Ponds and Notre Dame des Dombes Abbey

de fr

I had wanted to walk through this flat countryside with its multitude of ponds for a long time. I suggest this route, which starts at Notre-Dame des Dombes Abbey. It will take you past some beautiful ponds and local farms. Depending on the season, you will be accompanied by the songs of a multitude of birds. Frogs will jump out of the water as you pass by and curious cows will come to meet you.

Details

n°529561
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.14 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 9 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 9 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 287 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 272 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Le Plantay (01330)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.037681° / E 5.094003°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3029SB, 3129SB
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Photos

a pond, unnamed
Marcua Pond
A pond
Notre Dame des Dombes Abbey

Description of the walk

You can leave your car under the trees in the car park in front of the abbey.

(S/E) With the entrance gate in front of you, walk along the side of the abbey to the left. At the bend in the road, take the path opposite you through the meadows. You will pass a statue of Saint Joseph with the baby Jesus (which is probably where the place gets its name, Pré Saint-Joseph).

(1) When you reach the forest, take the path on the right, along a pond. This path leads you to Corey Farm. After the farm, the path turns into a small paved road.
Continue straight ahead. You will pass Les Bonnes farm and its pretty dovecote (on the left of the road).

(2) When you reach the D90, turn right and follow it for about 300 metres until you reach a small road on the left (towards Le Chanet). Follow it until you reach the Carronière farm.

(3) At the farm, turn left.

(4) At the first crossroads, take the road on your right towards Les Bouillères. Continue along the road until you reach the Étang Jambre crossroads.

(5) A dirt road branches off to the right. Take this road: you will pass a series of large ponds.

(6) At the crossroads, turn left. Follow this road until you reach the Les Cuirs farm.

(7) Take the road to the right, with the Clair pond on your left. Follow it until you reach the D90.

(8) Take the D90 to the left, towards the village of Saint-Nizier le Désert.

(9) At the large roundabout, follow the road on the right. A path/cycle lane makes for a comfortable ride. At the first fork, at a place called La Vigne, take the road on the right.

(10) Leave the main road on the right. Follow this path straight ahead. Ignore the path that branches off to the right (do not take the one marked "Abbaye des Dombes à 4.2 km", but "Abbaye des Dombes 3.9 km"). After passing a pond under construction, turn left. The path leads to a small road.

(11) Turn right here. Ignore the fork to the left towards Camet.

(12) At a bend, take the dirt track that branches off to the left. Continue. You will pass a beautiful pond on your left that is not marked on the map, then follow the forest. When you reach a crossroads with a paved road, turn right and continue to the crossroads.

(13) At the crossroads, with a house on your right, turn left. The abbey is clearly visible on your left. Just continue along this long straight road, which will take you back to your starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 278 m - Parking - Abbaye Notre Dame des Dombes
  2. 1 : km 1.24 - alt. 275 m - Path on the right
  3. 2 : km 3.65 - alt. 274 m - Turn right onto the D90
  4. 3 : km 5.16 - alt. 276 m - Turn left onto the road
  5. 4 : km 5.77 - alt. 273 m - Road on the right
  6. 5 : km 6.81 - alt. 275 m - Path on the right
  7. 6 : km 8.63 - alt. 279 m - Path on the left
  8. 7 : km 9.63 - alt. 283 m - Road on the right
  9. 8 : km 10.53 - alt. 284 m - D90 on the left
  10. 9 : km 11.19 - alt. 281 m - At the roundabout, turn right
  11. 10 : km 11.92 - alt. 283 m - On the right
  12. 11 : km 13.73 - alt. 283 m - On the road on the right
  13. 12 : km 14.25 - alt. 280 m - Path on the left
  14. 13 : km 15.63 - alt. 282 m - Road on the left
  15. S/E : km 17.14 - alt. 278 m - Abbey car park

Notes

Starting point at Notre Dame des Dombes Abbey. Parking under the trees.
There are no shops in the village of Saint-Nizier-le-Désert.

