Malleval’s village center is surrounded by wooded gorges, the Gorges de Malleval. Other highlights include the Saut de Laurette waterfall, four photographic orienteering courses, a viewpoint and winegrowing exhibits near the medieval village. This makes it possible to explore Malleval in different ways: nature and water, orienteering at several difficulty levels, or insights into vineyard work. When hiking, pay attention to each route’s destination: the path to Saut de Laurette and the route to the Rhône describe different trails.
Gorges and waterfall
The Batalon is about nine kilometers long, flows through Lupé and Malleval, where it is joined by the Épervier, and empties into the Rhône at Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf. Where the Épervier flows into the Batalon near Malleval, the Saut de Laurette is formed. The waterfall cascades over the rocks in a wild, green setting and is just a few minutes’ walk from the village center. A hiking trail leads through the medieval village to the foot of the falls. If you choose this trail, the village is part of the route and the waterfall is its specific destination.
Hikes with different destinations
The “De Malleval à Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf” route passes through the Batalon gorges and continues to the banks of the Rhône. The two hikes therefore differ both in their routes and their destinations: one passes through the medieval village to the foot of the Saut de Laurette, while the other goes through the gorges to the riverbank. If you’re choosing between them, a simple first consideration is whether you would rather make the waterfall or the Rhône your destination.
Viewpoint and orienteering courses
The Belvédère de Malleval is at an elevation of 283 meters, beside a bend in the D 79, and offers a view of the village. At the viewpoint, a picnic table is accessible via a paved path with a gradient of less than five percent. The table also makes the viewpoint a possible spot for a picnic break. The Espace sports orientation de Malleval has four photographic orienteering courses, with difficulty levels ranging from green to black. You can choose between a viewpoint overlooking the village and an activity whose courses are graded according to stated difficulty levels.
Winegrowing by the medieval village
Domaine Pierre Gaillard is located above the medieval village. A footpath leads from the village through the vineyards to the winery. There, a freely accessible educational trail introduces visitors to different grape varieties and the work carried out in the vineyards in summer and winter. Comparing the seasons makes vineyard work a specific focus of the trail, alongside the grape varieties themselves. The estate also offers tastings of Condrieu, CĂ´te-RĂ´tie and Saint-Joseph wines. If you plan to include a tasting in your trip, check availability before you arrive. The educational trail and tastings thus offer different focuses: information about grapevines and seasonal work on the one hand, and the three wines mentioned above on the other.
Discover more destinations: Sauvain, Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, Luré, La Ricamarie, Palogneux, Changy, Saint-Bonnet-Le-Château, Saint-Galmier.
For the regional travel overview: Loire.
