The countryside and hamlets of Saint-Nicolas-de-Macherin

A short family walk of around 2 hours 15 minutes in the hills above Saint-Nicolas-de-Macherin, through forests, greenery, woods and rural hamlets.

In summer, the route combines shaded areas with lush greenery. In winter, it can be enjoyable in snowy conditions (consider snowshoes depending on snow conditions).

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.39 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 239 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 238 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 712 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 495 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park in the centre of the hamlet of Hautefort.

(S/E) Follow the main road through the hamlet of Hautefort westwards for about 150m, then turn right at a dead-end road that climbs (Impasse de la Rivoire). Follow the path continuing from the dead-end, go past a three-way junction by taking the right-hand branch and continue to a crossroads.

(1) Take the path on the right, follow it to the end, then take the path descending to the right until you reach a small forest track.

(2) Turn left onto the forest road, reach a small pass, then leave the road and take a path on the right. Follow the forest path (marked in yellow) to the Col du Bret.

(3) At the pass, continue along the yellow-marked route towards the hamlet of Les Combes. Join the Route des Combes.

(4) Turn left towards the centre of the hamlet, ignore the first path immediately on the right and continue along the road which curves to the right about 100m further on. Continue along the road until you reach the edge of the hamlet, then take a forest track on the right. Follow the forest track, ignoring the paths on the left and right, until you reach a road.

(5) Turn left onto the Route de Pied Barlet and follow it to the end, to a small bridge in the hamlet of Bergureuil.

(6) At the bridge, turn right, then immediately left in front of a barn. Follow the road through the hamlet of Bergureuil, ignoring a road on the right (Chemin du Bergureuil) and a cul-de-sac on the left (Impasse du Marais). On leaving the hamlet, follow the road blocked to traffic by boulders. Follow this road uphill until you reach the hamlet of Hautefort, leaving the Impasse de la Crozat on your left. At the top of the hill, near a wash house, a cross and a black Madonna, turn left and follow the road until you reach the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 562 m - Hautefort car park
  2. 1 : km 0.65 - alt. 598 m - Crossroads of forest paths
  3. 2 : km 1.04 - alt. 579 m - Hautefort forest track
  4. 3 : km 2.14 - alt. 706 m - Col du Bret
  5. 4 : km 2.71 - alt. 652 m - Les Combes
  6. 5 : km 4.21 - alt. 610 m - Route de Pied Barlet
  7. 6 : km 5.39 - alt. 495 m - Bergureuil Bridge
  8. S/E : km 6.39 - alt. 562 m - Hautefort car park

Notes

The walk mainly follows country lanes and forest tracks, although there are a few sections on quiet country roads where you’ll need to watch out for cars.

Forest paths can be muddy in wet weather, so please wear suitable footwear.

In winter, when it snows, the hike is also very enjoyable on snowshoes.

Worth a visit

During the walk, you can see:
- the hamlet of Hautefort (S/E) and (1), the hamlet of Les Combes (4) and Pied Barlet (5).
- near Hautefort, Hautefort Castle (not open to visitors) and the two neighbouring ponds.

Please note that there are two rural lodges on the route, in Hautefort and at Le Bergureuil.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Jumanjee
Jumanjee

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A short countryside route, though it does include a fair bit of road walking. It could make for a pleasant family stroll.
In the description, the use of local place names or similar terms when they do not appear on signs adds nothing.

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Marie85
Marie85

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

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

We couldn’t find the car park. We got lost because we didn’t understand the instruction to ‘ignore the paths on the right and left’. So it was a bit of a struggle for what was supposed to be a family walk with two children when we ended up in St Étienne de Crossey… probably at Les Bernades.
Never mind. It needs improving, as the view is magnificent...

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nanard3834
nanard3834

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk, despite taking a wrong turn on the way out of the hamlet of Les Combes, where we turned left instead of keeping parallel to the road.

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anne marie vallet
anne marie vallet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As I set off a bit late, I altered the route (shortening it) and took the Route des Combes, where there are some interesting tuff formations.

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canichou38
canichou38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk with no difficulties, and the chance to discover some very pretty little hamlets. :

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Eric5
Eric5

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Some lovely country lanes, though some sections are quite built-up.

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Héman UHell M.
Héman UHell M.
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy, enjoyable walk suitable for all walkers, from the youngest to the oldest.
A lovely, secluded spot (in the best sense of the word), even though it’s only 20 minutes from the centre of Voiron.
We did it with two young children, so we cut the end part short.
But very happy

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