The elevated village of Saint-Julien-le-Roux overlooks the hilly landscapes typical of the Ardèche. Its village history is complemented by a challenging circular hike and activities with animals. Visitors choosing this destination can decide between a long hike, animal activities and a seasonal culinary event.

Village History and Hiking Trailhead

The church of Saint-Julien was destroyed by fire in February 1704 and rebuilt with a square bell tower. The reconstruction adds a specific architectural feature to the date of the fire. The village’s history is therefore marked by both a precisely dated event and the form of the rebuilding.

Challenging Circular Hike and Nature

The circular hike “Saint-Julien-le-Roux – Autour de l’Ève” is classified as difficult, is 21.4 kilometres long and is listed as taking 6 hours and 30 minutes. It starts at the car park by the village church. At this length and duration, it is a longer, challenging option to plan around for the day. The route also passes through the Natura 2000 site “Vallée de l’Eyrieux et ses affluents”.

The protected area is characterised by rivers, wetlands, forests, grassland, dry grassland, heathland and riparian habitats. It also offers panoramic views over the wild landscapes of the Vernoux plateau. The protected natural area and views of the plateau are therefore two different features of the same circular route.

Activities with Animals

At “Goûter des animaux” by À la Bosse des ânes, children first prepare the feed, give it to donkeys, chickens, geese, ducks and a pig, and then receive a sweet treat. The activity goes from preparation to feeding and ends with a small reward.

At Les Poneys de la Fontaine, Chloé, a qualified equestrian tourism guide, accompanies children aged two and over on pony rides lasting 30 minutes or one hour. If you plan a ride, check the latest information, as activity details may change. The rides are considerably shorter than the circular hike, which takes 6 hours and 30 minutes. The activities also differ in what they involve: “Goûter des animaux” focuses on preparing feed and feeding the animals, while the pony activities focus on riding.

À la Bosse des ânes also offers hikes with pack donkeys. This provides another type of hike to consider, in addition to the named circular route.

A Seasonal Culinary Event

À la Bosse des ânes hosts a convivial apéro dinatoire on Wednesdays from May to August at 7:30 p.m., by reservation. It includes a local drink as well as homemade savoury and sweet dishes. The event is tied to a specific day of the week, time and season, so check whether it coincides with your stay. The reservation is also part of the planning.

Discover more destinations: Lalevade-d'Ardèche, Saint-Jean-Le-Centenier, Beaulieu, Usclades-et-Rieutord, Le Roux, Vanosc, Pradons, Montréal

For the main travel overview: Ardèche.