La Balme les Grottes - Charette - Parmilieu

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This is a fairly easy hike along the northern edge of the Isle Crémieu plateau, through fields, pleasant villages and a few wooded areas.

Details

n°62482
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.59 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 293 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 293 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 369 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 211 m
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Photos

Erythrone Dent de Chien
Old watering trough and pump
Stone wall at Parmilieu
Landscape towards the west

Description of the walk

(S/E) Park your car in the car park at the post office or town hall in La Balme.
Leave the village towards Amblérieu - Crémieu (west) and before the cemetery, take the road on the left (towards Parmilieu).

(1) At the top of the hill, turn right onto the forest lane and continue until you reach a paved road.

(2) Turn left (uphill towards Pressieu). Drive through part of the village.

(3) At the first crossroads, turn right, then left onto Chemin des Carrières. Continue straight ahead until you reach the RD52c.

(4) Cross it and climb opposite towards Torjonas (for about 1 km).

(5) Turn left onto a fairly wide forest road, which is only visible at the last moment. Continue straight ahead and descend to the hamlet of La Craz.

(6) At the bottom of the descent, turn right, pass the old oven and then the old drinking trough, until you reach a crossroads with a wayside cross.

(7) Take the road on the left for about 500 metres, then turn right onto a stony path.
At the end of the path, go down the RD52C on the right for 50 metres, then turn left (8) towards Marcieu. Go through the hamlet of Marcieu and continue straight ahead until you reach a perpendicular intersection with a wide, well-graveled path.

(9) Turn right, go straight ahead at the "Briche Maillet" crossroads.

(10) When the road starts to descend steeply and becomes paved, turn left onto a dirt road. Continue straight ahead, passing two sharp zigzag bends.

(11) At the end of the dirt road, against the hillside, turn 90° left to climb back up towards the hamlet of Senin. After "Le Puits Jacob", climb for 50 metres, then turn right towards Parmilieu.

(12) In Permalieu, pass the church and turn left at the weighbridge. Pass the picnic area (stone table and barbecue on the right).

(13) 20 metres before the cemetery, turn right onto a dirt track.
At the junction with a road, continue straight ahead, pass "la Capit du Mont Cornu" (a stone shelter) and continue towards the village of Suptilieu.

(14) In the village, turn left, continue for about 150 metres, turn left again and go down the path towards the woods.
In the undergrowth, follow the signs for La Balme. First descend a forest path, then a narrow, winding path along the edge of the cliff.

(15) Turn left onto the road to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 214 m - Parking at the post office or town hall in La Balme
  2. 1 : km 1.53 - alt. 313 m - At the top of the hill, turn right
  3. 2 : km 2.72 - alt. 312 m - Take the tarmac road on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.29 - alt. 317 m - At the first crossroads, turn right
  5. 4 : km 5.16 - alt. 259 m - RD52c; cross it and climb up opposite
  6. 5 : km 6.02 - alt. 306 m - Turn left onto a fairly wide forest track
  7. 6 : km 7.89 - alt. 264 m - At the bottom of the descent, turn right
  8. 7 : km 8.57 - alt. 257 m - Take the road on the left
  9. 8 : km 9.89 - alt. 253 m - Turn left towards Marcieu
  10. 9 : km 11.25 - alt. 270 m - Turn right
  11. 10 : km 12.08 - alt. 269 m - Turn left onto a dirt track
  12. 11 : km 13.34 - alt. 299 m - Head back up towards the hamlet of Senin
  13. 12 : km 13.86 - alt. 320 m - Turn right towards Parmilieu
  14. 13 : km 14.79 - alt. 346 m - 20 metres before the cemetery, turn right
  15. 14 : km 15.87 - alt. 368 m - In the village, turn left
  16. 15 : km 17.45 - alt. 212 m - Turn left onto the road and return to the car park
  17. S/E : km 17.59 - alt. 214 m - Parking at the post office or town hall in La Balme

Notes

Yellow markings are frequently found. This route, or at least parts of it, should be included in local documents.

