Le Cheylard / Lamastre

The natural setting changes markedly once again heading northeastwards. Your cycle route, still along greenways, makes you climb, but with each turn of the wheels, expect new wonders. Five viaducts, two bridges and three tunnels on, the mountainous landscapes of Les Boutières and the Monts d’Ardèche open up to you, the Mont Gerbier de Jonc and Mont Mézenc in the background. These views are a splendid reward as you reach the pass to cross through the mountains via Les Nonières Tunnel, the longest along the Dolce Via, its 320m well lit. For the final 12km, you can practically freewheel the whole way to Lamastre. Here, an iconic steam train awaits you, allowing you to enjoy the incomparable Gorges du Doux up to Tournon-Saint-Jean, back on the ViaRhôna cycle route.

Dolce Via from Le Cheylard to Lamastre

This stage, signposted ‘Dolce Via’, is entirely along stretches of greenway on compacted sand or on tarmacked surfaces, easy to cycle along. Leaving Le Cheylard, there’s a steady 8km ascent (2.5% gradient) towards Les Nonières, followed by a 12km descent (2.3% gradient) to Lamastre, the Corten steel guard rails recalling the route’s railway past.

Link to ViaRhôna via the Train de l'Ardèche (Mastrou)

Leaving from Lamastre, it is possibie to reach ViaRhôna at Tournon-sur-Rhône by jumping aboard the Train de l'Ardèche (Mastrou). This tourist train is equipped to take bicycles, but you must reserve a place for yourself and your bike in advance.

Don't miss

• Belsentes: along the Dolce Via, you in fact cross under the village via the well-lit Les Nonières Tunnel (320m in length)
• Saint-Prix: Chapelle Notre Dame de la Pitié
• Desaignes: a character-filled village
• Lamastre: the Train de l'Ardèche; the Ferme du Châtaignier (dedicated to chestnuts); the bathing spot