Hostiaz walks

Tour of the Hostiaz plateau and its viewpoints along the ridges and cliffs.

Sommet immanquable de la vallée de l’Albarine, Château Narteau est la belle pyramide rocheuse qui domine Tenay avec ses 746 m. L’accès au sommet rocheux peut se faire depuis le parking de la via ferrata d'Hostiaz mais une belle randonnée consiste à faire le tour de Château Narteau depuis Tenay en montant par le sentier du Cordaret et descendant par le chemin du facteur.

A lovely circular path that climbs up to Calvaire de Portes and its orientation table, which offers one of the most extensive panoramic views in the region, from Mont Blanc to the Cévennes.

A short, gentle circular loop around Montagne de Suerme, with some beautiful views. A short stretch of tarmac road but no traffic.

From Argis, a beautiful, easy climb to the Suerme Plateau. Beautiful unobstructed views along almost the entire route, over the Albarine valley and gorges to the north, east and south, and to the west over the Ain plain.

Steep hike offering superb views of the Jargoy plateau and the village of Oncieu.

From Chaley, I suggest a beautiful route overlooking the Albarine Valley: the ascent is via the Combe Suzaire, then the route joins the Rocher du Grand Sangle plateau, where there are some beautiful views. The return leg goes through a combe towards the hamlet of La Charabotte, then continues pleasantly near the Albarine River. There are two difficult sections:- after the point (3), the path is a little chaotic, - between points (7) and (10), the route is not always obvious and there are a few sudden drops to the edge of cliffs. Visorando app recommended

Starting from Chaley, in the Albarine valley, climb to the top of the Rocher du Grand Sangle, which offers a beautiful view of the gorges. There is a longer but more difficult loop that I have unpublished , which can be seen here, with the latest review

A pretty little circular loop starting from Étang Buinand and leading to the cliff edges of the Évosges plateau, where you can enjoy superb views of the Albarine valley and the circular village of Oncieu.

A hike of mainly historical interest: the route is dotted with information panels about the life and fate of resistance fighters from the Ain maquis who were hiding around Évosges No viewpoints, paths mainly in the forest, with some sections on roads.

This hike takes you on a loop through the heart of the Bugey region around Hauteville-Lompnes, on the edge of the plateau overlooking the Gorges de l'Albarine, with relatively little elevation gain.

Perfect for hot days as it is very shady under beautiful high-altitude coniferous and deciduous forests (between 625 and 920 metres above sea level), on trails and good forest paths through the beautiful landscapes of the Bugey, offering a wide panorama of the cliff. In autumn, you can pick blackberries, hazelnuts and walnuts along the way.

This is a short, easy hike, suitable for families, starting from a pleasant little village in the lower Bugey region. On a clear day, the heights of Crêt offer beautiful views of Mont Blanc and the Burbanche valley. At the end of the walk, you can enhance your hike by visiting the small village church (12th century) and admiring its Sully lime tree (planted in 1601).

Cleyzieu is a charming village in the Bugey region. This easy hike offers several viewpoints. It passes through both woodland and open areas.

This trail allows you to discover the three rivers: the Tréfond, the Arodin and the Perna(z), the biodiversity of the site, and its geological and heritage riches, explained by six information panels.

A circular route around the small village of Soudon, best done on a sunny day as the route is almost entirely through woodland. A pleasant hike in warm weather but best avoided in the rain as some steep sections will be difficult to negotiate.

This hike is based on the 4 belvederes walk. The route has been modified to take into account the opinions of hikers who have given their feedback. In particular, the trail is more precise and the parts considered less interesting have been removed. We are delighted with this new version, which is particularly suitable for hot days (tested during the heatwave of August 2025).The route is mostly through woods and on unpaved paths or tracks. It offers splendid panoramic views from various viewpoints as well as iconic sites: Trou de la Marmite, Notre-Dame de Mazières Chapel, etc. On a clear day, you will have the pleasure of admiring Mont Blanc.

This is a fairly long hike, which starts off easily along the Arène but quickly becomes more challenging when you leave the D53 to reach the Sérémond viewpoint. The beautiful view at the top is well worth the climb. The second part is easy and descends back to the village, partly following the same path used on the way up.

A beautiful hike, fairly well marked in blue with directional signs (sometimes a little faded), between 630 and 900 metres above sea level, easy, mostly on good, well-shaded paths. On very clear days, there are views of the snow-capped Alps and the villages of Marchand and Cerin. For flower lovers, between May and July, there are martagon lilies, orchids, snowdrops and erythronium. And for those who like the cool air, they can go to the Grotte de la Jaquette cave near the path.