Crest de L'Oeillon from Veranne

This hike takes you through several different landscapes in Pilat. It starts at the foot of the hills, rich in orchards, and reaches the highest point of the massif, where the view is spectacular.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.21 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 837 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 839 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,363 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 563 m

Description of the walk

Park in the small car park near the church.

(S/E) Leave the car park and head towards the church. Once you are facing the church, take the street to the left of the fountain.

(1) Turn right and follow the white-yellow/white-brown markings towards Croix du Trève parish specific to Brittany. Keep heading north, ignoring the paths branching off to the left and right. At Le Combeau, leave the path on the right and continue straight ahead. After a sharp left turn, turn right at the crossroads and continue to the next fork.

(2) Turn sharply left. Continue west and follow the marked path to Croix du parish specific to Brittany.

(3) Turn left, then immediately turn right and join a tarmac road at a hairpin bend.

(4) Continue on the tarmac road to the right, which climbs and passes a few houses before reaching a three-way junction.

(5) Go straight ahead on the stony path that continues from the road. At the next junction, continue straight ahead, ignoring the paths on either side. The north-west facing path then turns right (north-east) and joins a new intersection (Trois Dents on the map).

(6) Turn left to join a wide track.

(7) Follow this track to the left until you reach Col du Gratteau on the D63, which offers a beautiful view over the Rhône Valley.

(8) Take the D63 on the right, then leave it at the start of the right-hand bend to take a path on the right that leads to Col de l'Oeillon.

(9) Follow the road to the right (D63-1) for a few dozen metres until you reach the end of the sharp left-hand bend. Cross it and climb up into the forest opposite. Once at the fork, follow the path to the right that runs alongside the plantation, cross the road twice and continue to the Crest de l'Oeillon orientation table.

(10) You will arrive at the orientation table after crossing some scree (or moraines), which can be windy but offer a beautiful view (an ideal spot for a picnic). Then go around the relay station to the north and cross the road to descend to the car park.

(11) Once at the car park, turn left onto a path heading east-southeast, cross the road again and rejoin the path you took on the way up. Continue to the right and descend to the Col du Gratteau.

(8) Head to the right of the small car park and take the path below that leads through the woods to the Croix de Saint-Sabin.

(12) Turn left and continue to the inn, which you should go around on the left. At a sharp right-hand bend, pass a farm on the left (La Ligue). Begin an easy and relaxing descent to a wide track. Turn left and continue to a crossroads (calvary).

(13) Take the second narrow path on the right, almost opposite. Pass the first turn-off on the left, then the second on the right, go past the Camière buildings and join a road at a place called La Tronchat

(14) Turn right and continue straight ahead for about 1 km.

(15) At the crossroads, turn right to join the D34. Turn left to return to the car park at the start (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 566 m - Car park near the church
  2. 1 : km 0.29 - alt. 576 m - Turn right towards Croix du Trève
  3. 2 : km 1.77 - alt. 732 m - Fork in the road - left
  4. 3 : km 3.72 - alt. 810 m - Croix du Trève
  5. 4 : km 4.08 - alt. 815 m - Tarmac road - on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.79 - alt. 866 m - Three-way junction - straight ahead
  7. 6 : km 5.68 - alt. 998 m - Trois Dents - on the left
  8. 7 : km 6.2 - alt. 1,081 m - Track junction, left
  9. 8 : km 7.16 - alt. 1,203 m - Col du Gratteau (1204m)
  10. 9 : km 7.6 - alt. 1,232 m - Col de l'Œillon (1235m)
  11. 10 : km 8.41 - alt. 1,361 m - Crêt de l'Œillon (1364 m)
  12. 11 : km 8.83 - alt. 1,318 m - Car park - descend below the road
  13. 12 : km 11.89 - alt. 1,058 m - Croix de Saint-Sabin - on the left
  14. 13 : km 13.95 - alt. 787 m - Crossroads, calvary
  15. 14 : km 15.01 - alt. 645 m - Road - on the right
  16. 15 : km 15.98 - alt. 569 m - Crossroads, on the right
  17. S/E : km 16.21 - alt. 566 m - Finish

Notes

Good shoes, a little training.
A nice climb for Pilat (900m).

Worth a visit

Very beautiful views.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Julien Sambre
Julien Sambre

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As a preamble to counterbalance the ratings for Reliability and Ease of following the route: I did the trip with a trekking GPS with the route pre-loaded, and I had no particular problems except on the circular at the summit of Oeillon (which I discuss below). But given how the summit crossing went, I deducted two stars. In any case, I would like to thank the person who suggested this route, as the time and energy spent contributing to the community is always to be commended.

The scenery is beautiful when the sky is clear, which wasn't often the case. There was often fog after the Col de l'Oeillon. The right-hand side of the circular route past the pass is off-road (the GPS track doesn't follow any path at all at certain points) and is quite dangerous: large, loose rocks that can move, combined with dense vegetation that hides the ground. It was very difficult to navigate, even after clearing the path a little with a machete and walking sticks. I had to find other "paths" to reach the summit, and I almost broke a walking stick and the hand holding it when I reached the top.

Apart from this section, the trek is very physically demanding: a steep, almost continuous climb on a stony path (only loose stones) on the way up, and the same on the way back until you reach the road. And even though I don't like the road, it made for a gentler finish than the rest of the trek.

