Circular route in the Montagne de Parves from the Pont de Nattages

Reach Yenne from Saint-Genix-les-Villages or via the Chat Tunnel from the Chambéry area.
Park in front of the cemetery, very close to the Nattages suspension bridge.

(S/E) From the car park, cross (carefully) the Route de Lyon (D1504) to cross the Nattages Bridge. At its end on the Ain side, descend a very steep flight of steps on the left, followed by a ladder, to reach the fishermen’s path. Follow this path downstream: as you approach the weir on the Rhône, it begins to climb and joins a track at the first abandoned meadows. A little further up, a footpath (yellow arrow) leads to a viewpoint on the left.

(1) Resume the climb via the Chemin de Chamard, keeping as straight as possible up the slope. At around 350 m, take the correct forest track to the right (east) on level ground, which eventually climbs to the left to cross the path leading to Pierre-Châtel via the Combe du Goulet. Take the path opposite, climbing amongst the limestone outcrops until you join the^GR® 59 coming from the stream.

(2) Follow this theoretically signposted path to the left (west): you will reach an area of limestone rocks serving as a glacis for the nearby Fort les Bans. Leave the path as soon as you see it to approach the edge of the ditch defending Fort les Bans.

(3) Follow the edge of the moat with care (vertical wall) until you reach a section with a few steps. Do not go any further down but head back east to rejoin the^GR® path, which you follow level to the left until you reach a signposted junction.

(4) At the junction, turn right onto the level path which gradually climbs to a viewpoint below Mont Chevreaux.

(5) Shortly after the^first viewpoint, a path on the right leads to a second viewpoint on a rock and back. Back on the path, continue north, cross a threshold and follow the level path to the forest hut in the Bois Doncieu.

(6) Continue north on the signposted path, which begins to descend. Pass several paths branching off to the right and then to the left until you reach a junction with a tarmac road.

(7) Turn right to head straight down towards the village of Parves.

(8) Follow the D 107B to the right to the end of the cemetery, where you should turn left onto the path leading down to the hamlet of Marcherieu. Cross the hamlet and continue 100 m to the right on the D 107 to the junction at a place called La Palud.

(9) Turn onto the small road to the right and immediately take a forest track on the left which climbs straight up through the forest, then across a meadow at Les Châtaigneraies, before entering the forest again.

When the forest path stops climbing, take a less marked path on the right which heads westwards and climbs gently in a zigzag through the woods. The path seems to disappear at one point: you must then follow a faint track that climbs to the left towards a limestone ridge guarding the plateau, which it bypasses via a hairpin bend. Continue for a few dozen metres south-east across this wooded plateau until you come to a better-marked path running perpendicular to it.

(10) Take this to the right. It soon opens out into a meadow. Take the tracks on the left at the edge of the meadow, following the edge of the woods, to begin the descent, crossing three fields separated by hedges, and reach a sunken track emerging from the forest on the left. Follow this track to the right (south); it joins other tracks and leads down a tarmac road into the hamlet of Poisson.

(11) In the centre of the hamlet, turn left (south-east) onto Chemin des Corniolles, which descends to join Route de l’École. Turn right onto this road and walk past the cemetery.

(12) 50 m after the cemetery, turn left onto Chemin du Grand Champ, which descends eastwards and joins a tarmac road. Continue straight ahead between the houses and cross the D37 (Route de Panama) straight ahead via a path that veers left to join the Route du Rhône between Le Montey and Magnin.

(13) Turn right to head down this road, pass through the hamlet of Magnin and follow this small road running alongside the Rhône, passing the hamlet of Marnix.

(14) When the road climbs back up towards the D37, leave it and take a path on the left that continues to follow the Rhône and joins a tarmac section at Chemin de la Maladière. Pass through the hamlet of Saint-Didier, follow the road to Yenne as far as the old ferry crossing, then head back up towards the D37, which you follow for 200 m to the Pont de Nattages; cross the bridge to return to the starting point (S/E).

Please note: in the event of high water levels, the section along the Rhône at the start is impassable. Once the water level in the Rhône has dropped, it becomes passable, though it remains very wet due to the numerous springs in this area.

This route is based on Yves Ray’s guide in “Sentiers Bugistes”, no. 18.
Usually, the descent from Mont Chevreaux was via the old Rocheret quarry, but the site has been fitted with a solar power plant and fenced off, which now means you have to take a detour via the village of Parves, adding a stretch of road to the walk.

Views of the Rhône on the first ascent, followed by a visit to the surroundings of Fort les Bancs (the fort itself is not open to the public), viewpoints below Mont Chevreaux and then from the Bois Barbier hill.