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Updated by the author on 02/08/2025. Signposts have been added in the Lacoux area and the names of some points of passage have been revised to correspond: these are points (2), (5), (7) and (18). The commentary has also been slightly revised.
Access to the tunnels from the Cascade de la Charabotte (14) has been prohibited since 2019 due to numerous incidents.
The original route published in 2016 included these tunnels. As time passed and the situation remained unchanged, the route has been redesigned (click here to view the old prohibited route).
The route starts from the village of Lacoux near thefirst wash house on the left after the Museum of Contemporary Art (towards Chaley).
(S/E) Take the road towards Hauteville-Lompnes, then after less than a hundred metres, turn right. After passing the Museum of Contemporary Art, turn left onto a road about a hundred metres further on, at the war memorial. After another hundred metres, take a small path on the left and turn right at the fork. Very soon, turn left at another fork nearby.
(1) Follow the Route Forestière du Chemin Neuf uphill (admire the view). About 400 metres further on, shortly after entering the forest, you will come to an intersection on your left (a forest track leading nowhere), which you should ignore. Just a little further on, you will come to another fork where three paths meet (elevation 903).
(2) Go straight ahead on a path marked in yellow towards the Rocher du Grand Sangle.
After about 700 m, you will reach the end of the plateau overlooking the Rocher du Grand Sangle: enjoy a beautiful view of the Albarine valley and the village of Chaley below. Be careful of the cliff and the chasms!
(3) Retrace your steps to the junction at elevation 903.
(2) Take the path on the left. After about 200 m, follow a path on the right as indicated by the yellow signposts. This pleasant path winds along the edge of the plateau and the cliff (be careful), offering beautiful views of Lacoux and Hauteville.
(4) You will arrive at the statue of the Virgin of Lacoux, which is actually the highest point of the hike (altitude 947 m). Admire the view, then continue along the path slightly downhill to an intersection. Turn right, then quickly left onto a paved road to arrive almost immediately at a crossroads where four paths meet.
(5) There is a memorial stone erected in memory of a group of resistance fighters from the Ain region who were heavily attacked by German troops on 5 February 1944.
Take the path to the right of the memorial and follow it for about 300 m, then turn right onto a descending path. Note the small stone basin on the left. Once you reach a paved road, continue straight ahead for about 100 metres until you reach the hamlet of La Bertinière. Take the path on the left that leads away from the hamlet until you reach another intersection marked by a stone basin.
(6) Take the path on the right, then fairly quickly turn left towards a goat farm. After about 700 metres, leave the path on the left and follow the one that leads to the D53 road.
(7) Cross the road with caution and continue straight ahead, following the yellow and red markings of the GR® de Pays. You will soon reach an intersection.
(8) Take the path on the left. Leave the path on the right that descends.
Not far away, after a climb, you will reach an unnamed pass.
(9) Continue straight ahead downhill towards the charming hamlet of La Ragiaz; along the way, you will also notice some surprising rock slabs gently sculpted by erosion. Continue straight ahead at the crossroads.
(10) Once in the hamlet of Ragiaz, take the road on the right. Continue along the fairly flat path in an open environment for about 900 m.
(11) At the intersection, turn left, then fairly quickly turn right onto a path leaving the yellow and red marked trail. You will reach a fork at an elevation of 784 metres.
(12) Ignore the return path coming from the right and continue along the path on the left. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead to the hamlet of Nantuy.
(13) Take the street on the right (the one opposite crosses the Albarine River), then go straight ahead at the next intersection. As you leave the village, the route continues along a path. At a fork, go straight ahead, following the sign. The clearly visible path first climbs a short way, then descends steeply towards the Albarine River. After a short climb (3 to 4 m equipped with metal bars), you will arrive at the top of the Charabotte Waterfall.
(14) Enjoy the view from the top of the waterfall, which plunges 115 m below (be careful!)
(!) Please note: access to the tunnels has been prohibited since 2019 due to numerous incidents.
Turn back to the path you saw on the way there at the fork (elevation 784).
(12) Take this path on the left, following the yellow markings. After passing through a small valley (Pente aux Loups), the path runs along the cliff tops at a distance.
(15) At a bend (near the Grotte de l'Arche), follow a small path on the left leading to a very pretty viewpoint over the Albarine valley (be careful of the cliff). Retrace your steps and continue along the path on the left. Keep left at an intersection, then after a climb and a descent, look for the start of a path on the left.
(16) A few metres further on, you will come to a lovely viewpoint, particularly over the village of Lacoux (be careful). Retrace your steps and continue along the path on the left. After a while, you will come to a junction in the Bois d'Esclaz area.
(17) Follow the path on the left uphill (yellow markings). Further on, you will reach the unnamed pass you passed on the way there.
(9) Continue left, retracing your steps on a fairly steep slope for about 400 m.
(8) At thefirst intersection, keep left and follow the path downhill at the bottom of a small valley. You will reach a road (D53).
(18) Follow this road to the right uphill. After a short while, you will return to the village of Lacoux, which is the starting point (S/E).
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