Walking poles are essential for the entire route, as are good physical condition and plenty of water: 5 litres per person for two half-days was almost completely used up. It was cool at altitude, but warm clothing was not necessary.

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User 3534280

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with some elevation gain, for a change from the Alps.
Very gradual climbs (I've seen much steeper ones), and few people except at Oeillon.

There are paths everywhere in the section before the Col du Gratteau, so it's difficult to be sure you're on the right one without GPS.
But it's hard to really get lost because they all lead to Rome in the end.
Don't miss the path hidden in the broom at the Col du Gratteau, to the right of the road.
It's clearly the most beautiful part, and it would be a shame to stay on the Oeillon road.

I wanted to avoid returning by road and finish with the "Les 3 dents depuis Véranne" route.
But I passed by the day before the Pilatrail, with lots of colourful flags set up for different routes, which I followed alternately based on my instincts.
I returned to Véranne without walking on the road, except for the short section before the Auberge Vert ane in St Sabin.
I just extended the distance a little.

Wear good shoes: on some paths, the stones were just the right size to roll underfoot on the descent.

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bertrand de montclos
bertrand de montclos

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On 12 November 2022, as fog covered the Rhône Valley, we arrived in Véranne in the sunshine at 10:15 a.m. The climb was steep, as expected. Following the white/brown markings, we arrived at the Col du Gratteau at 12:15 p.m., after climbing more than 600 metres: phew! A hunter passed us: he was in a car!
Picnic at the pass with a view of the Alps, whose snow-capped peaks rise in the distance under the sun.
We climb the road to Crest de l'Oeillon to stay in the sun. The orientation table is worth a detour, turning your back on the ugly tangle of antennas.
On the way down, we go too fast at the Col du Gratteau and take the first path marked "Croix de Saint Sabin", which joins the road further down. We make up for it by taking the mountain bike path that cuts through the magnificent beech forest.
We return to the car at 3:15 p.m. after a picnic break of at least 30 minutes.

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richardguigui
richardguigui

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike to one of Pilat's iconic peaks. We extended the circular route a little by going to the Col de l'Etançon before reaching the Croix de Saint Sabin. Beautiful, pleasant views along this route and well-shaded sections (much appreciated in hot weather). We were surprised to find ourselves walking on paved paths in the middle of the Pilat mountains.
Thank you for the hike

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lcreton
lcreton

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is pleasant with a few steep climbs and slippery in rainy or foggy weather.
Some of the climbs are on Roman stone paths.
Please note that some crossroads can be confusing, especially as new paths have been opened

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ajf
ajf

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike over three days at the beginning of August 2020 and had no trouble pitching our tent. However, be aware that there are no water sources between Véranne and the Col de l'Oeillon and Col du Gratteau passes. We only found a stream by taking the path that leads to La Chaumiette from the Col du Gratteau (Point 8).
For Point 5, the small path on the right that climbs very steeply after the horizontal track is difficult to find as it is not marked. Be careful.For point 11, to avoid making a mistake, you must quickly turn off 50 metres after the marked path onto the old small track that leads to La Selle. It is easy to identify as there is a red sign at the entrance to a field on the left indicating "attention abeille" (beware of bees).

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Ochen
Ochen

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, close to Lyon and easy to access. It's a shame about the view, as we did it in foggy conditions and it was almost snowing.

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nbrunel
nbrunel
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, best done in the cool of the morning, to give yourself time to explore other options: climb the 3 Dents from the east along their ridge, climb to the chapel of St Sabin (round trip).

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promenades
promenades

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 11, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike. The first part is a gradual climb through the forest. Be careful on the descent as there are lots of stones. At the Crêt de l'Oeillon, there is a 360° view and, on a clear day, a beautiful view of the Alps. Even if it is a bit windy at the top, take the time to admire this beautiful panorama. A hike not to be missed. Thank you to the author.

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patrick furminieux
patrick furminieux

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

nice hike, great views, forest trail in Pilat, 360° view, pleasant return trip

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Hells
Hells

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very enjoyable hikes without too much difficulty! With a little motivation, it's easy to do!
The inn on the way back is a pretty good place to take a break in the warm and you might meet some interesting people.

The hike took 7-7.5 hours at a leisurely pace, taking several breaks and getting lost along the way ^^'

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PampleQuicke
PampleQuicke

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A superb walk in Pilat. The view was a little hazy in the distance, but we were able to see the surrounding area from higher up. To avoid the tarmac on the last few kilometres, you need to leave the route and follow the marked path to Verannes.

Do not overestimate the elevation gain, as the first part of the hike is all uphill with no breaks for your legs!

The hike took 5 hours, not including the picnic break.

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costa henri
costa henri

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike, even in stormy winds (8 to 10 Beaufort). It's windy at the top, but the landscape is magnificent with splendid views of the Alps, Mont Blanc, etc. The passage along the ridge and the three peaks is worth the effort, even if the end of the hike on asphalt is a little monotonous and uninteresting.

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pascal.amieux
pascal.amieux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Departure at 9:30 a.m., return at 3:30 p.m. Conditions were wintry, with 10 to 20 cm of fresh snow above 800 metres. We stopped at Col de l'Oeillon; given the conditions and the technical antennas, we didn't feel like continuing the rest of the route.
The climb through the forest is very beautiful, as is the descent, except for the last part, which is a bit long on a tarmac road

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randomarche42
randomarche42
• Edited:

All these downloaded hikes are to be done by summer. All these routes look interesting.

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