Châtelus (Loire) walks

Starting from Châtelus, head towards the Couzon, which you will follow as far as the Moulin du Pas. From there, the route climbs up to the Pin Picard and heads towards the Bruneton, from where you will return to Châtelus via Soleymieux and La Rivoire.

Route starting from Marcenod, a small rural village of 700 inhabitants at an altitude of around 700 m. Very lovely views of the Monts du Forez.

A route through the Monts du Lyonnais starting from Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise, inviting you to discover châteaux and dams, taking roads, nature trails and wooded paths offering views of the Monts du Lyonnais and Forez, and ending with a visit to the collegiate church that dominates the town.

This route takes you to Samson’s Menhir and the Chapel of La Salette. It is a very pleasant walk as it follows the rivers Coise and Couzon for a while, as well as the Orzon stream, and offers beautiful views of the Monts du Lyonnais.

An easy and very varied walk (village, paths, woods, fields) with beautiful panoramic views and amenities.

This pleasant, rural circular walk, in the little-visited hills of the western Monts du Lyonnais, winds its way through the valleys of the Coise and its tributaries. It starts in the charming village of Aubépin and leads to the imposing Château de Lafay, crossing the village of Larajasse and then wandering through fields and forests to isolated farms and peaceful little hamlets: Vaudragon, La Valletière, Chazette, Les Granges, Le Terron, La Grange Bruyère, Gouttenoire, Moulin Vaudray, La Chèvre, La Lardière, La Rivoire, Les Grandes Bruyères and Croix Galant, before returning to Aubépin after this breath of fresh air.

A nature walk in the Monts du Lyonnais, through pastures and small hamlets.

A beautiful walk with views of Pilat and Saint-Etienne. Reviews indicate that a GPS is very useful for following this hike.

A circuit primarily on small paved and sunny roads.

The route passes through different areas in the countryside around Saint-Christo-en-Jarez (wetlands, forest and meadows). Along the way, themed information boards provide details about the local wildlife. On a clear day, two-thirds of the way along the route, you will be treated to a magnificent view of the Alps.

A short walk starting from the village of Fontanès, offering a beautiful view at the highest point of the Sept Pins. The passage through the woods is very pleasant.

Beautiful route along the ridges around the village of Fontanès. Free parking in the castle grounds.

A circular walk from Chazelles-sur-Lyon and the Hat Museum to the Gimond dam, which is the reservoir for Chazelles-sur-Lyon's drinking water supply. Along the way, you will find several viewpoints over the region: Mont du Lyonnais, Pilat, etc. You will cross the Gimond stream, which is always dry, several times via small bridges.

A route starting from the Gimond dam to Aveize, via L'Argentière. This route crosses the Monts du Lyonnais with a short section in the woods, near the Aveize discovery trail.

The route goes around the Gimond dam in a peaceful setting, surrounded by fishermen, then after a detour to the church of Grézieu-le-Marché, it ends the circular route at the Bois de la Dame.

Walk on the heights of the Col du Pilon, reaching Fontanés via the footpaths and returning via the small roads, with little elevation gain.

This circular starting from Sainte-Catherine, mainly on trails and little-used roads, allows you to explore the ridges and valleys of the Monts du Lyonnais and discover the Chapels of Saint-Apollinaire and Saint-Pierre. Beautiful views of the Rhône Valley, the Pilat Massif and the Alps on a clear day.

Long hike starting from Sainte-Catherine, which passes by the summit of the Monts du Lyonnais, the Crêt Malherbe at 946m.

A lovely walk with some beautiful views of the Gier valley. Our canine friends will find little shade, no paved roads, no river for water, but in season there is a tap at the Saint-Apollinaire chapel.

A great day’s walk in the deep countryside of the Monts du Lyonnais.

This hike, which is not difficult on the paths, offers beautiful views of Pilat and the Alps.

This hike takes place in the southern part of the Monts du Lyonnais. It is not very busy, although it follows theGR®®7along the ridges between Sainte-Catherine and Valfleury. A pilgrimage dedicated to the Virgin Mary used to take place in this village. Remnants bear witness to this era, which is gradually fading away: Stations of the Cross, statues, and reconstructed grottos. The return route takes you through the Durèze valley before climbing up through small hamlets, including Lachal with its imposing 18th-century neoclassical château, then crosses the Bois des Feuilles to return to Sainte-Catherine.

At the start, the route winds its way through the valleys of the Monts du Lyonnais and crosses a few hamlets, leading us to the Signal de Saint-André. From the Signal, the view over the Rhône valley, the city of Lyon and the Alps is magnificent. The return journey follows the eastern ridge, with the Pilat massif in your sights and the Alps on your left. The medieval village of Riverie is well worth a visit.

A very varied hike in the Loire, alternating between open landscapes with meadows, valleys, deciduous forests and numerous apple and cherry orchards. The walk also allows you to discover a curious underground aqueduct. In good weather, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Mont Blanc and the entire Alpine range. This hike can be enjoyed in all seasons, but it must be magnificent in spring when the fruit trees are in bloom.

