Ternèse Canyon and Trou de l'Enfer from Le Boyat

Discover this magnificent route on the outskirts of Chambéry. Passing by the Ternèse stream (canyon) and the Trou de l'Enfer site where the Leysse river has carved its way through, this hike offers a complete change of scenery in a wild environment.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.12 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,493 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,519 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,103 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,365 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Areas: Alps, Bauges
  • ⚐ City: Curienne (73190)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 45.559993° / E 6.024264°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3332OT, 3333OT, 3333OTR, 3432OT, 3432OTR, 3433OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Coming from Chambéry, cross the hamlet of Boyat. Descend to the banks of the Ternèse stream and park in the car park near the bridge known as the Boyat bridge.

(S/E) Take the wide path on the left bank that follows the stream. You will reach the Ternèze Canyon: you will visit this site on your return. Continue on the left, passing by the old mill.

(1) Go straight ahead, ignoring the path on the right, which will be the return route. Then keep right at the fork in the path leading to Curienne and continue to the next three-way junction.

(2) Turn right, then right again at the next crossroads to reach the Sordet bridge: gentle descent to the Ternèze stream.

(3) Pont du Sordet: it is forbidden to use this bridge, so you will have to ford the stream. After the ford, continue on the left, passing through the scree, and join the path that climbs and turns into a wide track. Join theGRP® of the Massif des Bauges.

(4) Follow theGRP® to the left (red and yellow markings, directional sign). After several steep hairpin bends downhill, you will reach a footbridge.

(5) Cross the footbridge over the Leysse. Continue on the other side for about 150 m to reach the viewpoint over the Trou de l'Enfer.

(6) Retrace your steps and cross the footbridge again.

(5) Climb the steep switchbacks and return to the junction you took earlier.

(4) Ignore the path on the right that you came along and continue straight ahead towards Curienne (signpost) on a paved section. At the 90° bend, continue straight ahead on a wide dirt track.

(7) Take the wide path on the right (GRP® Boucle du Plateau de la Leysse). At an enclosure, the path becomes a trail and leads to the Ternèze Canyon footbridge.

(8) After the footbridge, descend slightly along the river, go around the ruins of the mill and rejoin the path you took on the way there.

(1) Turn left to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,090 ft - Boyat bridge car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.66 - alt. 1,929 ft - Crossing of the loop
  3. 2 : mi 1.31 - alt. 1,975 ft - Three-way junction
  4. 3 : mi 1.83 - alt. 1,594 ft - Pont du Sordet ford
  5. 4 : mi 2.3 - alt. 1,893 ft - Junction with the GRP Tour des Beauges
  6. 5 : mi 2.69 - alt. 1,365 ft - Bridge over the - Leysse (rivière)
  7. 6 : mi 2.79 - alt. 1,457 ft - Viewpoint over the Trou de l'Enfer
  8. 7 : mi 3.56 - alt. 2,100 ft - Three-way junction
  9. 8 : mi 4.29 - alt. 1,890 ft - Footbridge - Canyon de Ternèze
  10. S/E : mi 5.12 - alt. 2,090 ft - Boyat bridge car park

Notes

Please note that crossing the Sordet bridge is prohibited. The ford is difficult to cross if the Ternèse river is high, which is visible from the starting point.
In this case, make the round trip using the footbridge towards the canyon.
Circuit to be completed in dry weather: sloping and wet path before the Himalayan footbridge.
On theGRP®, some markers are located downstream from the junctions, such as at (7).

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 27 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
claire.almeras
claire.almeras

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A well-planned and interesting route for a walk along the water’s edge and in the shade.
The crossing at the Sordet bridge involves wading through the stream (in summer this is no problem given the low water level, but take care at other times of year). Before you reach it, there are indeed a lot of fallen trees. On foot, they’re easy to walk round or step over.
I noticed that the broken planks on the Himalayan footbridge – which, incidentally, is very busy – were reported to the town hall back in June: I regret to inform you that, since then, nothing has yet been done… (be sure to hold on tight with your hands if you’re crossing!!).

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Nathaly
Nathaly
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely half-day walk – but be warned, the descent towards the ‘Trou de l’Enfer’ (Hell’s Hole) certainly lives up to its name, as the climb back up is… hellish! But it’s doable. And at point number 6, there’s a stunning view; you’d think you were in Provence.
It’s the ideal walk during a heatwave as it’s almost entirely shaded, except at point 6. And there are plenty of spots where you can take a dip.

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sempervivum
sempervivum

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A cool, shaded walk, ideal during a heatwave. At the start, there are a few spots where you can dip your feet in the water and have a picnic. Watching the canyoning activity and crossing the Himalayan footbridge add a bit of excitement. As it was late in the summer, there wasn’t much water in the stream, so fording it was easy. I was a bit disappointed by the view of the ‘Tou de l’Enfer’.

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Fabrice54
Fabrice54

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We went on this walk during a heatwave.
We were glad we did, as we walked alongside the River Leysse and that kept us cool.
It was only when we went to see the view that it got really hot.
Recommended in hot weather.

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etr73
etr73

Warning: access to the Sordret Bridge is prohibited

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User 28442715

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route that’s easy and pleasant at the start, then gets narrower and narrower,but with plenty of lovely sections and lots of waterfalls – a very beautiful route that I’ll do again when it’s not too hot. You need to be well equipped; the end is very narrow but presents no major difficulty, even for younger people. There’s a section over a bridge that’s a bit crumbling but still passable, or you can go over the rocks when the river is low enough. I’ll do it again in the autumn.

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FlickaPatsy
FlickaPatsy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with few people along the route. There are plenty of fallen trees blocking the path before you reach the Sordet bridge and the ford. It is possible to cross without getting your feet wet by walking on the rocks (though they can be a bit slippery at times, which is why walking poles are useful).
Beautiful view of Margériaz and the ridges of Mont Peney at point 4.

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User 20996965

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, fairly easy for everyone. Lovely panoramic views of the river and canyon.
A slightly tricky section when you have to cross the river. There is a stone bridge, but I would advise against using it as it is very dangerous... so you have to take off your shoes and cross on foot.

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Dominique Coudreau
Dominique Coudreau

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The trees are still present on the descent towards the Sordet bridge. It is best not to hike this route on a windy day. The lookout point adds a little excitement to this hike.
The canyon is not large but very pretty.

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Fanfan LEG
Fanfan LEG

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, physically demanding but enjoyable. There are always trees to climb over, but nothing insurmountable. Very few people, but then again, it is October.

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User 9208813

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike along a nice, shaded trail.
A few fallen trees on the path that you have to climb over.
We saw people doing canyoning, which was very impressive.

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User 10945420

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

With shade almost everywhere, the canyon is superb, as is the footbridge.
We did the circuit backwards. There were indeed lots of trees across the path after the ford, but fortunately it didn't last long.
Be careful of cyanobacteria at the moment; there are small signs on the barriers. However, a canyoning guide told us that he had been in the water several times a day recently without any problems. It's up to each individual to take responsibility.
There were quite a few people there thanks to the shade and the relatively cool water during this heatwave, but it was much quieter towards the canyon.

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etr73
etr73

There are indeed many fallen trees near the Sordret bridge.
I notified the Curienne town hall last week.

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etr73
etr73

There are indeed many fallen trees near the Sordret bridge.
I notified the town hall in Curienne last week.

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User 24918704

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Bj
The tree trunks are indeed a bit of a nuisance, but they don't really prevent people from passing through.
I reported to the town hall that a plank on the footbridge was broken... so be careful
The hike is very pleasant with varied scenery

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