Sérémont viewpoint

The route starts in the village square in Thézillieu. Park in the small car park near the town hall and the war memorial.

(S/E) With your back to the main road, head due east, passing in front of the church.

(1) At the wayside cross, turn right, heading due south.

(2) When the road bends to the left (elevation 895), take the path on the right marked in yellow and put on your snowshoes. Follow the forest track as far as the high-voltage power line.

(3) Head up to the left along the power line until you find the path marked in yellow on your right. A little further on, join the Saint-Sulpice Forest Road, which you follow to the right as far as the viewpoint.

(4) Access to the viewpoint is via a small path on the right, near a tree marked with a double yellow line and the letters “Belved” painted in green. Then, turn back.

(4) Turn right and continue along the forest track, which gradually narrows and veers due north.
You’ll come to a cabin: “Chez Fifine et Robert”.

(5) Turn left onto the wide path leading uphill, marked in yellow and red: you are now on the^GRP® Tour du Valromey, which will take you back to Thézillieu. Follow this path to the junction at the hamlet of La Bourbellière.

(6) Don’t miss the path that branches off at a 90° angle to the right; it’s clearly marked with a signpost.

(7) Go round the farm on the right and cross the plain, skirting the woodland, until you reach a forest track; turn left onto this and follow it for about a hundred metres.

(8) Leave the track and take a path climbing up to the right, which leads to the highest point of the circular route at an altitude of 1,100 metres.

(9) Continue straight ahead on the^GRP®-marked path and begin the descent towards Thézillieu.

(10) Leave the forest track and follow a path on the left which takes you back to the wayside cross at the start.

(1) Turn right to return to the car park (S/E).

A magical walk when you’re breaking trail through fresh snow!

Be aware, however, that if there has been heavy snowfall (20 cm), you’ll get lost! If you’re following a recent track, be careful – whoever made it has probably got lost too! Indeed, the paths through the woods are sometimes hard to see (particularly around the ‘9 ’); branches sagging under the snow can ‘block’ a path, creating the illusion of a route to the right or left. The signposting is designed for summer walks: it isn’t very frequent.

You’ll therefore sometimes need to retrace your steps using your GPS: that’s the advantage of winter snowshoe walks – going off-trail isn’t a problem… unless you’re not dressed properly, in which case the tree branches won’t hesitate to shake their snow onto you! Make sure your device has enough battery life to last.

In short, this is a trail that will delight ‘adventure’ seekers but not those who prefer well-trodden paths.

Alternatives:

(4) Set off late? Want to make it a shorter walk? Take the path opposite (signposted ‘chemin retour’ and marked in yellow).

(8) You can return directly to Thézillieu by staying on the forest track.