Close to Lyon (less than 30 km) and Villefranche-sur-Saône (12 km).
Parking at the town hall at the start of Alix, but other signposted parking spaces are available in the village.
(S/E) Leave the car park and take Rue Aymé Chalus, which goes straight out of the village. Very soon, on the left, you will see Impasse du Lavoir. Take a detour to discover this "impluvium", a unique wash house fed by rainwater. Then continue on your way and turn left at the first road signposted "Salle Rurale". Then turn left onto Chemin du Clos des Liesses, which leads to this famous enclosure, and continue past it.
(1) At a bend to the left, take the path that runs along the wall. This path leads to the edge of the aerodrome. Turn left to rejoin the road and continue along it.
(2) At the signpost "Le Bois des Filles", continue to the right towards Bagnols. From this point, join theGRP® "Tour des Pierres Dorées", marked in yellow and red. Follow it and leave the road for a path on the left that leads to Lonchamps. Keep going without worrying about the paths that cross. When the path reaches the road, continue straight ahead, going uphill to the entrance of the hamlet, following the castle wall. Turn left at the gate and then turn right onto the first road.
(3) At the end of the tarmac road, take the path that starts at the last house. Follow it to the left, passing meadows and vineyards. At the crossroads with the road, turn right to go back up towards Bagnols, crossing the D338 (be careful, it is very busy), then pass the hamlet of Le Baronnat and turn left to enter the village of Bagnols. Drive past the imposing castle, which has been converted into a 5-star hotel, and take Rue de l'Église to cross the village. Just as you leave the village, turn right onto Montée des Carrières.
(4) In front of the cemetery, there is a picnic area with tables offering magnificent views of the Monts du Lyonnais and Beaujolais mountains, Bagnols Castle and its dovecote. Continue along the road and you will see some old quarries on your left where golden stones were once extracted for use in local buildings.
(5) Just after a recent house with columns, turn left onto a mountain bike trail that ends at the D38. Cross it and continue straight ahead on a path that branches off to the left, then turn right and head back up towards the village of Moiré on a small road lined with dry stone walls.Cross the village and note the curious fridge-library on the square in front of the chapel. Take Chemin du Pagnon on the right just as you leave the village. This road climbs through vineyards towards Les Verchères.
(6) When the path crosses the road, find the trail that branches off to the left about ten metres ahead. Follow it downhill, ignoring any possible turnoffs to the right. When it reaches the road, continue straight ahead towards the Château de Rapetour. When you reach the castle, take the path that branches off to the left, running alongside the garden. When the path curves, turn right and head back up towards Theizé. At the roundabout, go straight ahead towards the centre of the village.
(7) Admire the Croix des Enfants as you pass, then turn right after the café onto the street that descends towards the car parks (Rue Fabisch). When it crosses the D19 (Route de la Cruisille), turn left onto the pavement on the right-hand side of the road.
(8) About a hundred metres further on, follow the Chemin des Morguières (yellow signposts) between the houses, which leads downhill to Le Guéret.
(9) When the path reaches the track, turn left until you reach the crossroads with the road, then turn right and then left again onto Chemin des Abreuvoirs. When the path reaches the road, continue left towards the entrance to the village of Le Boîtier. Turn right onto Rue du Charron and follow it to the end, then turn right onto Rue Manon Rolland and continue to a fork at the end of the village.
(10) Take the left-hand path that descends between the vineyards to a crossroads at a mission cross. Continue on the path opposite, which is signposted for the Chapelle Saint-Hippolyte (200m further on in an enclosed area on the left). Continue to the Bois Bourland.
(11) At this signpost, take the path that branches off to the left towards Lachassagne. The path crosses the D338 (very busy road) at an industrial estate. Cross the road and continue opposite, following the sign for "Boucle des Grands Taillis", which will take you back to Alix.
(12) In the woods, there are many tracks, but stay on the well-marked path (Bois d'Alix). This leads to Monéron
(13) At the signpost with a new junction with theGRP® du Tour des Pierres Dorées, turn right towards "Les Grands Taillis".
(14) At the junction with the D39, cross and leave theGRP® trail, walking about 200 metres to the right to find a wide track marked "Boucle des Grands Taillis". This track crosses a series of meadows in a straight line and leads directly back to Alix. In the village, turn right onto Rue de l'Église, which descends alongside the retirement home to the town hall car park (S/E).
