Circular route from La Lattaz to Mont Tournier from Saint-Maurice-de-Rotherens

Start from the town hall car park (trailhead) in Saint-Maurice-de-Rotherens, accessible from Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers, Novalaise (via the Col de la Crusille) or Yenne (via the Col du Mont Tournier).

(S/E) From the town hall, head east, cross the CD 42 and climb the Chemin de la Côte opposite. Towards the top, you’ll reach a junction with a path.

(1) Turn right towards La Lattaz and follow this hillside path up to the Route de la Lattaz at the 748m point. Take this road to the right until you reach the entrance to the hamlet of La Lattaz.

(2) Before descending slightly towards the hamlet, turn right to take a wooded path opposite heading south. It descends slightly then joins a track; take this to the left, heading due east, to cut across the cultivated fields. At the end, turn right (south) towards the forest, then left onto a path that skirts a large field. It joins a track coming from Sainte-Marie-d'Alvey, which you follow to the left as far as the Col de la Lattaz.

(3) Follow the road for a few metres to the left and turn right onto the small tarmac road that climbs to the Mont Chaffaron relay pylons.
When you reach the relay stations, take the ridge path northwards to the highest point (854m). Continue behind the small technical building. The ridge dips slightly before climbing again to a new high point along a clear cliff face (840m).
Descend into a small valley, still heading north, and join a forest track coming from the right at the edge of a clearing.

(4) Take this path to the left; it levels out. Just as it begins to descend, turn right to climb a path heading north. Come out onto a plateau, turn right (south-east). At the next junction, turn left to head north again and descend slightly along the rocks, keeping them on your right.
Pass close to a pond then follow a second rock, the Rocher du Corbeau (812m), to descend. After passing this rock, turn left to descend a little further to the Pré du Mont. Turn left onto a path heading north, which is flat and straight at the start. When it begins to climb slightly, a track branches off to the right, leading a few dozen metres to the Croix de Monchu.

(5) From this viewpoint, return to the path and continue the ascent to a ledge from which a steep path branches off to the right, leading up to Mont Chatel (834m) – cross and statue.

(6) From the summit, retrace your steps a few metres and take a path heading north which curves widely down the hill. Head west then north-west, keeping to level ground. Reach the Route du Mont Tournier. Follow it to the left for 100m to the road pass.

(7) Turn right onto a good path heading due north, which remains more or less level until you reach a junction. Let the first path down to the right towards Loisieux pass you by. You can head straight ahead for 200m on flat ground to the Pierre Chapeautée, on the Way of St James, then return.
Take the Mont Tournier path on the right; at the next junction, turn right again to make the final climb to the summit, the highest point of the hike (877m).

(8) From the summit, return to the previous junction, turn right to descend to the next junction. Turn right again to cross a threshold and, 100m further on, head left towards the Pierre-qui-Vire. At this junction, continue on the^GR®9GR® 65 – Way of St James. Follow it to the finish.
Follow this path down until you see the Pierre-qui-Vire 50m to the right (806m).

(9) From this spot, retrace your steps for 50m, then head down to the right towards the Croix de la Dronière. Turn right into the valley. Follow the gentle, well-maintained path down to the hamlet of Le Bornet and the Route du Mont Tournier.

(10) Cross the road to take the Chemin du Moyon opposite, then the Chemin du Macalet, which continues to descend southwards. At the next junction, do not join the CD, but continue straight on to the left along the Chemin de la Mare, cross this hamlet and continue along the edge of the fields southwards to the Croix des Rives (698m).

(11) At the cross, turn left. The path climbs slightly. In the forest, continue climbing slightly to the left until you reach the small Route de la Balme, at Beauregard. Follow it down to the right.
Cross the Route de la Lattaz and take the good path opposite, which descends steadily to Beyrin (the main village) to rejoin the Chemin de la Côte.

(1) Turn right back onto the original route to return to the starting car park (S/E)

The route features numerous ascents and descents, but presents no technical difficulty and remains on paths or tracks throughout. However, as the forest tracks run predominantly at right angles to the route, changes of direction are frequent and care must be taken not to miss them.

As the area is very accessible, there are many possible variations:
- for example, you can shorten the route by avoiding the detour to Mont Tournier and joining the Col (7) at the Croix de la Dronière via the road (for 500m).
- you can also complete the circular route by following the “Balcons de St Maurice” route from below Mont Tournier, passing through Les Sérus, the Fils viewpoint, Cupied, the orientation table and the Tour de Conspectus, and returning to the main town via Vielle-Cure.

This heavily wooded route nevertheless offers some lovely views, mainly at Mont Chaffaron, Mont Chatel and Mont Tournier.
In particular, you can admire the Chaîne du Chat as far as L’Epine, the Sept Laux, Belledonne and the Granier beyond, the Chartreuse to the south, and the Bugey and the Rhône Valley to the north (from Mont Tournier).

The route passes several distinctive landmarks (Croix de Monchu, Pierre Chapeautée, Pierre-qui-Vire) and is dotted with numerous crosses and even a statue, placed there by local residents over the centuries (Croix de Beyrin at the start, Croix de Monchu, Croix de Chatel, Croix de Dronière, Croix des Rives).