La Combe aux Moines, the Fairy Cave

An easy walk offering a variety of landscapes, points of interest and pleasant views of Lake Bourget.
In autumn, you can find chestnuts and mushrooms.

Details

164485
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.90 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 418 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 414 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 716 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 323 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The hardest part may be finding the car park. You could start from the town hall car park, but this adds a lot of tarmac.
After passing the town hall of Brison-Saint-Innocent on your left, the school on your right and the cemetery on your left, take the second street on the right (Chemin des Gros) and follow it to the end through the vineyards.

(D/) From the car park, which has no more than four or five spaces, head south along the narrow road lined with vineyards on the right. After 500 metres, turn left.

(1) Take a path hidden by foliage. At first, it climbs steeply and then more moderately, passing through boxwood trees. When you emerge onto flat ground, cross a botanical garden where various species of trees are on display, then join point 439 on a stony track (a place called Les Branles).

(2) Turn left north onto the track and continue to point 522.

(3) Take the path that climbs to the right towards the Grotte des Fées.
You will reach a crossroads.

(4) Make a round trip to the cave (a viewpoint sign indicates the direction).
Return to the crossroads and continue climbing up the track that branches off to the left (north).
Follow this track through the forest for about 1 km - yellow markings - and you will reach a junction.

(5) Leave the path that climbs up to the Croix de Meyrieu on your right and descend to the left towards the hamlet of Les Granges de Brison. Along the way, pass a clearing with a viewpoint and further down, leave a path that branches off to the left.

(6) Continue to the hamlet of Les Granges de Brison and, at a hairpin bend, leave the road and head south.

(7) Head south along a pleasant grassy path, which becomes stony as it winds its way down a series of hairpin bends.
Stay on the path that crosses vineyards and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 324 m - Parking
  2. 1 : km 0.69 - alt. 326 m - Fork
  3. 2 : km 1.44 - alt. 439 m - Les Branles 439 m
  4. 3 : km 2.16 - alt. 523 m - Fork to the right
  5. 4 : km 3.22 - alt. 631 m - Crossroads
  6. 5 : km 4.44 - alt. 716 m - Les Ragères
  7. 6 : km 5.28 - alt. 629 m - Downhill path
  8. 7 : km 6.31 - alt. 511 m - Les Granges de Brison
  9. S/E : km 7.9 - alt. 325 m - Parking

Notes

Water sources in the hamlet of Les Granges.

Worth a visit

From point (5), you can make a round trip to the Croix de Meyrieu, one wooden and the other metal.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 49 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
olaulau
olaulau

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

i would describe this hike as moderately difficult, with slopes that are a bit steep but still easy.
there aren't many views, nothing at the top, which is a shame.
most of it is sheltered, which is nice when it's hot.
the path is very easy to follow.
start at point no. 1

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FlorianCM
FlorianCM

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent walk with splendid views of Lake Bourget and an interesting passage through the astonishing fairy cave, which is quite deep.
Almost the entire walk is shaded, making it particularly pleasant on sunny days. Like others, we couldn't find the starting point for the hike and parked near stage 1, as the usual access point seemed complicated. We only came across a few other hikers. As is unfortunately the case in more and more areas of France, there were few birds to be heard along the way. A few jays and chiffchaffs, however. Looking back as we passed, I saw a fox scurrying away. One of the most beautiful walks we've done thanks to Visorando. Thank you.

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User 12860568

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike, but with lots of very rocky ascents and descents. However, the views are magnificent.

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Mickadu73
Mickadu73

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Not as easy as it says on the app.
Very steep start. Very enjoyable. Not very crowded.
Hike accessible with an 8-year-old child without difficulty.

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Th84660
Th84660

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The hike is very pleasant but lacks signage at certain junctions (e.g. at the intersection with the trail that climbs up to the Meyrieux crosses). And the starting point car park in the vineyards needs to be changed as there is nowhere to park.

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Cbent
Cbent

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike that is not to be missed. To start the route, the departure point needs to be changed. We were told off because it is a private road that leads to the starting point, so we turned around and parked a few steps from the start (N1) near the stairs on the side of the road
The start is very steep, which gets you going straight away, followed by a beautiful walk through the forest with lovely views of Lake Bourget and an incredible viewpoint with a very safe descent to the fairy cave, where you can take some beautiful photos

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MaF2
MaF2

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, mainly through the forest, with magnificent views of Lake Bourget at certain points.
Just one thing I would change: to get to the starting point, the instructions say to go to the end of the farm track, where there are a few places to park. This is incorrect: there is only one small parking space available and, after talking to a winegrower working in his vineyard, when there are lots of walkers, people park wherever they can (i.e. badly) and often block the passage of agricultural machinery trying to access their plots.. i therefore advise you not to go so far down this very narrow road and to start your walk well before point 1

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Flolin
Flolin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike enjoyed by the whole family (with children aged 7 and 11)! I highly recommend it

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nivolet
nivolet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very pleasant half-day hike.
Beautiful views of Lake Bourget.

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Safran Fleury
Safran Fleury

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note! The starting point has changed. Due to the large number of hikers, walkers and families on this trail, the local council has made the small agricultural road leading to it one-way. You will therefore need to start much further down and walk to the current starting point.

I therefore started at the botanical garden.

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Mama52
Mama52

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A pleasant and easy hike, but be warned, it's quite steep at the start and the entire route is quite rocky. Given the various reviews mentioning difficulties in finding the starting point, we began the hike at the "botanical garden" (clearly marked by a sign) and its stone steps.

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liliane.clarens
liliane.clarens

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Departure at the edge of the vineyards and a very pleasant walk through the forest, crossing the botanical garden to reach the fairy cave, a very pleasant spot with a beautiful, safe staircase and a view of Lake Bourget.
A beautiful descent to the barns of Brison, a typical hamlet overlooked by cliffs, and finally a return to a few small, well-maintained vineyards.
Thank you to the author for this lovely discovery.

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Gourette
Gourette

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike in the forest with some beautiful views. To start the hike, follow the signs for the botanical trail, which may be difficult to see at this time of year due to the vegetation.

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SEVEPA
SEVEPA

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this relatively easy route and went as far as the Croix de Meyrieu, which was a steep climb but offered a beautiful 360-degree view.
The start isn't very well signposted, but with a bit of common sense we found the right direction.

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Actarus et Nef
Actarus et Nef

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We missed the start of the hike... Starting from the "chemin des gros" landmark, we set off heading south but slightly behind the starting point 🤣. We ended up walking an extra 5 km, but it wasn't unpleasant in the woods on such a beautiful sunny day. It was a cool and interesting hike from a botanical point of view... We finished off a great day with a dip in Lake Bourget 🤩

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