This circuit starts in Valfleury, a charming village nestled at the bottom of a valley, and mainly follows ridges offering numerous views towards Saint-Chamond, Saint-Étienne, Pilat and, further afield, Forez and Auvergne. Don't miss a visit to Valfleury church.

A lovely walk in the countryside with stunning views.

This pleasant circular walk in the Brévenne valley takes you through woods and meadows in a little-visited and rather secret area offering beautiful views of the Massif Central and the Monts du Lyonnais. From the hilltop village of Aveize, the route descends to the bottom of the valley and, after meandering along the opposite slope, passes through the charming little village of Meys before crossing the Brévenne and climbing back up to Grézieu-le-Marché and Aveize.

Family-friendly walk in the hills of Saint-Héand among the horses and cows.

A family walk with a steady climb to the summit of the Monts du Lyonnais and beautiful scenery all along the way. Very little tarmac, forest paths and, of course, the impressive view from the Signal de Saint-André footbridge.

A trip from the hamlet of Rabut, in the commune of Saint-Martin-en-Haut, to the highest point of the Monts du Lyonnais, which is an excellent excuse to enjoy the panoramic views of the mountains, Lyon and the Rhône plain. The area near the signal, designed for enjoying the views, is very well laid out and secure, and allows you to rediscover the environment thanks to the information panels.

This hike allows you to discover some pleasant and cultural sites near Saint-Martin-en-Haut. The route begins by crossing the leisure park, then passes by the Signal Saint-André viewpoint. It descends into the Artilla valley and climbs back up to Crêt de la Poipe to reach the medieval hamlet of Rochefort, then the village of Duerne. Shortly before Montromant, it runs alongside the Brévenne aqueduct, crosses Duerne and returns to Saint-Martin-en-Haut.

A walk that takes you around Cellieu via the geographical centre of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, whilst discovering magnificent landscapes, and even Mont Blanc on a very clear day. Please note: there is a significant elevation gain, making this route unsuitable for pushchairs.

Starting from L'Argentière (in the commune of Aveize), this short 2- to 3-hour circular will delight the whole family with its varied landscapes and the last third of the route, which follows a fun botanical trail. The places mentioned "in quotation marks" in the description are marked with corresponding signs on the ground put in place by the Rhône department.

This walk, far from the tarmac, alternates between open paths and wooded trails. The section by the orientation table offers a view of the surrounding peaks.

A short, easy walk with a few forest paths that will be a welcome respite in hot weather. The small roads taken, outside the village, have little traffic.

A little-used walk on the western slope of the Monts du Lyonnais, more rugged than wooded, where the landscape is open and offers beautiful views throughout the route. From Duerne, the route winds across a plateau, then descends gradually into the Orzon valley before climbing up to Pomeys and crossing a ridge. It descends at a steady gradient into the La Gimond valley and its lake, from where it climbs up to Aveize, then plunges into the Orjolle valley before returning to Duerne.

This circular route starting from Duerne takes you along a few quiet country lanes and numerous forest paths and tracks (around 70%). Beautiful unobstructed views of Montromant, Sainte-Foy-l'Argentière and the Monts du Lyonnais.

This circular route alternates between easy and more challenging paths, a few forest trails and quiet minor roads.

This beautiful circular route from Duerne takes you along well-marked paths and tracks, often shaded, to discover the varied landscapes of this little-known part of the Monts du Lyonnais. A small stele by the side of the road commemorates the sacrifice of the American pilots who crashed there in 1944. At the end of the route, before heading back up towards Duerne, you can discover the astonishing remains of the Roman Aqueduct on the Brévenne.

This route, which alternates between small tarmac roads, open tracks and forest paths, presents no particular difficulties and will take you from Duerne to Aveize and Saint-Martin-en-Haut.

A beautiful hike through orchards and forests in the hills above Rive de Gier. The very hilly area offers beautiful panoramic views. Chagnon and Saint-Romain-en-Jarez are interesting for those who love old buildings.

This route in Maringes offers beautiful views of the Forez plain, the Bois Noirs, the Pilat and numerous villages (25 bell towers on a clear day). The route also offers 180° views of the village of Maringes and a beautiful panorama of the Brévenne valley. The route passes by a chapel built in the 17th century in honour of Saint-Roch for having stopped the diphtheria epidemic.

Combining medieval tourism in Rochefort with a walk in the countryside and forest, allow a good two hours for this pleasant short hike in any season, which partly follows the route of the Way of St James. An hour and a half if you don't climb up to the Crêt. There are lots of ups and downs, sometimes a little steep but never for too long. Feasible by mountain bike with assistance but not recommended for pushchairs (steps and stones).

A beautiful circular walk through the varied and undulating landscapes of this part of the Monts du Lyonnais, taking you through the pretty, shady valley of the Bâtie stream and along the Rontalon botanical trail. The route follows an old railroad track from the early twentieth century, before climbing up through a Mediterranean style forest and past some market gardens. End by visiting the medieval village of Rochefort where you can visit the remains of the keep and the chapel.