Between Fontanès and La Gimond

A nature walk in the Monts du Lyonnais, through pastures and small hamlets.

Details

414598
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.49 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 215 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 216 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 859 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 643 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the MJC car park on Place de Fontanès, at one end of the village.

(S/E) At the far end of the car park, you will find the start of the Fontanès footpaths on your left.

(1) After crossing the D3 road, take the signposted path opposite which descends through the meadows and joins a road. Continue to the left.

(2) When you reach a three-way junction, keep right and follow the road to the hamlet of Le Picard.

(3) Go straight on, then turn right towards La Gimond church.

(4) Behind the church, you’ll find a picnic area, barbecue and boules court. You can also visit Moulin Cizeron, which sells organic flour and regional produce.

Head back to the crossroads at a place called Le Picard.

(3) Take the road going uphill on your left towards the cemetery. Turn left at the bend with a cross, then right to join the D6.

(5) Cross this road (take care) and head straight ahead. At the first bend, follow the path on the right which climbs into the copse.

(6) At the junction, take the path running alongside the meadow on your right. Cross the D6 then turn left onto a path that quickly leads to a small road.

(7) Turn left to follow this track which runs alongside the D3 road higher up. You will come back to this same road, which you should follow to the right to return to your starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 859 m - Car park at Place de Fontanès
  2. 1 : km 0.08 - alt. 849 m - D3
  3. 2 : km 1.03 - alt. 739 m - Three-way junction: continue to the right
  4. 3 : km 2.26 - alt. 661 m - Le Picard
  5. 4 : km 2.66 - alt. 660 m - La Gimond Church
  6. 5 : km 4.61 - alt. 764 m - Route de Fontanès D6
  7. 6 : km 5.19 - alt. 798 m - At the crossroads, take the path on the right
  8. 7 : km 5.5 - alt. 803 m - Follow the road to the left
  9. S/E : km 6.49 - alt. 858 m - Car park at Place de Fontanès

Notes

At the start car park, there are public toilets and a water point with a picnic area.
Behind the church at La Gimond, there is a picnic area.

Worth a visit

In La Gimond, Moulin Cizeron sells organic flour and regional produce.
In the village of Fontanès, there is a castle open to the public with a tour of the grounds featuring tree-trunk sculptures and a beautifully restored dovecote.

Reviews and comments

3.5 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.9 / 5
Route interest
3.3 / 5
Daniel42100
Daniel42100

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

I’m disappointed with this walk. Far too much tarmac. Unfortunately, the red line on the map doesn’t always make it clear whether it’s a path or a road. Not a very easy walk. Best avoided if you’re out for a Sunday stroll with a pushchair – at least 70% of the route is uphill. That said, I don’t regret having this app.

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Ibra
Ibra

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I find this route easy to follow, but there’s a bit too much tarmac for my liking.

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CBPB
CBPB

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Too much tarmac, average signposting but lovely views

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Les 3 B
Les 3 B

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

We were disappointed by the poorly signposted route and the lack of interest in this walk.

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visorandonneuses
visorandonneuses

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Route description! Not great...

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thanks, patrick4269, but what we’d like is for you to tell us where the description is problematic and, if possible, how to improve it.

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patrick4269
patrick4269

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The description is completely unclear...

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bibi
bibi ★

Thank you for that information; I’ve just added it to the description.
Kind regards

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ninegeo
ninegeo

It’s easy to find. It’s very big, but it’s at the edge of the village.

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bibi
bibi ★

Thanks for that. Is the MJC car park clearly signposted? Is there any other information we should add to make it easier to find?
Kind regards

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ninegeo
ninegeo

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk. Quiet, little-used roads. The start point is poorly signposted. It should say ‘MJC car park’. I’d parked at the first car park I came across (town hall, church), but that wasn’t the right one, so I had to search around a bit and ask for directions to find the start of the walks.

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19441943
19441943

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Not long enough, but still nice

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ninegeo
ninegeo
• Edited:

Good evening. I haven’t done that hike. We went for a bit of a walk around Fontanes (despite the cold!).
Thanks for the website, which lets me see the different routes and photocopy the map. I fully intend to do this hike once I’m in better shape.
Best regards.

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