Circular via Colloverge mountain starting from Saint-Denis-en-Bugey

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This hike will take you to both sides of the massif between Torcieu and Saint-Denis-en-Bugey.
Enjoy beautiful views of the region, the Monts du Lyonnais, the vineyards of Vaux-en-Bugey, the ridges of the Albarine Valley and a passage through the pretty village of Ambutrix, not to mention the start of the Saint-Denis tower, which offers a panoramic view of the region.

Technical sheet

n°3792930
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.50 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 337 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 331 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 526 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 281 m
Downloads
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Photos

Photo 1
Source de l'Enfer
Path, stream?
Inside the Nièvre Chapel

Description of the walk

Park in the Tour de Saint-Denis car park.

(S/E) Head towards the tower to enjoy the beauty of the site and the panoramic view it offers. Retrace your steps and take the stone path, following the signs for Croix Balthazar, marked in white and red onthe GR®59. Reach Croix Balthazar.

(1) Take the forest road slightly to the left, then follow the path that climbs to the right. Please note that despitethe GR®59being marked on the map, there are no longer any markings from the Croix Balthazar onwards. After a section through the woods, then a passage under the high-voltage power lines, the path passes through meadows and cornfields. Continue straight ahead after carefully crossing the D77a, then you will reach the Bois de Châtenet.

(2) Walk along the edge of the woods. You will then come to a crossroads.

(3) Leave theGR® 59 by taking the path on the left that leads into the woods. You will reach another crossroads at the Source de l'Enfer.

(4) Here, walk around the small slope of Colloverge mountain. Follow the orange arrows to rejointhe GR®59at the highest point of the hike. Follow it for a few metres to the left to reach another crossroads.

(5) Leave theGR® and turn right onto the path. Begin a long, steep descent, pass under the high-voltage line and you will find another crossroads above the village of Vaux Févroux.

(6) Stay level on the right, do not descend to the village, continue on and you will come to a small road. Take it on the right to climb up to the Nièvre chapel.

(7) Continue straight ahead, following the blue markings for the Buizin trail.

(8) Cross the D77a again, follow the path and turn left, then immediately take thefirst right a few metres further on. After the hill, turn left, following the signs for the Buizin trail. Follow these signs until you reach Ambutrix. Please note that these markings are sometimes difficult to see, particularly at the Colou Plateau. Reach the village of Ambutrix by following the hedge of a property.

(9) At the church, turn right and continue straight ahead. The road leads to a path in the Bois des Brosses after a short hill.

(10) Turn left into the Bois des Brosses and continue until you return to the Saint-Denis tower car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 314 m - Parking at the Saint-Denis tower - Gare d'Ambérieu-en-Bugey
  2. 1 : km 1.48 - alt. 330 m - Balthazar Cross
  3. 2 : km 3.09 - alt. 397 m - Châtenet
  4. 3 : km 3.82 - alt. 455 m - Towards Source de l'Enfer
  5. 4 : km 4.43 - alt. 469 m - Source de l'Enfer
  6. 5 : km 5.7 - alt. 526 m - Towards Chemin des Pierres
  7. 6 : km 6.98 - alt. 352 m - Vaux Févroux
  8. 7 : km 7.79 - alt. 320 m - Nièvre Chapel
  9. 8 : km 8.27 - alt. 318 m - Buizin high trail
  10. 9 : km 10.29 - alt. 283 m - Ambutrix
  11. 10 : km 10.76 - alt. 320 m - Les Brosses
  12. S/E : km 11.5 - alt. 314 m - Parking at the Saint-Denis tower

Practical information

Good walking shoes
Cap in summer if sunny
No controlled water points along the route
No shelters, but villages and hamlets nearby along most of the route.

In the nearby area

(S/E) Tour de Saint-Denis: depending on the weather, you can see La Chartreuse, Le Bugey, Ambérieu-en-Bugey and Saint-Denis-en-Bugey.
(7) Nièvre Chapel: Pleasant break, lovely view of Vaux-en-Bugey.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
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Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 22 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Clarity of route map
4 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Framboise38
Framboise38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant hike, completed without any issues as the weather was dry and there was no mud. Easy to follow with the app.

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BV61
BV61

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Beautiful hike done backwards because the terrain was quite muddy, walking sticks recommended, otherwise a pleasant route in the woods. GPS recommended because there are many small paths

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Nchapel
Nchapel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Very muddy, sometimes slippery, but with walking sticks it's fine.

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Cathi
Cathi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The route is very pleasant, but you'll need GPS to follow it in the woods because the narrow path in the last downhill section is not easy to find. However, it's a great route with a picnic stop near the Nièvre chapel.
Thank you

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Matilda
Matilda

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A superb hike, done in February with hardly anyone else along the way. I would gladly return in spring, when the trees are in leaf. You pass through forests, along sun-drenched paths with beautiful views (villages, green rolling meadows), and near the source of the Enfer stream (on the north side of the mountain, which is damp, with moss everywhere – it was magical!).
As for the route, keep a close eye on your GPS, as I took the wrong path several times (there are lots of small paths). The ground was muddy (soft, slippery earth) at the start of the route, but it was fine.
No difficulty with the elevation.
The only downside is that in the last third of the route, you can hear the distant noise of the motorway, but it's not too annoying.
Walking time (without breaks): about 4 hours 15 minutes
It was great. I highly recommend it, it was beautiful!

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eliane clement
eliane clement

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A very beautiful, well-shaded hike. Using a GPS is highly recommended as there are many paths in the woods. Just a quick note: after La Chapelle de Nièvre, take the stone staircase; that was the only point where we hesitated.

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route66
route66

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

very beautiful hike, follow the map carefully with GPS, numerous paths along the route

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MARIEFO28
MARIEFO28

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hello
a beautiful walk in the woods, ideal in warm weather. It's best to have a GPS as there are many paths along the route. And for a picnic, there's a very pleasant bench at the Nièvre chapel above the village.

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Christian FORTIER
Christian FORTIER

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant and easy 3-hour walk. A beautiful hike through woods and trails
The route seems difficult to me. GPS is very useful

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roland.
roland.

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

it began with a pleasant walk through the woods.
Then, as there were virtually no signs (or they were too difficult to see), we turned back after two hours because we couldn't find any satisfactory directions. The only sign we saw pointed to Bettant...which isn't mentioned in the description.
Nevertheless, on the way back we were able to enjoy the lovely smells of the undergrowth.

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lolbertmarchons
lolbertmarchons

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Thank you

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bucbuc01
bucbuc01

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

beautiful hike with a superb view from the Saint Denis tower
the hike has been diverted due to a landslide on the eastern side of the trail

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cour81
cour81

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A popular route at numerous intersections.
A very interesting route during hot weather, as it is very shaded.
Can it be classified as a short hike due to the fairly steep descent covered with small rocks?

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Dofel
Dofel

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A very beautiful hike, mostly shaded, which was appreciated in the bright sunshine.
Indeed, the description poses problems on several occasions and makes the use of GPS essential.
Thank you for this pleasant walk.

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Murielle69
Murielle69

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hello
GPS is indeed very useful for this very pleasant hike. The first part climbs gently through the undergrowth and the return journey offers more varied landscapes.
For those bringing a picnic, I recommend going to the trail junction at point 5, where there are benches. There is also one near the chapel.

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author. Do not copy them without permission.