreaker
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- A first-aid kit, including bandages, disinfectant and anti-mosquito lotion
- GR70guidebook
- Water bottles
- Food
Don't forget to consider a luggage transport service. There are companies that will collect your luggage from your accommodation in the morning and deliver it to where you intend to sleep in the evening, allowing you to walk without a load on your back, but still be well equipped.
As far as food supplies are concerned, please note that some stages, such as Cheylard-Lévêque, do not offer grocery stores. It is therefore advisable to plan ahead and bring extra food, or to choose accommodation that offers a catering service.
Physical preparation
If you're not a seasoned hiker, or if you've never hiked for several days, physical preparation is recommended. In this case, plan walks of around twenty kilometers, which corresponds to the length of a stage on the Stevenson route. Also, try to plan hikes over several consecutive days, on weekends for example. Finally, make walking part of your daily routine, to build up your endurance and muscular strength.
The best time of year
Early summer, between mid-May and mid-June , is an excellent time to set out on the Stevenson Trail. It's a season when the landscape is in full bloom, the climate is mild without being oppressive like midsummer, and the trails are not yet too busy.
How many days does it take to do the Stevenson Trail?
It takes around 12 days to cover the whole of the Stevenson Way, following the traditional stages.
How difficult is the Stevenson Trail?
The Stevenson Way is of medium difficulty. It's a hike that requires several consecutive days' walking, and therefore a certain amount of stamina and prior training. What's more, the stages are about twenty kilometers long, and sometimes even almost thirty, which again implies considerable effort. That said, the difference in altitude remains relative, and this is not an alpine hike where you'll be climbing all day. The stages generally only include 100, 200 or 300 m of ascent, which isn't much for such a distance, with the exception of a 630 m ascent after Le Bleymard, in Lozère, which again is quite accessible. On the technical side, there are no pitfalls, as the route does not include any overly complicated passages. In short, the Stevenson route is accessible to all, even beginners, but requires considerable effort and good preparation.
