Espace Ceven'Trail N°21

Arphy and the upper Coudoulous valley

A lovely tour of the upper Coudoulous valley, the village of Arphy and some of its many hamlets.

A lovely tour of the upper Coudoulous valley, the village of Arphy and some of its many hamlets.
This varied itinerary alternates small roads, forest tracks and technical trails between the valley floor and the foothills of the Serre de la Toureille, at altitudes of between 400 and 900m.
The start is at the foot of the village of Arphy, near the Temple, and involves first heading south, crossing the torrent by a footbridge, and then skirting it first on a narrow path, then on a small country road to the hamlet of Galari, the lowest point of the route.
From here, head towards the hamlet, cross it, then cross the Coudoulous again by a picturesque bridge and climb up to the hamlet of La Matte and the town hall.
After crossing the departmental road, the demanding climb continues along a technical path to the Col du Minier road (D48).
Follow this road for a few hundred meters to take a recently widened track (DFCI G44), and then, alternating tracks and paths, reach the high point at "la Citerne", on the route de la Luzette, with some fine views over the valley.
This is the start of the long descent along the Navès stream, to reach the hamlet of Bions after crossing the D48 again, and return to the village of Arphy and its picturesque lanes.