Around Lac de l'Abbaye de Grandvaux

A journey to the heart of the water... to the heart of the history of Grandvaux. Discover the peaceful landscapes around Lac de l'Abbaye. Take plenty of breaks and uncover the secrets of the lake and its peat bogs from the image silo.
This route is designed specifically for electric hybrid bikes, due to its elevation, distance and terrain.
There are no markings along the route.

Details

19809693
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Touring/Gravel
    Activity: Touring/Gravel
  • ↔
    Distance: 22.15 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 2 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 121 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 123 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 936 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 855 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
  • ⚐ District: Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux (39150)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.57594° / E 5.954496°
  • Accessible from the train station Gare de St-Laurent-en-Grandvaux.
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3326ET, 3327ET, 3327OT

  • ◶
    Type of surface:
  •  
     
     
     33% Road  34% Byway  33% Path
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the route

Departure from the Tourist Office (car park nearby).

(S/E) Walk up Rue de Genève then Rue Delezay towards the west, cross the level crossing and turn right onto Chemin des Buissonnets.

(1) Follow this road, then turn right onto Route de Salave.

(2) At the four-way intersection, leave Saint-Laurent en Grandvaux via Route de l'Alouette on the left and head towards the village of La Chamusse.

(3) At the intersection with Route de Saint-Pierre, turn left and head up through the village to the hamlet of Les Dadonins.

(4) Cross the D678 with caution, then continue on the same secondary road until you reach the exit of the village of Saint-Pierre.

(5) Turn right onto the D437, pass the horse-drawn carriages and take a small tarmac road on the right below, as an alternative to the departmental road, to reach the hamlet of Les Guillons.

(6) Turn right again onto the main road to cross the hamlet.

(7) After passing the town hall, take a secondary tarmac road on the right towards the silo with images that can be seen high up on the left.
(8) At the intersection with the forest road, keep left until you reach the hamlet of Les Bouviers.

(9) Turn right, cross the hamlet and rejoin the departmental road, which you should quickly leave to turn right and cross the hamlet of Les Farrods.

(10) At the exit of the hamlet, rejoin the D146 and approach the lake via the first tarmac road on the left. The route continues for a few dozen metres on a secondary stabilised road.
(11) Return to a tarmac road that runs along the edge of the lake to the lagoon. Take the road that climbs to the right to enjoy the view, then descend to the water pumping station.

(12) Continue along the lake, passing the hotel-restaurant, then head towards the hamlet of Abbaye-en-Grandvaux.

(13) Information boards, a picnic area and bicycle racks are available for you to enjoy the site to the full. Take the road out of the hamlet and turn right onto a secondary tarmac road signposted Les Mussillons. Continue straight on to the hamlet of Les Jeannez.

(14) Go around the barn bridge covered with wooden shingles (spruce planks traditionally used in the Haut-Jura to protect facades exposed to the elements) and climb to the top of the hamlet.

(15) At the last house, take a secondary unpaved road on the right. Pass the quarry and the wash house, then keep left at the next two intersections. The route leads to Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux through valleys and pastures.

(16) When you reach the first houses, turn left towards the village centre, cross the level crossing and walk up Rue des Rochats to the stadium.
(17) Turn right to go around the town hall and reach the Tourist Office (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 907 m - Haut-Jura Grandvaux Tourist Office
  2. 1 : km 0.54 - alt. 905 m - Chemin des Buissonnets
  3. 2 : km 1.1 - alt. 892 m - Route de l'Alouette
  4. 3 : km 2.18 - alt. 884 m - Route de Saint-Pierre
  5. 4 : km 3.4 - alt. 901 m - D678 - Cross with caution.
  6. 5 : km 7.64 - alt. 859 m - Les Chauvins
  7. 6 : km 8.58 - alt. 884 m - Les Guillons
  8. 7 : km 8.86 - alt. 890 m - Forest road - Silot à Images
  9. 8 : km 9.86 - alt. 877 m - Intersection between two forest roads
  10. 9 : km 10.51 - alt. 888 m - Les Bouviers - Silot à Images
  11. 10 : km 11.47 - alt. 898 m - Les Bez
  12. 11 : km 12.22 - alt. 885 m - Lake road - Lac de l'Abbaye
  13. 12 : km 14.4 - alt. 882 m - Pumping station - belvédère du Moulin
  14. 13 : km 15.02 - alt. 879 m - Abbaye site - Site et église de l'Abbaye
  15. 14 : km 17.96 - alt. 922 m - Les Jeannez
  16. 15 : km 18.41 - alt. 933 m - Les Jeannez
  17. 16 : km 21.16 - alt. 910 m - Les Pierres
  18. 17 : km 21.95 - alt. 904 m - Saint-Laurent en Grandvaux stadium
  19. S/E : km 22.15 - alt. 907 m - Haut-Jura Grandvaux Tourist Office

Notes

Bars, restaurants, grocery stores and services in Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux.
Hotels and restaurants around Lac de l'Abbaye.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 2 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
annielacheze
annielacheze

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely ride through typical villages in the Haut Jura region. The lakeside is charming, and the abbey is the perfect place to stop for a break.
Please note that the last part of the route is on a bumpy track, so you will need suitable tyres.

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grosmollets
grosmollets

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A very beautiful route from Saint Laurent to the lovely lake at the abbey. The roads were quiet at the start, and I really liked the village of Saint-Pierre! The tour around the lake was very pleasant, and we stopped to visit the beautiful church. The return trip along the forest paths was also enjoyable.
I tried a few mountain bike routes during my holiday in Haut-Jura Grandvaux, but they were sometimes a bit too challenging for my age, so I looked for hybrid bike routes instead. I used Visorando's bike guidance for the first time, and it was really well done! (It makes me want to share my hybrid bike routes too).
Thanks to the tourist office for this route! The description was useful for planning.

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