Doria Waterfalls

de fr

Enjoy the Doria waterfalls on this lovely family walk. The lower waterfall is magnificent with its 60-metre drop. At the Grotte à Carret, you can see the start of the Via Ferrata on the mountainside. At the upper waterfall, you’ll appreciate the cool air during hot spells.

Details

n°75545261
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.94 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,251 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,251 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,517 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,503 ft
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Photos

Resurgence of the Doria
Carret Cave
La Doria
Lower waterfall

Description of the walk

Park at the Lancenay car park on the D6.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, carefully rejoin the D6 to the left, heading towards Saint-Jean-d'Arvey for about 50 metres. Then take the path on the left which cuts across a hairpin bend in the road and rejoins it further on. Cross the bridge, pass the houses of Lancenay and reach the tarmac car park.

(1) Take the small path on the right and head down to rejoin the main path leading to the lower waterfall. Continue to the right and reach the waterfall.

(2) Retrace your steps and follow the Doria stream due south to the footbridge.

(3) Turn right to cross it, head right for a few dozen metres then turn left to follow the path climbing southwards. When you reach the edge of the forest, turn right, leaving the Sarrées houses on your left, and continue climbing to reach the junction with the path forming part of the GR®° de Pays du Massif des Bauges.

(4) Head right to follow it towards Lovettaz. Keep left at the three-way junction at the entrance to the hamlet and head for the fountain, where you can refill your water bottles.

(5) Turn left, with the fountain on your left, and continue climbing along the GRP®. After a viewpoint over the Granier, you’ll reach a junction. 

(6) Leave the GR® de Pays temporarily to climb up to the Grotte à Carret, following the signs for the Via ferrata.

(7) At the junction, turn left to reach the cave.

(8) Turn back and return to the previous junction.

(7) Continue straight on to the Doria resurgence: a short technical section.

(9) Join the route on the right, head to the footbridge junction and cross the footbridge to enjoy the view of the upper Doria waterfall.

(10) Return to the junction and turn right to follow the Doria at varying distances, rejoining the GR® de Pays.

(11) Leave the GR® de Pays, turn right and cross the footbridge to reach the right bank of the stream. Follow the signs for Lovettaz for about 600 m until you reach a fork.

(12) Turn left before reaching the hamlet and head to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,018 ft - Lancenay car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.55 - alt. 1,972 ft - Tarmac car park
  3. 2 : mi 0.91 - alt. 1,650 ft - Lower waterfall
  4. 3 : mi 1.2 - alt. 1,519 ft - Footbridge over the - Doria (rivière) à finaliser
  5. 4 : mi 1.85 - alt. 2,057 ft - GR® de Pays junction
  6. 5 : mi 2.3 - alt. 2,238 ft - Lovettaz, fountain
  7. 6 : mi 3.36 - alt. 3,179 ft - Grotte à Carret junction
  8. 7 : mi 3.49 - alt. 3,274 ft - Common junction for out-and-back route
  9. 8 : mi 3.69 - alt. 3,517 ft - Grotte Carret
  10. 9 : mi 3.92 - alt. 3,307 ft - Resurgence of the - Doria (rivière) à finaliser
  11. 10 : mi 4.02 - alt. 3,051 ft - High waterfall, footbridge - Cascade de la Doria
  12. 11 : mi 4.32 - alt. 2,618 ft - Passerelle de la Doria
  13. 12 : mi 4.73 - alt. 2,293 ft - Turn left at the fork, back to the car park
  14. S/E : mi 4.94 - alt. 2,018 ft - Lancenay car park

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

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

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Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Spy in the sky
Spy in the sky

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's a beautiful hike where you can discover the Carret cave (well worth a visit) and the Doria waterfall. We did it in mid-January. It took us 4 hours and 15 minutes, including a sandwich break.

However, there are some important details that I think are worth adding.
Contrary to the description, this is not a family walk in the sense that some sections can be dangerous. There are narrow passages where you have to hold on to the via ferrata cables. There were also a lot of leaves in some places, which made the path slippery.

The bridge at point 3 has been destroyed, so you have to cross the river on very slippery rocks.

Point 7, which is described as a simple technical passage, passes under the waterfall and is quite dangerous, requiring a harness to hold on to the cable. We therefore turned back to point 6 and went on to point 10.

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Pepsimax
Pepsimax

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

the bridge over the river after the arboretum is out of use. It is still standing, but it is completely twisted, making it extremely dangerous.
So I turned back to climb up to the Doria hole.
To reach the Doria hole, there is a steep climb on the last part. You're not quite sure where you're going until you find a winding path (phew).
The resurgence is splendid.
However, if I had wanted to do the circular route via the cave, I don't know where I would have had to go: under the waterfall?
partially retrace our steps to cross at the last bridge before the resurgence?

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Topogeo
Topogeo

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Shaded hike with elevation gain

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User 12860568

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The small trailhead is not easy to find as it is not marked by a sign, but the rest of the hike is fine with a few difficulties getting to the cave, which is a very narrow and steep path. When you arrive at point 7, where a very technical passage is indicated, you need to be equipped with a carabiner and other gear. For those who want to turn back,the intersection where there is a sign for Carret alt 969 m and head towards Cascade de la Doria to rejoin the trail

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jupicecle
jupicecle

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Hello,
I have done this route several times. In wet weather or after rain, some narrow and sloping sections can be difficult for those who are not sure-footed. There is a risk of slipping.
A pleasant, wooded trail, so it stays cool.

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