Route du Pin Bouchain, Amplepuis, Cublize, Col du Pilon les Sauvages

Start at the Col du Pin Bouchain car park by the chapel.

(S/E) Head towards the N7, cross it carefully and take the^GR®7opposite. A few metres past the yellow tower, leave the^GR® and turn right onto the path running alongside the N7.

(1) After leaving the hamlet of La Maconnière, take the path on the right just before a hairpin bend.
When you reach the crossroads, cross the N7 carefully, take the road opposite and continue to the last house on the left.

(2) Take Route Napoléon on the left and follow it to the next crossroads.

(3) When you reach the road, turn left then immediately right, follow the track to the^first path on the right and take it.

(4) At the crossroads, continue straight on; when you reach Le Fay, take the tarmac road on the right and continue straight up.

(5) At the three-way junction, turn left, continue straight on towards the path and follow it straight on until the next tarmac road.

(6) Turn right and head down to the hamlet of Le Pilon. At the crossroads, go straight ahead and follow the path down. When you reach the houses, turn left until you reach the junction with the D10 at the hamlet of Le Vervas.

(7) Walk a few metres up the D10, turn right onto the tarmac road with the no entry sign and follow it down, keeping to the right, until you reach Le Rançon (^{the first} houses in the commune of Amplepuis).

(8) Turn right onto Boulevard de Rançon and follow it to the bottom, cross the D10 carefully and go through the railway tunnel. Go round the roundabout on the left and take Rue de Belfort towards the florist.

(9) Walk up this street; when you reach the centre, continue straight on past the church and follow Rue du 8 Mai 1945 to the next roundabout. Turn immediately right towards the swimming pool, cross the D313 with care and, heading towards the stadium, take the path on the left towards Sandrin.

(10) Follow this path uphill, keeping to the right, and when you reach the crossroads with the cross, continue straight on along Chemin de Sandrin until the end of the tarmac road and the houses.

(11) Take the path straight on to the farm building, turn left at the junction of the three paths, then a few metres further on turn right and follow the path straight on.

(12) At the junction of four paths, go straight on. When you reach the D56, cross over and take the path opposite, then the tarmac road to the left. Follow it to Lac de Cublize, then head left towards the car park and the restaurants where you can get something to eat and rest.

(13) Take the path around the lake on the right, cross the tarmac road and take the tree-top adventure trail. Follow it uphill to the hamlet of La Graviche, cross it heading to the right and go down the path to the reservoir.

(14) Continue straight on towards the village of Ronno, cross through it past the church and, about 100m further on, take a straight road to the left. At the next crossroads with a cross, turn right then take the^first path on the left.

(15) Follow this path up to the D98, cross carefully to the other side, walk about 50m and take the path on the right. Follow it up and, further on, ignore the path on the right; pass in front of the Dumas Chapel and, at the crossroads, turn right onto the^GR®7. Follow the path to the D313 at Col du Pilon, cross the road ignoring the path opposite and continue a few metres further along the^GR®7.

(16) Continue straight ahead, cross the D56 with care at Giroudon and continue on the^GR®7to Croix Carrel. Continue straight ahead (there may be a diversion due to the wind turbines; ignore this), follow the^GR®7to the village of Les Sauvages (69).

(17) Cross the D8 with care, then enter the village following the^GR®7; after the church and just before the town hall, turn left and follow the street and the D121 to the village exit.

(18) Once you reach the tennis courts, cross the D121 with care and follow the^GR®7towards the astronomical observatory. After passing the observatory, at the tarmac path, turn left and continue through the farmland until you reach the Route Napoléon. Continue on the^GR®7to the right, then straight on until you reach the D121 again. Cross with care and take the tarmac path to the right.

(19) Go straight on, ignoring the tarmac road on the right. Continue in this direction to the Col du Pin Bouchain, Chapelle car park (S/E).

In summer, allow for 3 to 3.5 litres of water; you can fill your water bottles and top up your supplies nearby at Lac des Sapins. Best done in late summer.

I completed the route on 4 July 2019 in 8 hours, including breaks. For experienced hikers, you can set off at 8.00 am and have lunch in Cublize, either at the restaurants at Lac des Sapins or nearby at a picnic table.

Col du Pin Bouchain signpost.
Lac des Sapins.
Chapelle Dumas.
Splendid views throughout the hike.