The Saint-Jacques Towers loop

Date of your route : May 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

In wet weather or on muddy ground, it is advisable to do it in the opposite direction as the descent is very slippery.

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

From the Allèves car park, we took the road to St-Jacques and the Chemin des Tours. We went to Les Tours (magnificent with the sun shining on the frost!). Then we reached Perchet and took the Chemin de la Figlia. We stopped for a snack at Henri's chapel. And descended via the "Roman road". A beautiful, easy walk despite 10 cm of snow. The history of the hamlet and the glassworks in St-Jacques is interesting (there is a sign for the glassworks near the towers).
We regularly do this walk with snowshoes, but not this time due to lack of snow.
We set off at 9.30am and returned at 3.30pm, at a leisurely pace. The views are lovely in winter without the leaves.

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

This route should be done in very hot weather as it is entirely in the forest.
Very few flat sections, it climbs for a long time, sometimes a bit monotonously.
The descent is very steep.
The base of the towers was inaccessible because many trees had fallen.
There are few viewpoints on the circuit due to the omnipresent forest.
This hike is not recommended for beginners.

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Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for these beautiful routes that you make available to us. I choose my itineraries between Visorando and Altitude and I am always delighted. We haven't been hiking for the last fortnight because the temperature has been hellish!

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Date of your route : Jun 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Steady climb with hairpin bends. Beautiful barriers. Mini chapel next to alpine chalets surrounded by cows. It's so pretty! The view of the towers isn't great when the trees have leaves. Difficult approach to the foot of the towers.

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Date of your route : Oct 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that we extended to the Crêt de Chatillon, passing by the Crêt de l'Aigle and various small peaks on the plateau, where there is a superb 360° panorama with views of Lake Bourget and the Mont Blanc massif. To do this, turn right after point 5 towards the Gruffy chalets and the Crêt de l'Aigle. After walking along the plateau to reach the Crêt de Chatillon, take the same path in the opposite direction to return to the junction with the original route and continue the hike by turning right.
It can be a little tricky to find the right junction to reach the Saint Jacques towers and then continue on from there. Thank goodness for the GPS track on my watch!
Otherwise, the hike was not very busy except on the Semnoz plateau because of the nearby car park and at the Saint Jacques towers.
In total, with the detour and a few wrong turns, the hike was 23 km long with 1,367 metres of elevation gain. No particular difficulties. Duration: less than 7 hours without rushing and taking breaks (lunch in particular).

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Date of your route : Sep 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I may be an easy audience, but I think the hike is well worth it, if only for the long paved path, which is exceptional!
We walked to the Chalets Gruffy and back, where we enjoyed beautiful views of Lake Bourget among the cows.
The rocky chaos at the foot of the towers is very beautiful, even if you don't have much of a view of the towers or the surrounding cliffs.
Finally, if, like me, you prefer climbing steep slopes to descending them, then do this hike in the opposite direction to the one suggested.
Thanks to the author

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Date of your route : Sep 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route with a few possible variations. Some of the descents are a little steep but offer beautiful views of the Bauges mountains in the mountain pasture section.

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Date of your route : Jun 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An interesting hike; it is best to follow the route in the direction indicated as the climb is more gradual; furthermore, the paved path is quite difficult if taken on the descent (similar to walking on asphalt for a long time).
You can also take the path on the right just after the village of Henri to go to Crêt de l'Aigle, where the view is magnificent (allow about an hour and a half for the round trip).

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Date of your route : Jun 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

An easy route, entirely through the forest, passing at the foot of the Towers, but without enough distance to admire them properly. The best view is from the Pont de l'Abîme bridge

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Date of your route : May 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice.
Mostly in the woods.
We ate at the foot of the slimmest tower while watching climbers abseil down: spectacular!
Be careful at the foot of the towers if there are climbers: stay very cautious, avoid parking and make yourself visible: falling rocks!

Enjoy your walk.

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Date of your route : Apr 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a very beautiful 3 hour 20 minute walk with a fairly steep climb lasting about 1 hour 30 minutes, but the scenery is well worth the effort!

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Date of your route : Mar 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did this trail in March, midweek. We didn't see a single soul! It's impossible to get lost on this trail, as the path and descriptions are clear. The hike is very pleasant, and the view is quite clear in winter as the trees have no leaves. The climb is doable. I did it when I was six months pregnant, with my dog pulling me along, and it was fine with regular breaks

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Date of your route : Jun 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

pleasant family outing

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Date of your route : Jun 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is very well signposted and the paved path up the hill is beautiful.
At the fork, the detour via the GRP to the Gruffy lodge offers more panoramic views, although we were disappointed to find the lodge closed when we visited...

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