There are long sections where the forest closes in, so hours of walking pass by with only fleeting mountain views through the dense trees. Way-marked with the standard red and white GR signage the shaly route follows old bridleways, ancient stock routes and mountain tracks through the rolling farm- land, granite hills, chestnut forests, limestone ravines and hilltop fortresses of rural France. His trek has now been designated as the GR70 running north to south along the Massif Central for around 350 km from Le Puy-en-Velay to St Jean du Gard, with an option to continue to Alès. On returning to Scotland he wrote Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes, a book that is still in print, and is considered a classic travelogue, the first to present hiking as a recreational activity. With a donkey called Modestine, he hiked through the Velay, Gévaudan and Cévennes mountains trying to make sense of his emotions and heal his broken heart. The route follows the path that a young Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, took in 1878 when he was depressed following a love affair with a married woman. Packed with snippets of fascinating information about this historic region, the guide is also of use to cyclists and motorists keen to trace a parallel road route, following in the footsteps of Stevenson and Modestine.This question played on our minds when we were hiking the Chemin de Stevenson in the mountains of southern France in 2018. For those with more time available, trails that link the beginning and end of the route are also described, making it possible to walk all the way from the historic town of Le Puy to Alés. The book includes details of the facilities for the traveller and places of interest en route, together with a detailed route description and an account of Stevenson's adventures with Modestine. The route, which is well served by accommodation of all types, is divided into 12 day-stages in the guide, so that the Trail easily fits into a fortnight's holiday.
Today, the RLS Trail has become a classic route across the hills and along the valleys of this delightful region of rural France. At 140km, this route is ideal for people new to walking holidays.Įarly one morning in the autumn of 1878 Stevenson set out from the sleepy village of Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille to traverse the Velay and Cévennes and his account of his trek has long captured the imagination of walkers and lovers of literature alike. A guidebook for walking in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson as he travelled through France's Velay and Cevennes regions, from Le Puy to St Jean de Gard, accompanied by his faithful donkey, Modestine.
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