Worth a visit

Visit the La Balme caves.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 28 reviews
Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
User 4851815

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Complicated walk to follow, some paths are no longer maintained, we ended up in brambles, don't go there with children, we didn't find the walk pleasant.

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AnneClaire
AnneClaire

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Good hike, a bit of road, some tarmac, but we discovered some magnificent stone houses, we went deep into the forest, into the undergrowth, different landscapes, there were 13 of us and the group enjoyed it.
We followed the GPS route, which was perfect.
Thanks for sharing!

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Gloug’
Gloug’

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We enjoyed following this route. The trail is perfectly marked and the description is accurate.
Be careful if there has been recent heavy rain, as part of the route goes through a wood that has been heavily cleared, leaving the ground very uneven between markers (5) and (6): there is a high risk of getting stuck in the mud.
There are a few paved sections, but they are not very busy. The final descent is particularly enjoyable and is the only slightly technical section (rocks and exposed roots).
Completed in 3 hours 50 minutes

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jd693854
jd693854

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did this hike on 14/03/2024. From point 5 onwards, forestry work had recently taken place and a new path had been created through the clear-cut area. After the previous day's rain, this path was impassable due to being very muddy. The only alternative was to walk through the clear-cut area (a bit dangerous), parallel to the trail. Other than that, it was a very pleasant hike.

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Cévenne
Cévenne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

In a group.
Beautiful and warm for the season.
No difficulty. A varied hike, always with the little heritage sites of Isle Crémieu in view.
Scillas in the woods and, before tackling the descent to La Balme, a carpet of dog's tooth violets (as beautiful as they are rare!)

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th.reynaud
th.reynaud

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike in good weather, alternating between woodland and fields.
A few inaccuracies on the map, but with the GPS track we managed just fine...

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Deuxpattes
Deuxpattes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hiking in the countryside after two days of rain and, in the end, not much mud... An easy route (completed in four and a half hours) including a snack break, but the north wind meant we couldn't linger.
Very beautiful at the beginning of spring with the trees in bloom and 500 shades of green....
Thanks for this post!

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chelouche helene
chelouche helene

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

hello
grage à la carte ign I can enlarge and try new passages
helene Dolo

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lecomtois
lecomtois

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

a lovely cave that you can explore at your leisure

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Pierre-rando69
Pierre-rando69

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

the circuit is fairly easy, without too many steep slopes, but you still finish with a feeling of having had a good workout and can enjoy the terrace of the cave bar just opposite the entrance to the site. The circuit is quite varied, with moss-covered vegetation creating some fantastic landscapes. Crossing the quarry is also interesting, as are the flat stone borders typical of the region.
a beautiful discovery that makes a change from the landscapes of Pilat and the Monts du Lyonnais, which I visit regularly.
Pierre

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grandin
grandin ★

Thank you, Georges Tholence, for this suggestion

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Georges Tholence
Georges Tholence

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Suggested alternative: between points (11) and (12) in the hamlet of Senin, on the "route du puits Jacob" (Jacob's Well Road), on the right opposite the wash house, you can take the small shaded path called the Sentier des Bigues. It is very pleasant and joins the route described in the village of Parmilieu.

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Georges Tholence
Georges Tholence

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The hike is long but not difficult, with no significant elevation changes. However, the final descent is a little steep, so good footwear is recommended. It is a rural route. A little too much tarmac for my liking, but there is little traffic. There are no continuous signposts and the description omits a few intersections, so the GPS route is very useful. Thank you, Visorando!

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thanks, ledahut
I inserted some waypoints and redefined the route to make it a little more accurate.

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ledahut
ledahut

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

you need a GPS to do this route because it's easy to get lost with just the description
as for the route, it is parish specific to Brittany and very approximate at the end, which changes the length of the circuit, which is approximately 19 km

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