Circuit of the 11 lakes in the Dombes

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

Well-marked route (yellow), with plenty of signposts. Good route description. Between 5 and 6, after Les Grassières, you’ll have to wade through a bit of mud, but fortunately it doesn’t last long. Otherwise, a very pleasant route, but best done before the trees have too many leaves, to enjoy the view of the ponds. Around 65% of the route is on tarmac.

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Date of your route : Mar 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very good for a walk despite the tarmac roads, but it's the only one that's really suitable for this distance. The natural surroundings are lovely, so it's nice.

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Date of your route : Oct 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy stroll among the ponds, which we were able to observe on numerous occasions, and lots of birds to admire. A peaceful walk.
There are many sections of tarmac, but this isn't unpleasant as the route is very quiet.
One major downside is the starting point, which requires you to follow the main road, which is busy and has no real pedestrian crossing. We decided to park near the church and walk through the village and a housing estate, but we still had to walk along the main road for a short stretch.
So, while the walk itself is accessible to children, the section on the main road on the way there and back cannot be done with young children.

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Date of your route : Apr 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful stretches along the ponds but a bit too much tarmac overall.
We parked in the hamlet of Les Cuirs (point 2) to avoid going back and forth along the road. Good idea , even if the locals don't always appreciate it: I found a message on my windscreen telling me to park in the village car park, even though I wasn't in the way on the side of the road
After driving along the Perchères pond (Chemin de la Leschère) and just as we reached the junction with the D70b, we took a shortcut on the right that runs alongside the Perchères pond and ends just before the hamlet of Trépet (which avoids the very unpleasant and even dangerous section of the departmental road at this point). A very good idea, apart from a small section that is very wet at this time of year (April).
There is another very muddy section just after the hamlet of Les Grassières (bring waterproof shoes or a change of socks)
To do after the walk: The restaurant in Saint-Nizier

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Date of your route : Mar 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route followed using GPX tracking; the route description was not used. Nice route with many views of the ponds, which are home to numerous water birds at this time of year. Quite a few paved roads along the route, but fortunately very little traffic. After a period of rain, the path was very muddy between Les Grassières and point 6. Apart from this section, the paths are very passable. I recommend avoiding the section on the RD90 between the start and point 2. You can park at the hamlet of Les Cuirs, taking care to leave room for farm vehicles. The route is then about 8 km long.

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Date of your route : Oct 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very easy walk to do with the family, with small children for example.
Another version was already done in September, when we saw at least 200 swans (migrating) on Marcua Pond.

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Date of your route : Aug 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Not much to see on this hike, not much to see, 4x4 trails, paved roads 😢

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Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A short stroll in the cool air around the ponds, with birds and peaceful ducks.

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We did this route on a beautiful windy day. The scenery was really beautiful, and there were lots of birds to watch. However, we got lost twice and one path was particularly muddy.

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

You can do this walk in both directions to enjoy different views.

I agree with Dofel that the section between S/E and 1 or even 2 is not very interesting. You can park in several places without causing any obstruction and start the circuit from there.
It's tarmac, but there's not much traffic except between 4 and 5 on the D706

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

A pleasant walk among the ponds. However, the section between points S/E and 1 is uninteresting and a bit long, running alongside the road... Perhaps it could be omitted?
Thanks for this route.

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Date of your route : Nov 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hike at the end of November, on a grey day, with a hailstorm halfway through.
We enjoyed the different ponds (there are eleven of them), the birds we saw (cranes, herons, ducks, storks, moorhens and a coypu swimming across a large pond).
It's true that there is a lot of tarmac on the route, but in winter it's less of a problem as it prevents the mud from turning to slush.
Cons: The locals protect their ponds with unpleasant signs (dangerous traps, deadly vipers, etc.) and there are hunters in autumn.
Easy hike. Nearby, visit the monastery of Notre Dame des Dombes.

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Date of your route : Oct 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is reliable.
Beautiful scenery with migratory birds flying overhead.
It's a shame that a large part of the route is on the road.

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Date of your route : Aug 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Problem with a closed road at point 5. We had to go back up to the right to take a small road. We made a mistake and turned left.

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Route completed today.
Interesting, easy, but the connection at point 5 couldn't be made via the path opposite the road. The passage was closed by a private owner who put up a large barrier. You have to turn right onto the road for 200 metres and then turn left onto the small road to get back on the right path. Otherwise, the St Nizier - St Paul de Varax road is busy and cars drive very fast. I suggest going back to point 2 to avoid it.

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