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Departure from Colomieu (Ain) reached from Belley via Arbignieu or from Brégnier-Cordon via Prémezel and Saint-Bois. Park near the boule courts along the Agnin.
(S/E) Go north, turn right over the bridge over the Agnin and continue straight east along the Route du Moulin until you come to a calvary.
(1) Turn left onto Chemin de la Coule (according to the map), which rises moderately to the north-east. Follow the paths to the right and then to the left.
(2) At Bagne, turn left heading north. Continue straight ahead, passing two small lakes on the right. After a landing, a limestone ridge appears on the left of the path.
(3) Optional return ascent. At the point where this ridge meets the path, before some slabs, a path climbs up to the left to reach the top of this ridge, which you follow to the highest point of Recania (396 m), the only viewpoint in the area opening up to the various summits of the Bugey.
(4) Retrace your steps to the fork.
(3) Go left down the track to a crossroads. Turn right towards the east and, after 20 m, don't miss the path on the left, which, after a slight descent, climbs to a limestone bar that it crosses by a passage piercing the rock: the Corne Bœuf. At the upper end of the path, continue eastwards until you come to a junction with a good track (signposted).
(5) Take this path straight ahead, to the left, to the north. It gradually descends towards a stretch of water (a simple marsh in summer), which you follow to its northern end.
(6) Take the path north again. After a sill, it descends slightly towards the Lac d'Armaille until you come to a major crossroads. Descend to the right as far as the ford over the Ruisseau d'Armaille.
(7) A footbridge rebuilt to the left of the ford allows you to cross the Ruisseau d'Armaille and continue on towards the Lac d'Armaille, where it joins the eastern bank.
Variation and deviation: if the footbridge can be washed away, if it is not usable or if the water level is high, return to the crossroads then continue for a few metres to take a path on the left (east) that joins the stream at a narrow point where a gate is laid across it.
(8) Go up the left bank to a track coming from Thoys, which you take on the left.
(9) Keep straight on along the track, which rises a little to reach the D41 coming from Belley.
(10) Follow it to the left, passing near the hamlet of Trappon, cross the Ruisseau de Marchand and, after a straight stretch, let the D41 go off to the right towards Saint Germain-les-Paroisses.
(11) Turn left onto a carriage road and after 80 m, turn right to climb a hill. On the way down, turn right to go around the Bouve lake and join a good gravel road which you follow to the north-west until you rejoin the D41.
(12) Turn left onto the D69b towards Colomieu for 100 m, then turn right onto the Chemin de Challière and cross the hamlet of Cessieux.
- After the bend, take the path on the left past the oven building. It rises in stages along the retaining walls before dropping slightly at a crossroads.
(13) Take the path that climbs back up into the forest and skirts a wooded ridge. It gets a little lost: avoid following it on the eastern side of the ridge. A path then veers off to the right, crossing the ridge again and running down its western slope to a meadow.- The path becomes a sunken track that runs along the edge of the meadow and joins a good forest track, which you take to the right as far as the crossroads with the track coming from Appregnin.
=> Diversion.Turn right ontothe track towards Appregnin, then left twice to rejoin the itinerary and the rest of the description.
See practical information.
(14) Take this track on the left, heading south.
=> Continue straight on until you reach Lac d'Arborias. Turn right to go up the hill until you reach a crossroads in the Igonettes area.
(15) Turn left and descend to the edge of Lac d'Arborias. Drive along its western shore and continue straight ahead on a small road that leads back to Colomieu via the Route du Vernay. Go through the village to reach the(S/E).
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