Château Gaillard- La Cizeranne

This hike is a variation of Château Gaillard to Saint-Mamans. It is a little more challenging, a little longer and has fewer tarmac roads. But it still offers beautiful views of the Musans mountains and the Valence plain.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.83 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 202 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 211 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 404 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 260 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Coming from the D124, head towards Fleurs, Les Tuilières, on Chemin des Favons. After crossing the small bridge, park on the right on the dirt track at the top of the hill. Take care not to obstruct agricultural vehicles.

(S/E) Join the tarmac road and head south for 100 metres, then take the grassy path on the right just before the house. It curves slightly to the left, then turns sharply to the right to climb up to a wide path (Chemin de Biquendot forest path).

(1) Take it completely to the left.

(2) Look for the return path on the right and keep going until you reach the water tower.

(3) After the "l'ACCA" sign, go down the path on the left along the undergrowth and join the meadow, then the tarmac road below. Turn right onto this road until you reach a fork.

(4) Keep to the right on Route des Samsonnes to join Route des Sources, where you turn right and continue for about 700 metres until you reach a gravel path.

(5) Turn right onto this path, just opposite a large house and after the Chemin des Sources sign. Walk past some pastures with sheep guarded by sheepdogs. Do not get too close to the fence. You will come to a fork in the path.

(6) After passing the green shed, turn left at a 90° angle and begin a 900-metre climb to rejoin the main path you took earlier (Chemin de Biquendot). Along the way, keep straight at No. 16 marked on the tree.

(2) Turn left, in the opposite direction to the outward journey, to rejoin the fork you passed on the way out.

(1) Continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroads.

(7) Continue straight ahead on the same path until you reach a farm.

(8) Take Route des Pinets on the right towards a house.

(9) Before reaching the house, follow the grassy path on the left (Chemin de la Cizeranne) which passes in front of a farmyard and ends at a tarmac road that slopes slightly downwards to pass under a house.

(10) Turn right onto Route Saint-Martin, heading towards the Cizeranne silos, and ignore the first road on the right that leads to La Cizeranne.

(11) Turn right onto Chemin de Cérès. Continue straight ahead, passing behind the silos, until you reach the five-way crossroads.

(12) Cross over and take the road opposite where you will see a sign prohibiting motor vehicles. Proceed to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 320 m - La Motte
  2. 1 : km 0.98 - alt. 352 m - Common junction A/R
  3. 2 : km 1.62 - alt. 373 m - Crossing the small circular loop
  4. 3 : km 2.32 - alt. 404 m - Castle, on the left
  5. 4 : km 2.81 - alt. 359 m - Fork, right
  6. 5 : km 4.04 - alt. 308 m - Stony path on the right
  7. 6 : km 4.51 - alt. 321 m - Very steep climb
  8. 7 : km 6.21 - alt. 332 m - Crossroads, opposite
  9. 8 : km 7.22 - alt. 306 m - Farmland, on the right
  10. 9 : km 7.87 - alt. 281 m - Grassy path on the left
  11. 10 : km 8.64 - alt. 264 m - Route Saint-Martin
  12. 11 : km 9.21 - alt. 261 m - Dirt track on the right
  13. 12 : km 10.36 - alt. 290 m - Multiple crossroads, opposite
  14. S/E : km 11.83 - alt. 320 m - La Motte

Notes

Between points (5) and (6), you will pass close to sheep pens guarded by dogs. They bark aggressively: ignore them and walk quietly without approaching the fence.

At point (2), respect the peace and quiet of local residents by avoiding making too much noise.

Worth a visit

Between points (1) and (2), you walk facing the Musant mountains and have a beautiful unobstructed view of the Valence plain.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
krisV
krisV

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This is a very easy hike with beautiful views of the Vercors. The first part is pleasant with pretty forest trails. However, the second part is uninteresting and very paved.

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DEVI26
DEVI26

I really enjoyed this countryside hike. A good variety of paths: ridge trails, footpaths... With beautiful views. A very pleasant little walk. Thank you to the author for posting it on Visorando.

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pallandre chantal
pallandre chantal

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely little hike. The first part, with its trails, woodland and views, is very pleasant. The last part involves quite a bit of road and passes behind silos, whose unpleasant smell lingers for quite a while!
Thanks to the author.

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GuillaumeR26
GuillaumeR26

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy hike with beautiful views of the foot of the Vercors and the entire Drôme plain with its hills south of Valence.

The first half is the most interesting, as it combines clear paths through the undergrowth and along the edges of fields, offering a beautiful 360-degree panorama (where you can see all the surrounding villages).

The second part is optional for those looking for a shorter distance, as the route forms a figure of 8 and returns close to the starting point.

Completed in the afternoon in clear, dry weather in 2 hours and 15 minutes (without breaks).

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DEVI26
DEVI26
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant short hike on flat but hilly terrain. Lovely trails with sections through the woods and a ridge trail offering beautiful views. An easy hike that is straightforward to follow. Thank you for this suggestion!

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samsonnet26
samsonnet26

Thank you ma.ge.26.38 for the information about the big climb. I changed the route and used a less steep path between points 6 and 2.

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ma.ge.26.38
ma.ge.26.38

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Climb up the difficult-to-find path, very steep. Not recommended for everyone.

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caresse
caresse

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike with beautiful views

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samsonnet26
samsonnet26

Thanks to MIFA46 for the information about the hike. Indeed, we pass behind the silos, not in front of them. I will correct this error.

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tronchenko
tronchenko

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant, varied, easy and well-explained hike. We missed the ACCA sign (as did MIFA46), but there was no room for doubt, so 5 stars for the description!
After point 10, you have to stay on the left side of the St Martin road (under two splendid plane trees) and not take the Ozon road (just a slight hesitation).
We were lucky enough to meet someone coming out of the silos who explained what was done in these huge warehouses: composting and storing road salt. Impressive...
Thanks to Sanmsonnet26 for this route near Charpey, where we wanted to try our luck at the radio's thousand-euro game recorded that day!

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MIFA46
MIFA46
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

My first picnic of the year! Thank you to the author for this lovely walk.
There are indeed some beautiful views between points 1 and 2, as well as on the way back after point 12, just before returning to the starting point.
At point 3, the ACCA sign is not very visible (and in poor condition, it's on its last legs ), but the path is clearly visible along the woods. The tarmac road below is on your right.
At point 4, the stony path on the left is in a cluster of houses (hamlet?), at the crossroads of the "route de la transhumance" and runs alongside a house.
After point 5, I must have turned off too early and never reached point 6. I should have just looked at my GPS...But I still found the Biquendot forest path, just below the house at 1964 on this path, which I passed on the way there. I had to shorten my outing a little. I'll go back to see where I went wrong.
At point 9, the grassy path has a sign saying "Chemin de la Cizeranne". At the end of this path, the sign for "Chemin des Aubépines" is behind us, and there you have to turn left onto the path that climbs slightly alongside a walnut grove. Then you come to a tarmac road that descends and passes under a very beautiful "bourgeois" house.
After point 10, keep left at the crossroads, taking the Saint Martin road and leaving the Silos de la Cizeranne directions on your right.
At point 11, I would say that you pass behind the silos, not in front of them.
From point 10 onwards, the route has very little shade, so be careful in summer and avoid the heat on this section.
These are just a few comments that I hope will not upset the author. Some walkers do not use GPS and need a lot of detail to find their way around.

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