Dornas lies on the Dorne, which also gave the village its name. Several interests come together here for a stay: circular hikes with clearly specified elevation gains, a mountain biking route, seasonal activities by the water and traces of a long local history. The trails can be distinguished by distance, elevation gain and—in the case of one route—duration, while swimming is available only in season. These differences help you choose the focus of your stay without combining all the activities into a fixed itinerary.
Hiking with Different Route Distances
The Circuit d'Eyriac – N°2 is a 6 km circular route with 277 metres of elevation gain. The loop starts and ends at Place de la Mairie in Dornas and descends into the Dorne valley. Compared with the Circuit de Molines, it is shorter and has less elevation gain—two specific measurements that can help you plan a day of hiking.
The Circuit de Molines – N°3 is the longer hike and is rated as difficult. The official route sheet dated 22 August 2026 gives the circular hike as 9.2 km, with 397 m of ascent, a duration of 3 hr 30 min and a maximum elevation of 946 m. It is also described as a challenging hiking trail. The route crosses a stone bridge over the Grand Dornas stream. Compared with Eyriac, both the distance and elevation gain are greater; Molines also has a specified duration.
A Mountain Biking Loop
Le Bois de Graveyron – VTT FFC N°6 Noir is a mountain biking loop that starts and ends at Place de la Fontaine in Dornas. It leads to the Champel ruins, providing a named destination along the way. Its start and end points differ from those of the Circuit d'Eyriac, which starts and ends at Place de la Mairie.
The Plan d'eau and Its Season
The Plan d'eau in Dornas is a man-made body of water on the Dorne and a seasonal leisure facility. Supervised swimming is offered seasonally, with supervision listed as starting at the end of June. Three paddleboards are available for children. There is also a playground and a picnic area at the Plan d'eau; a snack bar and a campsite are nearby. If swimming is important to your plans, bear the season and the start of supervision in mind. It is also worth checking the latest information about the facilities before your visit.
A Spring, Bread Oven and Old Bridge
Extraction of La Châtelaine mineral water in Dornas began in 1920 and ended in 1992. In 1945, the Dussauds from Bois-Lantal (Chanéac) bought the spring, carried out extensive work and leased it to the Curiniers brothers from Chanéac. The history of its use goes back even further: the mill operators Riou and Dejoux submitted the first application to exploit the spring in 1906; the application was concluded in 1907.
In the hamlet of Molines, residents restored the bread oven in 2004. An old bridge in Dornas is documented as early as 1348. These historical traces add specific places and local figures to the story of the spring.
Rocks at Pont du Salin
Below the Plan d'eau de la Gandole, at Pont du Salin, the rocks are shaped and polished by the forcefully carried gravel. There are impressive marmites de géants (giant's kettles) here. The site offers another view of the landscape, alongside the circular trails in the Dorne valley and the man-made body of water in Dornas.
Discover more destinations: Chazeaux, Saint-Julien-Labrousse, Marcols-les-Eaux, Uzer, Sanilhac, Sainte-Eulalie, Ozon, Labastide-De-Virac
For the wider travel overview: Ardèche.
