Around Moras

Hike around the Moras lake through the Bois de Fromentay in the Balmes Dauphinoises for a breath of fresh air, passing by the pretty 14th-century Château de Montplaisant.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.84 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 351 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 349 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 399 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 291 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the large car park by the town hall and sports grounds.

(S/E) Turn right and then, at the intersection, right again towards the church, which also dates from the 14th century. At the next crossroads, turn left onto Chemin de la Miral, then continue straight ahead, passing a cul-de-sac on your right.

(1) Turn right onto Chemin de Froide Fontaine. After the tarmac road, continue along the dirt track, passing a path on your left a little further on.

(2) Follow the next path on the left. Pass another path on the left, then at the next intersection, take the path on the left. You will come to a tarmac road, which you should take on the right.

(3) Just after a left-hand bend, you will see a small path on the right that leads into the forest. Continue along this path, crossing a crossroads straight ahead, then further on, keep to your right. Continue straight ahead, passing a path on your right and then, shortly afterwards, a path coming from the left.

(4) Take the next path on the left going uphill. Continue straight ahead, passing a path coming from the left. You will come to a larger path, which you follow to the right.

(5) Immediately afterwards, take the path that climbs up to your left. Keep to the left as you climb up to the next intersection. Continue straight ahead on the path, ignoring the paths branching off to the left and right, until you reach a tarmac road.

(6) Cross it on the right and you will immediately see a small path leading down the embankment on the left of the road. Take this path until you reach a tarmac road below. Follow it to the left. Further on, the road becomes a path. Ignore a path coming from the right and continue straight ahead, climbing steeply up the valley. You will then come out onto a tarmac road.

(7) Immediately turn right onto the path that runs alongside a meadow with horses. Continue straight ahead, ignoring a path on the right and then another on the left. Keep to the left shortly afterwards and continue until you reach a tarmac road.

(8) Turn right. Ignore a path on the right and continue straight ahead on this road at the next intersection. Keep left without leaving the road, then turn right at the next intersection, after a house.

(9) Take the small grassy path on your left. Carefully cross the tarmac road and take the road opposite that goes uphill.

(10) At the top of the slope, take the path on your right that runs alongside the woods. Follow it around the Planau hill. Ignore several paths on your left.

(11) When you leave the woods, continue straight ahead to reach the hamlet of Les Mangettes.

(12) Turn right onto the road that goes downhill. Pass a path on your right, then continue straight ahead at the next intersection. Then pass two paths on your right, keeping to the left.

(13) Keep left again at the next intersection and follow the path until you reach a tarmac road.

(14) Turn right, then cross the road and take the path opposite with the signpost. Follow the path until you reach a tarmac road.

(15) Take the path opposite on the right. Be careful, there is another path opposite but on the left; do not follow it. Continue straight ahead, passing a small pond on your right. You will come to a tarmac road, the D18a.

(16) Cross the road, taking care to watch out for traffic, then follow it to the right. At the left-hand bend further on, go behind the safety barrier. Take care when crossing over the Moras lake spillway, as the passage is narrow. Then take the path on the left.

(17) At the next intersection, turn right and go uphill. Continue straight ahead until you see the Château du Mont Plaisant, which is currently being restored. Then keep to the right towards the château.

