Circular route around Ponthoux starting from Lison

To reach the start point, head to Lison, which is situated between Saint-Claude and Lavans-les-Saint-Claude on the D470.
In Lison, look for the railway line and the old station to park nearby.

(S/E) Start on Rue Simon Lahu, heading east. Cross the Lison and rejoin the D470. Walk along it for 200m , taking care.

(1) Cross the D470 and follow the Bienne river without crossing the bridge until you find yourself in front of a large house.

To the right of the house, go through the half-open metal gate and take the path that runs alongside the Bienne.

Continue along this path for about 600m. Go under the railway line and follow the path heading due north for 1km.

(2) At the junction, leave this path and turn left heading north-north-east towards Ponthoux. Follow the yellow markings and continue climbing for 1 km until you reach a crossroads.

(3) Continue eastwards on the path towards La Bataille. Keep following the yellow markings.

(4) At La Bataille, leave the path heading north and continue straight ahead towards the east, heading towards Avignon-les-Saint-Claude.

Continue along this path for 1.4 km to the Puits des Niais. On this stretch, enjoy the scenery and the sweeping view over the Plan d’Acier industrial estate, the Étables dam and the Bienne valley.

(5) At the Puits des Niais, the path splits in two. Take the left-hand path heading towards Avignon-les-Saint-Claude and continue along the Chemin de la Bataille until you reach the first houses.

At the junction, turn left, then left again 80 metres further on.

(6) At the chapel, turn left then keep left onto the path heading north-north-west, signposted ‘Belvédère de Ponthoux’. Follow the yellow markings to emerge onto Rue de la Boussière.

(7) Head along the path on the left until you reach Chemin du Crozet, still following the yellow markings.

Continue along Chemin du Crozet to the left for 120 m and take the forest path branching off to the right towards the north.

Stay on this path, ignoring all the paths branching off to either side, and follow the yellow markings towards the Ponthoux viewpoint.

(8) At the end of the path, continue left along the forest track towards the Ponthoux viewpoint. Stay on this forest track for approximately 700 m.

(9) When the forest track splits into three paths, take the first path on the left signposted for the Ponthoux viewpoint. Follow the yellow markings.

(10) You have reached the Ponthoux viewpoint. After admiring the beautiful view over the Lison hillsides, continue along the path towards Ponthoux.

(4) At a place called La Bataille, turn right towards Ponthoux.

(3) Continue straight on for about fifty metres, then turn right heading north towards Ponthoux.

(11) Keep left to reach Chemin de la Bataille, which joins Rue de la Carcille after a few bends. Continue straight on until you reach the first houses of the village of Ponthoux.

Continue along the tarmac road to the village centre. Pass the town hall and continue south on the Route de la Verchère until you reach the last houses.

(12) Turn right, following the yellow markings, and continue along the path to the west until you reach the D233.
Take care here: cars approach quite quickly and the descent onto the D233 is steep.
Cross the D233 and continue along the path slightly opposite, heading towards Saint-Lupicin.

(13) At the Blue Bridge, spanning the Lison, continue along the path branching off to the left. Follow the yellow markings towards Buclans.

(14) In the hamlet of Buclans, continue along the Château Road, passing the ruins of the castle which was destroyed by fire on 31 October 2014.

(15) After the second bend, take the path leading off to the left until you reach the D470. Cross the D470 with care, head along the path opposite, then keep left to reach Rue Simon Lahu.

(16) Turn right, cross the level crossing, then turn right to reach the car park (S/E).

To view the car park and starting point: click here

To view the video of the route profile: click here
About the route profile video: I carried out a reconnaissance of this route to check that the description was accurate. When I reconnoitre a route, I do so by running, relying on the signal received by my phone when I stray from the route or take the wrong path. This allows me to correct the description.

Practical tips for starting the hike:
- I strongly recommend using the app on a smartphone, which will also allow you to be geolocated at all times, enabling you to track your movements accurately.
- I completed this route on a lovely sunny day with good walking conditions (dry ground). I cannot guarantee that it will be passable when the ground is soggy or snow-covered, or obstructed by trees felled by foresters.
- The route is not suitable for pushchairs and/or young children.
Watch out for ticks: don’t forget to check yourself over after the walk.

Lizon Craft Brewery
Craft microbrewery launched in June 2017.
"Here we brew our craft beers, welcome you to our bar and put on live music."
As craft brewers, we explore flavours, striving to add a distinctly local touch. Housed in a former school, we’re contributing to the revival of brewing in our region, combining a passion for brewing with a passion for service and celebration. Adjacent to the production area, our unique bar hosts numerous gigs, particularly electronic music. Beer garden in summer (large terrace).
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