From the Serrein Chapel to Montfalcon Castle

A short, varied walk on the hillside of Saint-Clair-sur-Galaure. View of the Vercors peaks

Details

139062
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.75 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 119 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 119 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 543 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 437 m

Photos

Description of the walk

For parking, it is best to park
in the car park outside the cemetery. This is located outside the village, on the hillside.

(S/E) From the car park, head north and immediately turn right towards the east.
Pass in front of the Serrein Chapel.

(1). After the chapel, turn left (northeast).

(2) At the next crossroads, follow a wide stone path on your right (east). Shortly after leaving the fields and entering the woods, your path veers slightly to the left. Don't miss the poorly maintained path in front of you (east-southeast). Take it until you reach the communal pond of Saint Clair.

(3). Turn right (south) and walk along the western bank of the pond.
Leave the pond by taking the wide path that heads south-west. After a few dozen metres, take a small path that branches off to the left, heading due south. Be careful to spot this path: if you miss it, turn left at the next crossroads.

You will come out onto a wide forest track, which you will take to the left (due east) and follow for a long time (it is marked in yellow). You are now on the ridge and can enjoy views of the Vercors peaks. Ignore any paths leading off to the left or right.
Shortly before crossing the D156, you will see a ruined tower on your right. Cross the D156 and note the ruins of Montfalcon Castle.

(4) Continue straight ahead, eastwards, and when you reach a wood, take a path on the left which is marked to the Chapelle du Serrein.
Descend to cross the Galaveyson stream. It is often almost dry, but it can be turbulent at times.

(5) Slowly climb up the opposite hillside (west).

(6) At a fork, bear right. Then walk along a 2-metre-high fence (open-air pig farm). Continue along the wide path, which becomes tarmac.

(7) At Le Bouvet, continue straight west on a gravel path to Les Girauds, where there is a spring flowing into a basin.

(8) At Les Girauds, turn left, heading south. Cross the Ruiseau du Galaveyson stream again, which has grown in size, and climb up the opposite bank.
When you reach a T-junction, turn left (east).

(2) Then turn right (south). You are now back at the Chapelle du Serrein. Continue for 100 metres to the cemetery (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 480 m - Car park at Saint-Clair cemetery
  2. 1 : km 0.3 - alt. 487 m - Serrein Chapel
  3. 2 : km 0.68 - alt. 487 m - Crossroads at elevation 489
  4. 3 : km 1.64 - alt. 511 m - Etang communal de Saint-Clair
  5. 4 : km 4.09 - alt. 532 m - Ruins of Montfalcon Castle
  6. 5 : km 5.21 - alt. 499 m - Galaveyson stream
  7. 6 : km 6.05 - alt. 507 m - Fork in the road
  8. 7 : km 8.07 - alt. 484 m - Le Bouvet
  9. 8 : km 8.98 - alt. 451 m - Les Girauds
  10. S/E : km 10.75 - alt. 480 m - Car park at Saint-Clair cemetery

Notes

A water source at Les Girauds

Worth a visit

- Serrein Chapel. It is built from pebbles taken from the glacial moraine. If it is open, you can see an old plaque commemorating those who died in the 1914-1918 war.

- Communal pond in Saint-Clair-sur-Galaure.

- Ruins of Montfalcon Castle.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
ChrisGat26
ChrisGat26

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The path through the woods is now well maintained. Beautiful views and a lovely free-range pig farm towards the end.

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Pitch26
Pitch26

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The last part is very damaged due to severe weather conditions. The descent is very steep and has been eroded

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dougere
dougere

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with beautiful views. A really nice pig farm with little piglets suckling their mothers.
The path described as poorly maintained between 2 and 3 was clearly visible because it was well maintained, but at the end of the route near the pond, it was no longer maintained at all. Prickly brambles and holly obstructed the path.

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les marcheuses de veurey
les marcheuses de veurey

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I take back what I said; we were the ones who made a mistake at point two. We continued straight ahead instead of turning right. Sorry, I wanted to edit my previous comment but couldn't figure out how
On the other hand, yes, it was a bit too long, but thank you because it was a beautiful walk

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les marcheuses de veurey
les marcheuses de veurey
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very good, even though we got lost at the start at point 2. We didn't go far enough; we did the route backwards without seeing the pond. We'll do it again.

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sarrarobert
sarrarobert

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I know the Chambaran area well, but not this route, which has a bit of tarmac but is very quiet.
As usual, Yannick's routes are spot on.
I did a reconnaissance trip towards the Gabot pond, near the pig farm, a very quiet place, but not ideal for a picnic!
The lily of the valley wasn't great this year!

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FRIGOUDY
FRIGOUDY

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful, fairly easy walk with stunning views of the Vercors. Halfway along the route, there is a spectacular sight of pigs roaming freely. The climb up the road at the start of the walk is a little daunting in the June sun, but the rest of the route is more pleasant. You are close to the Chambaran military camp. Beautiful forest which, I hope, will not be sacrificed to the leisure centre project...

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rock
rock

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk with magnificent scenery. Poor signposting at a crossroads meant we missed the castle...

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rock
rock

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful route. Varied and magnificent landscapes. But a poorly signposted crossroads meant we missed the castle...

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rock
rock

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk, part of which takes place under the trees.

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bibi
bibi ★

Thank you for your feedback. Do you see any way to improve the description for future visitors? Any details that would have helped you locate the start of the trail...
Kind regards

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citroenc3
citroenc3

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Good evening
we enjoyed the walk to the Serrein Chapel.
the first 2 kilometres are not very well signposted and we missed the communal pond at St Clair sur Galaure.
otherwise, there were no problems.
we didn't see the path that would have taken us to landmark 3 in the description and ended up further north-east
near a telecommunications pylon.
for your information, there had been some tree felling with forestry machinery passing through, which is where we missed the path!
we turned back and rejoined the wide track that took us to Montfalcon Castle.
and we had a great day.
see you soon
The Voironnais

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fredobaroud
fredobaroud

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 11, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A nice little hike to admire, among other things, the Vercors and the Grand Veymont, its highest point. We walked along the huge pig park and saw piglets and their mothers frolicking in the wild. Nothing to say about the route description, but there was a lot of road on the way back. Too bad.

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gkw968
gkw968

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful walk through fields and woods, with the added bonus of a sprig of lily of the valley in the undergrowth.
A small path along the ridge with views of the Vercors, very peaceful. At this time of year, children will enjoy seeing the pig farm and its piglets running free!

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Jo B3.
Jo B3.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely three-hour hike under grey skies, but no complaints—everything is well marked.

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