Balmont circular loop

A circular route with varied landscapes around the old village of Balmont.

Details

30671910
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.44 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 797 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 797 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,395 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,647 ft

Description of the walk

Start at the car park near Balmont church. Please note: the signposting for the walk is often inadequate.

(S/E) Set off along the short tarmac climb up Chemin du Paroi (dead end). The road quickly turns into a country lane until you reach the hamlet of Paccot.

(1) After the crossroads, take a path on the left to reach the hamlet of Maclaz (countryside landscape).

(2) In the hamlet, at the second street on the right, a path on the right leads to the hamlet of Chambert. At the exit of the hamlet, join the D141 and follow it to the left for about a hundred metres until you find a path on the left.

(3) Take this path, cross the Ruisseau de la Fatte stream and continue straight on to the hamlet of Laudon. Climb towards Le Chêne (part of Quintal) and follow the road, Chemin du Landon.

(4) Continue across Chemin du Lango, then Chemin le Plaisir.

(5) Turn left onto Allée du Penossay, which leads to Bois de Penossay.

(6) At the bottom of the descent, take the path on the left that goes down to the D5 (Route de Vieugy).

(7) Follow this road to the crossroads and continue straight on towards the hamlet of Chaux.

(8) Turn left in the hamlet and leave the village. At the exit of the hamlet, near the farm buildings, take the path on the right that leads to the Balmont marsh. Cross the Ruisseau de la Fatte stream and climb up opposite to reach the Balmont cemetery. Turn right to reach the car park opposite the church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,778 ft - Église Notre-Dame de l'Assomption (Balmont)
  2. 1 : mi 0.4 - alt. 1,982 ft - Paccot
  3. 2 : mi 0.74 - alt. 1,942 ft - Méclaz
  4. 3 : mi 1.24 - alt. 2,316 ft - Chambert
  5. 4 : mi 1.95 - alt. 2,388 ft - The Oak Tree
  6. 5 : mi 2.31 - alt. 2,283 ft - Quintal - Allée de Penossay
  7. 6 : mi 2.71 - alt. 2,093 ft - Penossay woods
  8. 7 : mi 3.09 - alt. 1,827 ft - Junction with the Vieugy road.
  9. 8 : mi 3.65 - alt. 1,775 ft - Lime
  10. S/E : mi 4.44 - alt. 1,778 ft - Église Notre-Dame de l'Assomption (Balmont)

Worth a visit

Village houses.
Wash houses.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
sobel
sobel

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied hike close to Annecy
At one point, be careful before a climb: there is a sign on the ground on your left, so take the path on the right.

Machine-translated

idée randonnée
idée randonnée

Beautiful, well-marked route. Pleasant path, beautiful views. Lovingly restored farms.

Machine-translated

marie74_83
marie74_83
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike with beautiful panoramic views of the Annecy metropolitan area. The description is reliable, which is fortunate because the markings are non-existent in some places.

Machine-translated

idée randonnée
idée randonnée

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Varied route, beautiful views, peaceful, lovely forest paths and beautifully restored farms in the hamlets. But it's a shame there isn't a path that avoids the road before reaching Chaux.

Machine-translated

Bonlion74
Bonlion74

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Lovely forest passages and beautiful views of the landscape.

Machine-translated

randonanard
randonanard

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

hikes that take you through pretty hamlets, shame about the road section on the way back

Machine-translated

Crapet
Crapet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike, very well described, but the lower part, on the road, is a bit tedious (quite a lot of traffic).

Machine-translated

André-Pierre
André-Pierre

Indeed, as mentioned in the description, the signage is incomplete or has disappeared...

Machine-translated

Bellaciao
Bellaciao

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

One small drawback: although the map and description in Visiorando make it easy to follow the route, but the route is also signposted on site and at the start towards Balmont Church with a logo (Balmont route) that is clearly visible until the hamlet of Le Chêne, then disappears completely at Chemin du Plaisir (at the bottom of Quintal), which is inconvenient if hikers are only using this logo to find their way.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.