From Montmélian to La Roche du Guet, returning via the Col du Mont

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike, a beautiful route. This route is challenging but still manageable for those in good physical condition. The path is fairly well signposted from the Montmélian cemetery (5–10 minutes from the station). Very convenient as it’s accessible without a car (starting from the station). We set off from Lyon Part-Dieu (1 hr 40 mins by train) in the morning, climbed the pass (300m elevation gain → 1100m elevation gain) in 2 hrs 30 mins, had a meal at the picnic tables to the left of the Roche du Guet (clearly marked on the Visorando map) and set off again for the descent via the Col du Mont. Some sections are technical: rope (Roche du Guet) and some rather steep descents. But it’s still manageable if you take your time and pay attention to the terrain!

Visorando enabled us to complete this hike with ease, thanks to the map and directional guidance. One suggestion for improving the system would be to include on the hike profile the meaning of the trail signs along the route—in this case, yellow, right—which are typical of the route. Otherwise, it was perfect.

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Date of your route : Oct 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely circular starting from the Montmélian cemetery car park: well-marked trails with fairly steep ascents and descents, but no difficulties.
There is little or no mud on this route, which means it can be used from September to April, whereas the other access routes (Lac de La Thuile, Roc de Tormery and Tapin) are quite muddy, but this route is longer with more elevation gain.
Be careful in the final section, where there is a sharp limestone pavement that can be slippery in wet conditions.

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Date of your route : Jun 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
Nice car park and a fountain at the entrance to the cemetery – a pleasant end to the walk
As mentioned in the description, it’s a tough climb (a total of 1,093m elevation gain for me)
The paths are very well maintained. However, under the rock, the path is a bit less well-maintained; it goes down and then back up. I saw two people coming the other way who had missed the fork (in the other direction there is indeed a cross; I didn’t see anything on the way up, but perhaps that was my mistake)
I met some people at the pass who were a bit nervous during the final stretch, but it’s easy going along the ridge
I didn’t go down to the lake… my aim for the day was to cool off at Lake Carouge
Just one downside at the end: the path goes through the vineyards for 20 minutes (in the heat) and, above all, there’s a strong smell of sulphate
I’ll keep this hike on my list as it’s very pleasant

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Date of your route : Aug 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. The ascent is quite steep but presents no technical difficulties, and offers a beautiful view at the top. The descent is slightly less steep than the ascent (we did the walk in this direction). As the climb (and the descent too) is mainly through woodland, it’s a pleasant walk even in hot weather. However, it’s best avoided in damp conditions or after heavy rain, as it can be particularly slippery at the top and on the descent.

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Date of your route : May 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike with some stunning views. The climb is quite steep, as is the descent, for that matter , but what a view when you reach the top. You can extend the route to the Col du Mont by heading to Lac de la Thuille.
Thanks for this guide

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