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Access by car: from Lyon, head towards Thurins. Drive through the village without heading towards the town centre, and stay on the D311 towards Saint-Martin-en-Haut. About 1.5 km after leaving Thurins, at a place called Le Rochet, take the small road on the right and keep left to follow the road towards La Mathivière. About 600 m further on, you will come to a flat area: this is the Croix de la Mathivière (or Croix des Barons), where there are a few parking spaces (be careful to leave room for agricultural vehicles during the season).
(S/E) From the Croix de la Mathivière (or Croix des Barons), take the road that descends (northbound), then turn left after 50 metres onto a good path that runs alongside fruit crops before entering the forest. The path climbs gently through oak and chestnut undergrowth.
(1) At the signpost: Bois de la Voune, take the left fork to continue climbing. The path alternates pleasantly between climbs and flat sections. Through the gaps in the trees, you can see the importance of fruit growing for the region, given the number and variety of plots.
(2) Once you have passed the Maison des Trêves, at the signpost: Les Trêves, take the small path that climbs to the left. After passing through a fir forest, you will find yourself among oak and chestnut trees as the climb becomes steeper. Ignore the paths branching off to the right and stay on the main track until you reach the signpost: La Goutte de Bellevue.
(3) At the signpost, continue to the right, descending very slightly to cross the bed of the Goutte, which spreads out a little over the path. Once you have crossed the ford, continue climbing along the edge between the forest on the right and the fields on the left until you reach a farmhouse in a place called Bellevue. Continue along the road opposite until you reach the crossroads, where you take the road on the right that descends to the hamlet of Le Biternay.
(4) At the houses, turn right onto the grassy path which descends gently at first, then more steeply as it re-enters the forest until it joins the road you left at Le Biternay. Turn right onto this road and descend for about 400 m until you reach the sign for the hamlet of La Mure.
(5) Then turn left onto the dead-end road that leads to an isolated house, then continue on the path that extends the road after the last gate on the right. Follow this path until you pass two red barriers.
(6) Shortly after the second red barrier, take the path on the left which climbs steeply and quickly reaches the edge of the dam (platform and information panels). The path then runs along the edge of the lake, offering beautiful views of the banks and the spillway. The surroundings are well laid out, with wooden pontoon walkways and half-trunks shaped like benches for relaxing breaks or experienced anglers. The path goes all the way around the dam and leads to other information panels and a visitor footbridge.
(7) Retrace your steps to a picnic area with a barbecue available at the edge of the lake. Turn right to take the path that climbs quite steeply and leads to the entrance of a beautiful house. Continue straight on this access road until the next hairpin bend.
(8) Turn right and begin a long descent down the side of the valley. Notice the stonework on the old walls and the vegetation, which is quite different from that on the way up (south-facing).
(9) At the signpost: Les Bruyères, continue downhill. Walk past a group of buildings and continue straight ahead at the next crossroads. When the path leaves the forest, it widens and turns into a road leading to the hamlet of Le Julin.
(10) Cross the hamlet and after the cross in the centre of the hamlet, keep to the right on the road then take the path that goes down to the right (after a house with an outside clock) when the road turns left. Stay on this path which descends steeply to the road at the bottom of the valley. Turn left, then take the first road on your right to cross the bridge over the Garon.
(11) From here, the final effort begins. The road climbs quite steeply after the bridge. Ignore the sign for Mathivière and continue straight ahead towards Les Champs. At the first left-hand bend, leave the road and take a path, still climbing steeply, which you follow straight ahead (the first fork on the right is private property). The path continues to climb steeply, turns right then left (ignore the private property again) and tackles the last few metres to reach the Palt du Mont road. Turn right onto this road, then enjoy the last 200 metres of flat ground, which are largely lined with brambles on the right, and you will find the Croix des Barons (S/E).
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