Racin Circular Loop

Park in the hikers’ car park on Rue Pré Boulat, next to the Gradins de Roize car park in Voreppe.
(Trail No. 1 of the “Sentiers de Chartreuse Occidentale”)
Follow signpost no. 1, marked in yellow.

(S) Follow the Chemin du Pré Boulat and turn left onto the path bordering the old cemetery, heading uphill towards “Le Clet”. This joins the Route de Racin. Once back on the road, head uphill to the right until the next bend and continue straight on. Then take the path leading uphill to the left after about 50 metres.
At the top of this path, you’ll reach “Le Clet”, where you’ll see an old wine press on your right.

(1) At the signpost, take the flat path on the left towards “Racin”. As you continue, you’ll pass the Poor Clares’ monastery.

(2) Take a quick first turn right then left to continue along this flat path and reach the hamlet of Racin.

(3) Return to the tarmac road, take it to the right and head uphill towards Chalais for about 400m. After the hairpin bend, you’ll come to a few houses.
Take the second path marked No. 1, at Chemin Groupe Raymond, which descends to your left towards the “Roize dam”.
Caution: the start is slippery and steep.

Then cross over a culvert carrying the stream. Once you reach the tarmac road, turn left and continue down the slope to the “Roize Dam” signpost.

(4) Head straight on towards “La Malossane” until you reach the Roize dam. A series of stepping stones allows you to cross it.

Warning: if the stepping stones are covered in water, it is not advisable to cross the Roize. In this case, return to the car park by walking down the road on the left bank.

(5) After crossing the Roize, take the path that climbs up towards the hamlet of La Malossane.
As you leave the path, take the road, keeping to your left as you descend, and after a short flat section, you will reach the hamlet of Malossane Bas.

Continue downhill to the next houses. Take the path on the left between the houses. Go down a few steps and cross the RD520A with care.
Turn into Rue du Boutet opposite and walk down to the village of Voreppe.
Once you reach the square in Voreppe, head back up towards the car park, following the Roize river on your left. Cross the Roize via the footbridge at the traffic lights and follow Quai du Docteur Jacquin to the left to reach the hikers’ car park (E).

An added bonus after this hike: this route, starting from the Roize terraces car park, can be complemented by a historical and heritage walk through the old village of Voreppe.

(2) Monastery of the Poor Clares: formerly the “Institution Saint Nizier”, founded in 1874 for secondary education. It was not until 1964 that the Poor Clares moved their monastery there.
(3) The hamlet of Racin is the oldest in Voreppe. It is mentioned in a charter from the Chalais cartulary in 1101. There you will see a typical fountain carved out of the rock.
Roize Dam: it was built on the site of a former ford, following the torrential flooding of 1971. Its purpose is to retain the rocks and tree trunks carried downstream.
(5) The hamlet of La Malossane comprised numerous farms and town houses from the^18th century onwards. Its name derives from the molasse stone that was quarried there until the^19th century.
In this area lies the Gondrand chasm, a former fireclay quarry operated from 1880 to 1915.

Visit the Corepha association’s website to learn more about the heritage and history of the commune of Voreppe.