The Croix du Paradis route in Guéreins

Starting from Guéreins at the trailhead sign, car park on Rue du Centre.

(S/E) Opposite the starting point information board, turn right and, at the junction, turn left onto Chemin de Ferrary, which leads to the banks of the Callonne. Follow the river and continue along the path opposite, on level ground for 500 m, before climbing the hillside to the left. At the crossroads halfway up the slope, turn right and continue to reach the top of the plateau.

(1) At the Croix du Paradis, carry on straight ahead towards the viewing point on stilts (orientation table) situated in front of the Château des Charmes. Continue and, at the crossroads, turn right then immediately left onto the Route du Chemin Vert, which becomes a footpath.

(2) When you reach the outer wall of Château des Hardies, take the road opposite as far as the cross, then head down to the village of Genouilleux.

(3) At the junction with the D933, follow it to the left for a few metres before turning right.

(4) Facing the Saône, turn left and follow the towpath for 1.2 km before taking the next path on the left, which leads to the centre of Guéreins. Turn right onto the D933 so as to pass in front of the church, then take the second street on the left down to reach the starting point of the walk (S/E).

There is a picnic area in Port Chassy, on the banks of the Saône. Another is at the end of Rue du Simond, also on the banks of the Saône, near where the Calonne flows into the Saône.
You’ll find public toilets on Rue du Centre: one in the village’s large car park and the other in a small lane running perpendicular to Rue du Centre, opposite the bakery. There’s also a water point there. You’ll find another water point next to the football ground.

This walk is organised by the Val de Saône Centre Tourist Office in collaboration with the FF Randonnée de l’Ain.

Alternative route starting from Genouilleux

From the church car park, opposite the information sign at the start, follow the D933 southwards and take the^first road on the left until you reach (S/E), then follow the route description above in order (1)-(2)-(3)-(4).

48 per cent tar.

The Paradis viewpoint:
A viewing platform and an orientation table offer a breathtaking view of the Saône Valley and the Beaujolais Hills. In days gone by, Lyon’s leading figures built their residences and châteaux on the slopes of the Saône Valley to enjoy both the view and the transport links provided by the roads, the River Saône and the towpath.

Genouilleux Island:
Genouilleux Island is now covered in poplars, but it was described by Abbé J.P. Fray, a distinguished botanist in the very early 20th century, as reminiscent of the “American pampas where the traveller loses their way amongst the tall grasses”. At that time, he recorded 130 plant species there. It remains a refuge for migratory birds.

The Château des Hardies:
This château was built on the site of a former 17th-century adobe château, which was demolished in 1870 to make way for the present château, completed around 1880. At the four corners of the building, the pointed roofs of the square towers adjoining the central structure stand out. This château is privately owned.