Fountains and wash houses around Joudes

This is an easy walk with little elevation gain, featuring fountains and six wash houses along the route. Walk on tarmac roads and dirt tracks.

Details

947372
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.29 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 107 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 111 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 289 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 208 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Joudes (71480)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.467832° / E 5.358684°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3127E, 3227OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) Start from the car park in the centre of the village next to the church. Walk past the cemetery and the church to reach the village's first fountain decorated with flowers. Follow the road to the right, walk past the first wash house, then turn onto the road that curves to the left.
At the first crossroads, turn left and pass the water treatment plant. Under the power line, you will arrive atthe second wash house. Continue on to the place known as Les Sablières.

(1) Turn right, then left 100 metres further on to return to the road. Continue straight ahead, then turn right towards Les Capettes. Pass the hamlet and cross the railway line, near which there is an old well. Follow the Route du Bois Jolis to reach thethird wash house. Continue along the road until you reach a crossroads.

(2) Turn right, cross the Ruisseau de Joudes stream, then turn left onto the path that enters the Bois de Tréchaud woods and runs alongside a large property. Continue until you reach the junction with a road.

(3) Turn right and follow the road for about 700 m.

(4) 100 m before a crossroads with a cross, turn left into the woods and then join a path. Turn right onto this path and continue until you reach a crossroads near afourth wash house.

(5) Turn right and pass the road leading to Rosière until you reach a fork a few metres further on.

(6) Take the path on the left at the edge of the Bois de Fayeux, turn right and return to the path along the railway line. Turn right along the railway line and further on turn left, cross the railway bridge, pass the power line and take the path on the right that cuts across the bend.

(7) Turn right onto the Marciat road. There is a fountain on the left side of the road. Continue to the bend.

(8) Turn right and walk back to see afifth, very original wash house. There are also fountains in the hamlet.

(9) Retrace your steps.

(8) Turn right between the houses and continue for a few metres. At the T-junction, turn right towards Marciat to see asixth wash house.

(10) Follow the road as it curves to the right around Le Vigneux. At No. 3, turn left and continue to the second junction.

(11) Turn left onto the footpath, then take the stairs to return to the starting point at the car park in the village of Joudes (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 271 m - Car park in the village centre next to the church.
  2. 1 : km 1.19 - alt. 250 m - Les Sablières crossroads
  3. 2 : km 2.96 - alt. 210 m - Bois de Tréchaud crossroads
  4. 3 : km 3.99 - alt. 211 m - Turn right at the road.
  5. 4 : km 4.77 - alt. 224 m - Path through the woods
  6. 5 : km 5.46 - alt. 209 m - Wash house
  7. 6 : km 5.96 - alt. 211 m - Turn left into the Bois de Fayeux
  8. 7 : km 8.13 - alt. 259 m - Start of the village of Marciat
  9. 8 : km 8.31 - alt. 262 m - T-junction at the wash house
  10. 9 : km 8.5 - alt. 249 m - Original wash house. Fountain
  11. 10 : km 9.27 - alt. 277 m - Marciat wash house
  12. 11 : km 9.91 - alt. 283 m - Footpath
  13. S/E : km 10.29 - alt. 271 m - Car park in the village centre next to the church.

Worth a visit

See several fountains, six wash houses and a well along the way.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 27064220

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable
Very busy route : No

Inconsolable without paying, so we manage on our own

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jige39
jige39

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy, shaded hike. Ideal with a dog as there is a place to swim.
The trail matches the reality exactly!

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Jimmy71
Jimmy71

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A short, easy hike. Best done in good weather. The wash houses are well worth seeing.

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Morice
Morice
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful and interesting walk in the countryside
A few details:
Point S/E: From the church porch, follow "Muret"
Point 2: ...the path with a barrier that enters ...and runs alongside a stud farm...
Point 4: Before a crossroads, turn left....
Point 8: Be sure to visit this original half-moon-shaped wash house

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ran26do61
ran26do61

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hello,
The hike is not particularly interesting, except for passing by wash houses and taking a short walk in the forest halfway through the route.
As some have already said, the description is vague and, above all, it does not give the names of the landmarks, each of which has a name and allows hikers to be sure they are not lost.
At the beginning, "pass in front of the church to reach the first fountain", I would have specified that in front of the church you have to take a small path that goes down to the first fountain.
Then, "Continue to the place called 'Les Sablières'." In fact, you arrive at a place called "Les Capettes," where it would be useful to specify that you need to leave the road, turn right at the crossroads and take a path.
(4) At the crossroads with a cross, I expected to find a stone cross, but I didn't see one!

In conclusion, this is a short family hike as there is no elevation gain. It is best done in spring or autumn, as in summer there is too much road in the sun and you need to watch out for ticks in the uncut forest.

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sigot-rossignol
sigot-rossignol

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Ideal for a family hike
alternating light and shade
very green in May

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le rock en diorama facebook
le rock en diorama facebook

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

It was lovely!!!! A winter landscape!!!

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback.

We have edited the map and description on VISORANDO. No GPS.

In addition to the description and map, Visorando provides virtual signposting: a GPS application.

This tool, offered free of charge by Visorando, allows you to validate waypoints and thus remove any doubts about the route.

Why not give it a try?

See you soon!

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BUORO-DONZEL
BUORO-DONZEL

Hello

We have edited the map and description of VISORANDO. No GPS.

There are errors in the directions and some things are unclear. Right from the start, we had trouble finding the right direction, and then when we left the village of Joudes, we never found the right direction.
Then we got lost twice.
It is difficult to explain all the problems we encountered by email.

Thank you.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to give your opinion.

By "route on map", we mean assessing the accuracy of the route as it appears on the map in relation to the actual terrain.
Did the route cause any problems?
Did you follow the route using a GPS or a GPS app?
Did you find any discrepancies between the route and the actual hike? 

We are used to hiking and following this type of route. Here, it's not possible, there are too many inconsistencies, the directions don't match up.

The description caused problems. How can this be remedied? Can you make any suggestions?

See you soon.

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BUORO-DONZEL
BUORO-DONZEL

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello

We are used to hiking and following this type of route, but this one is impossible, too inconsistent, the directions don't match up.
We wasted a lot of time trying to find our way.

However, this hike is definitely worth it. The scenery is beautiful, the wash houses are charming, and the villages we passed through were superb.
In hot weather, you can walk because the route is often wooded.

Thank you anyway, we'll focus on the positive...

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valenny71
valenny71

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very nice hike, suitable for families, easy, a bit of woodland, a bit of road, fun with the discovery of wash houses and fountains.

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Chris1961
Chris1961

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant walk where you can discover pretty, well-maintained wash houses and fountains decorated with flowers. Most of the route is shaded by woods. Thank you for this walk.

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terreferme
terreferme

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

After WP 6, a slight doubt: the route on the map continues straight ahead, while the (wet) path already turns left. Ultimately, you have to follow the path.
A very easy walk, but with lots of nice wash houses.

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bidure70
bidure70

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk...
A beautiful variety of wash houses.
We did this hike on an overcast day, but I think there would be a beautiful view on a clear day.
More of the route is on (small) roads than through woods.
I think I'll do it again, and you can easily make it longer or shorter.

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