From the Verbois Gorges to the Val d'Amby

A shaded trail that takes you through the Gorges de Verbois, very pleasant in hot weather, and past some typical buildings.

Details

471982
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.49 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 302 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 300 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 386 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 214 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the small car park (with recycling bins) on the left at the war memorial located at the crossroads (there is also a fountain and a large stone cross nearby) at the exit of Hières-sur-Amby towards Val d'Amby, Optevoz.

(S/E) From the car park, take the small road towards Marigneu. At the Pont Vieux signpost, turn right and follow Optevoz (yellow signposts). Take the first path on the right (yellow signposts)

(1) Do not follow the track straight ahead. Cross the stream and follow the yellow signs to the Gorges de Verbois signpost.

(2) Turn right towards Optevoz. Cross the stream. Follow the path until the left turn at altitude 333.

(3) In the left-hand bend, take the small path that descends to the right (marked with two yellow crosses on a tree). It joins a wider path that leads to a small road.

(4) Follow it on the left to the Brotel wash house.

(5) Turn right onto the road that descends. Follow it until you reach the D52a.

(6) Cross it and take the Moulin d'Amby road opposite. Follow it until you reach the D52I.

(7) Leave the yellow signposts on your right, turn left and follow the road for 200 metres. Take the first path on the right. Follow it until you reach a wider path.

(8) Turn right and follow the yellow markings. At the three-way junction, take the path on the right marked in yellow. Follow it until you reach the Chemin de la Fontaine signpost

(9) Turn right and follow La Croix. Pass the Fontaine de Chatelans and continue to the La Croix signpost. At the La Croix signpost, turn left towards the Chatelans signpost.

(10) At the Chatelans signpost, follow the Chemin du Charbonnier on the right.

(11) At the Chemin du Charbonnier signpost, turn right towards Hières-sur-Amby. Follow the road straight ahead until you reach a signpost for Hières-sur-Amby.

(12) At the signpost, leave the yellow markings on your left. Continue straight ahead towards Hières-sur-Amby until you reach the D52a road (this section is not shown on the IGN map). Follow it to the left and join the car park on your right (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 215 m - Car park near the war memorial
  2. 1 : km 0.94 - alt. 267 m - Floodway
  3. 2 : km 1.32 - alt. 277 m - Verbois signpost
  4. 3 : km 2.35 - alt. 332 m - Small path on the right
  5. 4 : km 2.81 - alt. 296 m - Junction with a small road
  6. 5 : km 3.59 - alt. 334 m - Brotel wash house
  7. 6 : km 4.42 - alt. 269 m - D52a
  8. 7 : km 5.15 - alt. 310 m - Fork in the road onto the D52I
  9. 8 : km 6.01 - alt. 308 m - Fork in the PR
  10. 9 : km 7.61 - alt. 372 m - Chemin de la Fontaine signpost
  11. 10 : km 8.43 - alt. 354 m - Chatelans signpost
  12. 11 : km 8.93 - alt. 360 m - Chemin du Charbonnier signpost
  13. 12 : km 10.28 - alt. 331 m - Signpost, straight ahead
  14. S/E : km 11.49 - alt. 215 m - Car park near the war memorial

Notes

(12) Chatelans: inn, toilets, Lauze Museum.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 27 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Martine B4.
Martine B4.
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike but little or no signposting

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acdy
acdy

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Good, except that during dry periods, there isn't a drop of water in the gorges. It's still cool, though!

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Annick01
Annick01

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Done today, 10/11/24, at the Gorges de Verbois signpost, between 1 and 2, which is not well marked, as well as 7-8-9
the highlight of this route is the start of the waterfall and the Larina site. Too much road, but fortunately not too much traffic

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Thorgisl
Thorgisl

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike. In the gorges, the stream was dry on 15 September.
Route: a few points to watch out for, in particular: altitude 383 between 8 and 9 and point 12.

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RitonRandonneur
RitonRandonneur

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It's still a nice hike, but a bit too much road and the signposting is a little sparse. Thanks anyway to the author

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fch53
fch53

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route, taking in the Verbois gorges and Brotel Castle. Crossing the fords is less straightforward when there is a lot of water and trees have fallen (June 2024), but it is still perfectly doable. In wet weather, the descent to Hières is quite slippery, so bring walking sticks. The use of GPS is strongly recommended.

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eloupias
eloupias
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful and varied hike.

We did it on Monday 1 May 2023 and had no problem crossing at point 2, as reported in previous comments. At this point, there was a stone ford on the left and another ford with branches on the right (see photo), and we were able to cross without any problems. It may be more difficult if there is a lot of water in the river, but that is not the case at the moment.

There are quite a few forks and changes in the path along this route, but by following the route on our smartphone GPS, we had no problems.
Thanks for this hike!

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Stéphanie Le Touzé
Stéphanie Le Touzé

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty hike offering magnificent and varied scenery.
There was a small issue at point 2, crossing the stream. We couldn't find an obvious way across, and I didn't make the right choice and fell in... not badly, but I was wet for the rest of the hike... luckily the weather was quite nice.
But for the rest, I realised that if I had stuck to the paper guidebook, I would have been unsure quite a few times. Luckily, I always have my phone with me to check the route and correct any mistakes I make in interpreting the guidebook.
Otherwise, I would describe this hike as easy, very beautiful, varied, and almost a little short... we would have gladly done a little longer...
And there was no one else around... bliss!

PS: I see that the last comment was posted over a year ago... maybe there's something to correct for the famous point 2...

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virojojo
virojojo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, well-shaded hike. Between point 12 and the finish, the descent is a little tricky and the path is very narrow in places, requiring a bit of caution (but that's what we love!).unglasses(sunglasses)sunglasses:

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thierry01randonnée
thierry01randonnée

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant and varied route with lots to discover: the Verbois gorges with their waterfall, Brotel castle and wash house, a small stone hut, an old quarry with information panels, the pretty village of Chatelans, and viewpoints (view of the village of Brotel and the Larina plateau near the route (point 12). Varied paths through woods, pastures and small roads, which are generally quiet.
At point 3, as indicated in the description, there is now only one yellow cross on the tree, not two.
A beautiful walk.

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louisrub
louisrub

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magical woodland, beautiful views. Larina archaeological site nearby.
Not too many paved sections.
In short, a very beautiful hike.

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manue.eric38290
manue.eric38290

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

please note that at point 5, leave the wash house on your right and take the main road downhill. This is a beautiful walk, and between points 4 and 5 you will pass a pretty castle. Between points 9 and 10, there is a pretty wash house.

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Bishop69
Bishop69

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike with lots of refreshing woodland paths in fine weather. We particularly liked the two wash houses, the old quarries and discovering lots of frogs. The only slight downside was the descent at the end of the trail, which can be slippery in wet weather.
We really enjoyed this hike. The lunch break at the Brotel wash house was a nice bonus.

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Guignol38
Guignol38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Historic site of the medieval castle of Brotel, known since 1247 and former residence of President Edouard Herriot. Pleasant walk through the woods. We shortened the loop from Brotel to Vertbois, then from Torjonas to Certaux and back to Brotel. We enjoyed this variation in good weather and on paved paths only
Approximately 8 km, which was sufficient as we were accompanied by our grandchildren.

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chelouche helene
chelouche helene

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

we thoroughly enjoyed this tour through Larina
helenedolo

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