Hiking the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail
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- čas přidán 18. 05. 2018
- In April and May of 2018, with my good friend Greg Chase, we hiked Le Chemin de Robert Louis Stevenson, designated the GR70, in the mountains of southern France. The route follows or recreates the path that author Robert Louis Stevenson took in the fall of 1878 when he bought a donkey, named it Modestine, and hiked through the Velay, Gevaudan, and Cevennes mountains...a 150 mile journey. He returned home to Scotland and wrote a book titled "Travels with a Donkey" which helped launch is literary career. The book is still available and read today. Because of my family's reported ancestral link to Stevenson, I've wanted to do the hike for years and now I've done it! It was a great experience. Watch and enjoy.
- Krátké a kreslené filmy
I walked this route before it had GR status, back in the 1980s, returning a few years later for a second (this time solo) traverse. Wonderful walk, with so many memories. I made it round Paris on the transfer coach between CDG and Orly but my pack did not. One of the pilots put me up at his home, and his wife dropped me at the airport (Le Puy) as her husband returned from Paris with my rucksack. A car and driver took me to Le Monastier, the mayor gave me lunch out of the local treasury fund, and found a Briton to walk the first few kilometres, his return taxi charged to the local treasury.
Florac was full on the first trip, so we slept in the open air (I left a few francs on the ground, as did RLS): next night we were given a huge meal for ten francs. At the florist in St Jean du Gard, the assistant noted the Scots accent: she had been an assistante in a school in Dunfermline. So much more.
Thanks so much for sharing your story! It was such a memorable experience for me and my pal.
What a great journey! Thanks for sharing your adventure.
Most welcome, Paul. It was a great journey and one I'd recommend for anyone wanting an adventure.
Absolutely loved watching this, gorgeous countryside.
Thanks so much for your generous comment. It was truly a great experience.
Beautiful to watch! Thank you for sharing this special trail!
it exceeded my expectations. A great trip.
Just finished the book- Travels with a Donkey, thoroughly enjoyed your video
Glad to hear it, Lorrie. The hike is a great experience and I highly recommend it. The Enlightened Traveler was a booking company I do recommend to enhance the experience. I'd recommend an overnight stay at Pont de Montvert if you do it. Nice rest day in an interesting town where the Camisard uprising began. We stayed and ate at the same hotel where RLS did.
Thank you gentlemen! You really captured what this journey was like for all of us considering the Stevenson Trail. Well done.
If you are considering this trip and it is a great experience and would like to know more, perhaps I can answer questions you might have. Send me an email at tmikeporter@gmail.com. Thanks for your comments.
Amazing trip well done !
Thank you, Sara. It turned out to be even better to live it than to see it on video.
Mike Porter The dean of Canterbury Cathedral England has been, along with his morning prayers, on CZcams reading from Robert Louis Stevenson‘s book of his travels there. That is The first I’d heard of the area and wanted to pursue more information about it and discovered your video. Are the two of you teachers?
@@sarawoods1450 Uh, not, not teachers, but it was me that has been interested in RLS as an author and a reported family link. I came across the Travels with a Donkey book and then discovered that his trek is now a national trail in France. It's a wonderful hike for anyone in decent physical shape.
Thanks for posting this, it was lovely. Want to walk this one myself not too long from now.
It was a great experience. I'd advise doing the walk about 2 weeks later than we did. May is a good month. Warmer. The flowers are blooming still. And warmer. The Enlightened Traveler was a great tour organizer. Highly recommend them.
Cool video
Glad you liked it. Your Grampa is a cool guy.
Wonderful document of a beautiful ‘randonnée’. Merci! Where did you go next? My wife and I did this walk in 2023 and I’m pondering where in France could match or surpass the GR70 for hospitality and superb stages
Fantastic video!! I would love to make that trek. Thank you kindly.
I have thought about this trail since reading Richard Holmes' footsteps and reading Clear Water Rising which also mentions the Cevennes
Recommend reading Stevenson's book "Travels with a Donkey". Actually only about the last 1/3 or so is in the Cevennes. RLS was almost obsessed with the Cevennes and the story of the Camisard uprising.
@@tmikeporter I must do that - thanks!
Very nice pictures
Your father would have enjoyed this hike.
Thank you for the great impressions of your hike! It's quite helpful when planning to do just a section of the trail.
For anyone like me, wanting to pick out certain days at a glance, here you go:
Day 1: Monastier - Bouchet 21 km, 2:13
Day 2: Bouchet - Pradelles 19.3 km, 4:08
Day 3: Pradelles - Cheylard 19.3 km, 5:50
Day 4: Cheylard - Bastide 19.3 km, 8:59
Day 5: Bastide - Chasseradès 12.8 km, 10:24
Day 6: Chasseradès - Bleymard 17.7 km, 11:34
Day 7: Bleymard - Pont de Montvert 17.7 km, 13:33
Day 8: Pont de Montvert - Florac 24 km, 15:45
Day 9: Florac - Cassagnas 17.7 km, 17:14
Day 10: Cassagnas - St. Germain 16 km, 19:35
Day 11: St. Germain - St. Jean du Guard 20.9 km, 21:14
Most welcome. Clever thing you did here with noting the times and days. Thanks.
@@tmikeporter My pleasure. I found myself hopping between the days a lot seeing as I've only got a 7-8 day window to hike, trying to pick out the most "worthwhile" stretch. So I thought I might as well share my notes. Now to unearth those french lessons from 20 years ago so I might actually find a place to sleep as well!
@@blackip000 I recommend including Post de Montvert if you can. If we were to do it over again, we'd stay over there to explore. It also has the history that it is where the Camisard rebellion began in 1701.
@@tmikeporter Thanks for the hint! That does sound like an interesting stay indeed and seems to offer a decent amount of accommodation options as well. I'll be sure to include this in my travel plans. Off the top of your head, would you name any other places as a must-see along this trail?
❤️💚💙🌹
Merci de mettre en valeur le gr65
Thanks for sharing. Did you organise your route and accommodation or have a company do it for you? I am doing this with my sister in July and we are finding it hard to find a book which will give us clear directions. Any suggestions?
We used the British located company listed in one of the first few slides. Excellent service.
Et en Ecosse j'aimerai trouver une randonnée aussi belle, laquelle choisir ?
I do not know about hikes in Scotland, sorry.