(18) Admire the château, then continue straight ahead to the school crossroads, which you will cross opposite the school. Continue straight ahead. Then take the first road on the right and you will find your vehicle in the car park on the left (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 315 m - Town hall and stadium car park
  2. 1 : km 0.52 - alt. 316 m - On the right, Chemin de Froide Fontaine
  3. 2 : km 1.17 - alt. 329 m - Turn left at the three-way junction
  4. 3 : km 2.38 - alt. 359 m - Small, very shady path
  5. 4 : km 3.87 - alt. 300 m - Turn left as you go up
  6. 5 : km 4.65 - alt. 323 m - Still on the left as you go up
  7. 6 : km 6.32 - alt. 336 m - Small path to the left of the embankment
  8. 7 : km 7.79 - alt. 350 m - Path on the right in front of the road
  9. 8 : km 8.89 - alt. 369 m - Follow the road to the right
  10. 9 : km 10.28 - alt. 317 m - Small grassy path on the left
  11. 10 : km 10.91 - alt. 361 m - Path on the right along the woods
  12. 11 : km 12.45 - alt. 377 m - On the right as you leave the woods
  13. 12 : km 13.07 - alt. 364 m - Turn right into the hamlet
  14. 13 : km 13.59 - alt. 380 m - Take the path on the left
  15. 14 : km 14.21 - alt. 372 m - Turn right and then cross over to the opposite side
  16. 15 : km 14.57 - alt. 377 m - Cross over to the path on the right
  17. 16 : km 15.49 - alt. 306 m - Caution: D18a, cross with care
  18. 17 : km 16.08 - alt. 311 m - Turn right onto the path that goes uphill
  19. 18 : km 17.04 - alt. 336 m - Admire the Château de Montplaisant
  20. S/E : km 17.84 - alt. 315 m - Return to the car park at the town hall and stadium

Worth a visit

(18) You are now in front of the Château de Montplaisant. Built by a labourer, Lora, who defended Saint-Hilaire de Brens during the invasions around the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries. Renovated several times, it is listed as a historic monument for its façade and roofs, as well as its chapel and frescoes.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
jeantine
jeantine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It was lovely at that time of year, with the terrain undulating gently; a really pleasant walk, and a magnificent view of the snow-capped Alps that day.

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gasteropodes
gasteropodes

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

very pleasant walk

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BV61
BV61

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

beautiful hike with varied landscapes, lovely passages through the woods and the climb up the valley at point 6 is steep but very pretty. Very little road, easy route to follow with the description and the app
quite a long hike but very enjoyable. Thank you to the author for this beautiful route

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BV61
BV61
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

beautiful hike with varied landscapes, lovely passages through the woods, and the climb up the valley at point 6 is steep but very pretty. Very little road, easy to follow route with the description and the app
quite a long hike but very pleasant. Thank you to the author for this beautiful route

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lagalochade
lagalochade

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Varied landscape, often shaded. Very well marked and fairly easy route. Very little tarmac.

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Deuxpattes
Deuxpattes

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The village of St Hilaire de Brens is very beautiful. No difficulties. Well shaded. The numerous crossroads could have led us astray if we hadn't had GPS.
Thank you for this lovely post

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Clouzot
Clouzot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A very beautiful route through the woods, very little tarmac, it was perfect

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drimic
drimic

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, mostly shaded, on well-marked paths

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phdorando
phdorando

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike completed on 12 June in sunny weather. Alternating between woodland and meadows along easy paths. Varied landscapes and a trip through Saint Hilaire de Brens, a pretty village with well-restored stone houses. Few sections on roads, which is very pleasant.
A fairly long hike but not difficult. Be careful, however, as there are many crossroads.

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Promise
Promise

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We didn't do the entire route, we cut from point 3 directly to point 17, which is about a 6 km circular. We really enjoyed it. St Hilaire de Brens is a charming village, the paths are pretty and varied through the countryside, with a superb view when you arrive at the Château de Montplaisant. The shaded sections are very welcome. If you love the Dauphiné countryside, you'll enjoy this walk. We would like to thank its creator.

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manuel.fonseca
manuel.fonseca

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk in sunny weather with very little tarmac, just as I like it.
There were seven of us in our group and everyone was delighted at the end.

Thank you

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MUMMY
MUMMY

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hike repeated one year later. The paths are still very passable. Still just as enjoyable, not too tiring as there is little elevation gain. At the end, the passage in front of Montplaisant Castle offers a beautiful view.

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MUMMY
MUMMY

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Thank you for this pleasant route. Very passable paths, no difficulty, a beautiful view of the Alps. The houses along the route are very well restored.

Be careful at point (6), when crossing the road, the small path is very discreet, slightly downstream on the right. When the vegetation has grown, it may be difficult to find, but with the smartphone app and the GPX track, there's no problem.

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Syl P.
Syl P.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Feel free to follow the route with the map. A beautiful and varied hike

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michel7138
michel7138

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

beautiful, pleasant walk

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