Traissic sandstone

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About thirty dinosaur footprints have been discovered in the Triassic sandstone in the Ardeche around Payzac. In particular, four hand-foot tracks were found, which is rare. Other footprints exist in the southern Ardèche, but those of Payzac are unique – a study has determined that these tracks belonged to a single species of dinosaur unknown elsewhere, the coelurosaurichnus grancieri, named after Mr Grancier, who discovered them.

A trail for the whole family, and we recommend you stop off at Mr Grancier’s house where you can see more than 500 dinosaur footprints. You’ll be amazed by the curiously shaped sandstone rocks all along this trail.

Description

P – From the La Blache reception hall car park ( Eau ), go down the steps towards the tennis courts.

Le Plantier - Follow St-Genest-de-Beauzon 5,1 km. Take the path to the cross and turn right to Les Plots.
Les Plots - Follow St-Genest-de-Beauzon 4,8 km. Continue until you reach Gramayze.
Gramayze - Follow Lachamp de Chazalet 5,3 km. Continue via the path down to a road then go right for 400m. Then take a path that climbs to the left to reach Chazalet.
Chazalet - Follow Lachamp de Chazalet 4,4 km. Head right on the path up to the plateau. Walk past the artificial lake. Once you’ve reached the tip of the loop, go left and head downhill for 300m to the hamlet of Brouquet. Continue along the trail where you’ll find two “pléjadou” (large split stones), one near the hamlet in the wall, the other before the Chazelet crossroads.
Chazalet - Follow Payzac 1,2 km. Take the “calade” (stone path) that goes up through the terraces of olive trees and vines to Font Neuve.
Font Neuve - Follow Payzac 0,9 km. Carry on along the trail to the cross then head right. At the crossroads, don’t cross over but take the path to your left between two low walls and continue to Gramayze. Follow the same path as you took on the way via Le Plot and Le Plantier to return to the starting point.