Worth a visit

(S/E) Back at the car park. Don't miss a visit to the abbey and its shop.
Notre-Dame des Dombes Abbey: founded in 1863 by Trappist monks.
- Community of Chemin Neuf since 2001.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 59 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
User 6121090

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk that takes you right alongside several ponds, giving you plenty of opportunity to admire the birds there
No difficulty. Perhaps best avoided in summer as there is little shade
A short section is less pleasant as it follows a fairly busy road
Bring binoculars to admire the wildlife

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User 3630274

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a beautiful trail around the ponds, often shaded by trees.
Bring binoculars for bird watching.
The abbey and its shop are worth a visit at the end of the walk.

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Thoire
Thoire

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The only downside was that the proportion of roads or "tarmac paths" seemed significant to us given the description of the route.
These areas are also exposed to the sun.
There are numerous ponds, a variety of wildlife and very pleasant paths through the woods.

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MEUNIER Chantal
MEUNIER Chantal

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I was enchanted by this hike, despite the fact that we did it in grey weather with a light drizzle.
The beauty of the landscapes, the tranquillity around the ponds, the pleasure of seeing a pair of swans accompanied by their four cygnets (between points 2 and 3). From point 5 to point 6, the path runs alongside a series of ponds: the croaking of frogs and the whistling of birds were so soothing to listen to.
There was magnificent flora after point 12, with beautiful pink foxgloves and the banks of the pond covered in bright yellow escholtzia, not to mention the heron watching us. On the way back, we stopped at the abbey shop to pick up some local products. We will do this walk again in the autumn to see it in different colours
Thank you to the author for sharing it.

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Valentinebecq
Valentinebecq

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Great hike, done several times with my dog, on foot or by bike. A bit of road but the rest of the paths are nice.

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augusto
augusto

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

A bucolic walk despite long stretches of tarmac... but that's La Dombe for you
You can avoid some of it in two places
- Landmark 2 avoided: at Les Bonnes farm, you can walk along a field; you will find the road to St Nizier; 40 m to the left, you will find the circuit opposite
- Landmark 3 avoided: to the right of the Le Chanet property, walk along a field: you will find a road, and 100 m to the left is point 4
It's passable but on private land...
Thanks for the opportunity to discover this route. AUGUSTO

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Morel jean paul
Morel jean paul

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

superb walks in cool weather; a bit of road but sometimes you have to take it; beautiful ponds with swans; everything is flat

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SYLVIE MONTBARBON
SYLVIE MONTBARBON

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello
it is unfortunate that after the hedges were trimmed, the signposts are no longer visible, making it difficult to find your way around. The hamlets are not always well signposted either. It's a shame, as we are forced to use the main roads, which is not very pleasant, and we don't want to walk with our phones in our hands
Best regards
S.M

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Davinat
Davinat
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant

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chanchan33
chanchan33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

great walk in cool weather.
signposting: just one moment of hesitation, but with the map it was no problem.
flat terrain.
lots of birds, especially the coots.
it's a shame we couldn't get to the edge of the ponds from time to time.
yes, there was a lot of tarmac, but it was a quiet Sunday...
this hike is definitely not recommended in hot weather, as it is very exposed with little woodland.

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patrouchkabol
patrouchkabol

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant, relaxing hike combining wooded areas and sunny spots.

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cmb
cmb

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Many of the ponds are difficult to see. The purpose of such a walk is obviously to get close to the ponds and see birds. Especially at the beginning of the walk, the view of the ponds is blocked by thick, bushy hedges. Nevertheless, we saw many egrets, grey herons and probably red herons, coots and grebes, and a coypu.

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Marie Christine balai
Marie Christine balai

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Pleasant. Shady. Flat. No sign at the Montant junction to turn right. Arrival at Fléchet 500 metres away. But there is a path to get to point 4, so no problem.
A stork, ducks and a hare. It's a shame there aren't any benches in or near the Vernange pond.

Family outing.

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MHM
MHM

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the circuit during the week and encountered more hikers (around 20) than usual in the Monts du Lyonnais.
It's a pleasant walk, very flat of course, and also interesting because of its starting and finishing points. The Notre Dame des Dombes Abbey was a fascinating discovery for us and we brought back some delicious cheeses.

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Filkine
Filkine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant hike – lots of birds on the ponds, their calls accompanying us throughout our walk – good signposting along the route

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