Saint-Martial lake and Lestrat Suc

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This very easy walk will lead you around the Saint-Martial Lake, one of the most beautiful in the Monts d'Ardèche Park, and to the top of the Lestrat Suc that offers a stunning view on the other Sucs.

Lakes are quite rare in the Monts d'Ardèche Park, the uneven topography doesn't allow water to gather on a flat surface. The one in Saint-Martial, as many others, is man made. Still, it is a very pleasant place to walk and bathe when heat crushes Southern Ardèche. The walk around the lake offers beautiful views on the village and its surroundings, and can easily be complemented by a climb to the Lestrat Suc summit, the mountain in front of it offering a gorgeous panorama on the lake and Saint-Martial in the foreground, and the Sucs summits in the background. A panoramic table will explain to you the landscape you are watching. For those who cannot manage this rather steep climb, panoramic tables of the landscape show, on the shores of the lake, the view from the summit.

Description

The walk around the lake starts on the road you drove on to reach the activity park. Follow it until you see a path on your left going uphill in the forest, pointed out by a sign.
This path will take you to the top of the Lestrat Suc (carry on straight ahead if you only want to walk around the lake).
Follow it for 100 m then, at the crossways, take the narrow path that goes uphill in front of you and turns right after a few meters. From there, it winds its way up to the summit. The top is well landscaped, delineated in places by rows of stones and logs. Midway, you will pass what looks like stone ruins. Take the leftmost path. The higher you get, the steeper the way.
Once at the top, you will enjoy a stunning view on the village, the lake and surrounding summits. You will go down by the same path. Once back down, take the road on your left to carry on around the lake.
At the crossways with the departmental road, two panoramic tables will tell you about the landscape under your eyes. Cross the small bridge on the departmental road (beware of the traffic) and take the path that gets gradually away from the road to follow the lake shore. Be careful, the path gets very close to the water in places.
You will then reach the road again and follow it towards the village. At the intersection, carry on straight ahead on the road to continue along the lake.
At the next crossways, go right and at the next, on reaching the activity park, turn right and cross the beach to the parking lot, your starting point.

Departure : Access road to the activity park, Saint-Martial
Arrival : Access road to the activity park, Saint Martial
Towns crossed : SAINT-MARTIAL

Altimetric profile

Access and parking

From the Gerbier de Jonc or Arcens, take the road D237 in the direction of the activity park.
From Borée, take the road D215.

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