Circular loop: Sapin Bellier and Col de Liorin

Starting from the Bois Barbu Nordic Centre, this is an interesting walk that takes you to the magnificent Sapin Bellier, which stands proudly in the heart of the Forêt de la Loubière.

Details

n°4253791

Creation:
25 Oct 2020

Last update:
02 Feb 2023

Last review:
26 Aug 2023

Activity: Walking
Distance: 8.62 km
Average duration: 3h 10
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 257 m
Descent: - 255 m
Highest point: 1,305 m
Lowest point: 1,094 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Vercors, Dauphiné
City: Villard-de-Lans (38250)
Start/End: N 45.060255° / E 5.522963°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3235OT, 3236OT, 3236OTR
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Description of the walk

Park in the car parks along the road before the Bois Barbu Nordic Centre.

(S/E) Head to the centre and turn right onto the wide track where the sign points to Valchevrière. Continue slightly downhill to reach the^first junction (elevation 1098).
Turn left onto the path and reach the junction of the Valchevrière and Galmiche roads. Cross over to take the Galmiche road opposite. Continue for about a hundred metres until you reach a path junction at the start of the bend.

(1) Take this path to the left, reach a large clearing and continue right along the path that enters the woods. Begin an easy climb, emerge onto a new track and follow it to the right to quickly reach the Genety junction.

(2) Turn right at a 90° angle, following the sign for Sapin Bellier. Continue along a series of very gentle ascents and descents. You will then reach a junction also marked by a sign.

(3) Turn left to head towards the Route Forestière de Galmiche. Follow it at a distance until you reach the Sapin Bellier site.

(4) Keep this path in front of you for a few hundred metres and, at this junction, take the wide path on the left. Begin a short climb and then, turning right (signposted), head towards the viewpoint.

(5) After returning from the viewpoint, take the wide path on the right. Begin an easy descent, staying on this green-and-yellow marked path, to reach the Green Cross junction further down.

(6) Turn left uphill, follow a level section and then a gentle descent. You will reach the Généty crossroads, which you passed on the way out.

(2) Head straight ahead onto the wide track which, after a gentle climb, ends at the Col du Liorin.

(7) Take the tarmac road towards Bois Barbu, which also forms part of^{the GRP®} Tour des Quatre Montagnes trail marked in red and yellow; continue on to reach the crossroads at the hamlet of Les Montauds.

(8) Turn left, cross the hamlet and turn left onto a lovely tree-lined lane to quickly reach the car park on the Route de Bois Barbu (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,134 m - Car park on Route de Bois Barbu
1 : km 1.21 - alt. 1,156 m - RF Galmiche junction
2 : km 2.27 - alt. 1,238 m - Généty
3 : km 2.96 - alt. 1,227 m - Crossroads towards Sapin Bélier
4 : km 3.58 - alt. 1,250 m - Sapin Belier
5 : km 4.31 - alt. 1,305 m - Viewpoint
6 : km 5.2 - alt. 1,201 m - Green Cross
7 : km 6.95 - alt. 1,230 m - Col du Liorin
8 : km 7.94 - alt. 1,190 m - Les Montauds crossroads
S/E : km 8.62 - alt. 1,136 m - Car park on Route de Bois Barbu

Notes

Warning! The route through the Généty Forest is criss-crossed by dozens of logging tracks. As this forest is heavily logged, you must follow the signposts carefully, even if the paths mentioned do not appear on the IGN map, particularly between (3) and (4) and between (6) and (7). These paths are, however, clearly visible on the OSM Trails World map.

Worth a visit

(4) The Sapin Bellier.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5

Ease of following the route
5 / 5

Route interest
4.2 / 5

Marc0Polo

26 Aug 2023 at 22:49 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Route completed in August 2023 during a heatwave.

A lovely route through the forest, well shaded except for the end. Low difficulty. Yellow and green markings are easy to follow. The viewpoint is surrounded by trees and you can’t see much. I agree with mdajl’s comment. The section along the road is of little interest, as is the Col du Liorin, which is mainly worth visiting for the nearby picnic area. Note: at point 8, the path to the car park is just to the left of a barn which obscures it slightly, and is in fact a lovely tree-lined avenue.

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mdajl

09 Jul 2023 at 12:24 7200 • Edited: 09 Jul 2023 at 14:07 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We didn't meet a soul!
The magnificent fir trees provide shade for the walk.
The only downside: logging has completely ruined the path between points (4) and (6). It must be very muddy if it has just rained.
Between (7) and (8), the tarmac section is fortunately made up for by a magnificent view.

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skyppyy38360

02 Feb 2023 at 09:57 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Hike completed on 1 February 2023 with (a little) snow, requiring crampons but not snowshoes.

The route to Sapin Bellier is signposted pretty much everywhere up to (4); you can follow the yellow and green markings and the route description, of course, because it winds a bit and there are indeed logging tracks that can lead you astray.
After the viewpoint at (5), be careful as indicated in the description: most of the tracks lead north, whereas you need to head east.
At (6), the path goes downhill first and then uphill again – nothing too difficult.

Reserved for those who enjoy walking through the woods up to (7)
The viewpoints are mainly at the edge of the woods on the Col de Liorin side, all the way to (8).

It’s worth noting, having discussed it, that some people park at (7) and do (7), (3), (4), (5) and return directly via (3) and (2) to avoid the descent and climb at (6).
We found it fascinating to be completely alone on this stretch between points (5) and (7). We were expecting to come face to face with a bear!

Thanks to the writer for this lovely experience. Three hours in total, including a soup break at the sunny viewpoint.

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Gerard.REYNAUD

16 Aug 2021 at 17:44 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely forest route with plenty of ups and downs, but easy as it’s mostly on forest tracks.
However, the elevation gain given is incorrect; expect almost three times as much – this needs to be updated in the description!

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WOLFFBLANC

22 Mar 2021 at 19:15 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely snowshoe hike. The Bellier fir is an interesting tourist attraction.

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