From Saint-Martin-des-Rosiers to the Tower of Albon

Among the valleys of the Drôme, overlooking the Rhône plain.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.29 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 295 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 301 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 351 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 187 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the village of Saint-Martin near the school

(S/E) Take the road heading south (D161). Follow the road south and walk through a short stretch of forest.

(1) At the fork after a left-hand bend, take the road uphill to the left towards a house.
Walk past the house on your left and continue along the path through the meadows and fields. When you reach a section of road, ignore the road on your right and follow the road straight ahead for 50 metres.

(2) At the first crossroads, follow the road to the left. Walk past a house on your right. Ignore the road going down to the left and continue straight ahead. After 250 metres, leave the road and follow a path going up to the right. Join a path coming from the right and turn left downhill. Follow the path until you reach a road.

(3) Follow the road to the left for 150 metres, then take a hairpin bend to the right towards the Verrine house. Walk past the house on your right. Join a road coming from the right and continue straight ahead. You will reach the edge of a forest on your left. Continue down the road and you will arrive near a house on your left.

(4) Take the path downhill to the left at the foot of the house. Cross the forest, ignoring a path leading down to a field. Continue down the path, almost in a straight line. Join a path coming from the left and continue straight ahead. 50 metres further on, join a path coming from the right and follow it slightly downhill to the left (ignore the path leading off to the left on level ground and disappearing into the forest). You will reach the D132 road.

(5) Follow the road to the right. Walk past the Gras buildings on your right.

(6) After 500 metres, descend to the left towards the stream and a house. Cross the stream via a bridge. Go around the house and turn right to follow the path uphill to the north-west through the fields. You will reach a road at Figuet.

(7) Follow the road to the right for 50 metres, then take the path uphill to the left, close to the buildings. Cross the woods and you will come to a crossroads.

(8) Take the one leading off to the left. Follow this large stony road, ignoring the other paths on either side. You will come to a crossroads with a building topped with antennas.

(9) Continue along the path to the left, ignoring the road leading off to the right. Walk alongside an underground water reservoir. You will arrive at the car park for the Tour d'Albon.

(10) Follow the path on the right that goes up to the tower and enjoy the view. There is a route with information panels. Go around the tower on the west side, following the metal steps and paths. This will take you back towards the car park. Take the very stony path downhill on the right and you will come to a road.

(11) Follow the road to the left. In a left-hand bend, opposite a large shed, take the path on the right that descends slightly and runs alongside the shed. After the shed, the path turns right at a right angle and descends to the right through the orchards. The path turns left, then right again at a right angle, and reaches a road.

(12) Follow the road towards the village on the left. Cross the ford via a concrete bridge. Reach the village of Saint-Martin and its main street. Turn right to reach, 150 metres further on, a fountain and the church on the left. Take a detour to the church to admire its stained-glass window. Then continue to the left to reach the school of Saint-Martin and the park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 197 m - Saint-Martin School
  2. 1 : km 1.45 - alt. 277 m - Path ascending to the left
  3. 2 : km 2.71 - alt. 344 m - Crossroads at Les Igonières, road on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.76 - alt. 316 m - Road to Verrine
  5. 4 : km 4.56 - alt. 270 m - Hamlet of Prat, on the left
  6. 5 : km 5.37 - alt. 207 m - On the right on the D132
  7. 6 : km 6.35 - alt. 219 m - Path to the left towards the stream
  8. 7 : km 7.45 - alt. 297 m - Road to Figuet, on the right
  9. 8 : km 8.23 - alt. 336 m - La Renardière crossroads, on the left
  10. 9 : km 9.48 - alt. 322 m - Antennae, on the left
  11. 10 : km 9.88 - alt. 327 m - The Tower of Albon
  12. 11 : km 10.17 - alt. 285 m - Crossroads of the Tour d'Albon, on the left
  13. 12 : km 11.45 - alt. 189 m - Ford and sports areas
  14. S/E : km 12.29 - alt. 197 m - Saint-Martin School

Notes

Normal walking equipment.
No water sources.
No shelter except for sheds or lofts when passing near houses.

Worth a visit

Valleys and combes of the Drôme.
The Bancel stream with its ford replaced by a bridge. Nearby, at the house, there is a saffron crop.
Views of the Valloire and Rhône plains.
The 13th-century Albon Tower, built on a mound, with its panoramic views.
The village of Saint-Martin with its church featuring one of the largest modern stained glass windows in Europe. In 1977, the vaulted ceiling of the church choir collapsed. The building was then limited to the nave, separating it from the ruins by this stained glass window.
The stained glass window is signed Borga 1978.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
ma.ge.26.38
ma.ge.26.38

thank you

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jrf
jrf
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike across the Bancel Valley. Take care on the road at the start (it is not very wide and quite busy) with beautiful views of the southern Vercors. Don't miss the informative route at the Albon Tower and the stained glass window in the Church of St Martin des Rosiers.

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delay jean louis
delay jean louis

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

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ma.ge.26.38
ma.ge.26.38

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

pleasant little walk

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BMV
BMV

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Superb walks with the added bonus of visiting a church with magnificent stained glass windows in ST MARTIN DES ROSIERS.

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VaninaMJ
VaninaMJ
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike is fantastic!!!
The route is impeccable, with very precise directions.
Passages through fields with magnificent unobstructed views of Pilat, the Chartreuse massif, Bièvre, the Rhône valley and the hillsides of Ardèche.
You will also walk through pleasant woodlands and climb up to the Tour d'Albon to discover its history and enjoy its magnificent view!
On arrival or departure, don't forget to stop at the charming and unusual Church of St Martin des Rosiers to admire its 60m² stained glass window, unique in Europe!
This hike is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable I have ever done! In spring, with the rapeseed fields in bloom, it is very colourful.

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robert.marche
robert.marche

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Be careful at position 4a5, where a path comes in on your right leading down to a mountain bike trail. Do not take this path; continue straight ahead until you reach the D132. Magnificent view at the end of the second section and, as the icing on the cake, the final flourish: the stained glass window in the church. Time: 3 hours 40 minutes.

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meryld
meryld

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Beautiful views of the rolling hills and the plain. Pleasant forest trails. This makes for a very varied hike.

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JOJOLEBLEU
JOJOLEBLEU

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Beautiful hike, lovely forest trails despite a few paved paths.
A hike that is definitely worth discovering.

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ocejuju0928
ocejuju0928

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike, despite a strong southerly wind. Some of the trail markings are missing, so you sometimes hesitate. Similarly, at the end, at the vineyard sign, you have to take the road on the left, even though the markings indicate the opposite, and in the distance, on the telegraph pole, there is a cross! So we turned right for about 1 km, but as we were getting too far from the village, we turned back... and under the cross we discovered a small yellow line, which we should have followed according to the written description!

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fanchonfrançoise
fanchonfrançoise
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

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marcorando38
marcorando38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A bit too much tarmac road for my liking, but fortunately there are lots of forest sections. I know the Albon tower like the back of my hand, but for someone seeing it for the first time, it's a point of interest, as is the rather original stained glass window in the church of St Martin des Rosiers.

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