La Quinquenouille and Dramelay

de fr

This easy walk is best undertaken in spring or autumn if you wish to enjoy the second section, which is by far the most beautiful: waterfall and stream.
Coolness guaranteed in summer, even with just a trickle of water.
An Amazonian forest atmosphere before the waterfall.

Details

n°114109
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.20 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 974 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 974 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,926 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,155 ft
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Photos

Small stone bridge
A small bridge
At the foot of the waterfall
Ruthy hike

Description of the walk

The start is 5 km from Arinthod, heading towards Orgelet. Turn left twice at the sign for Chatonnay: you’ll arrive at a very well-equipped car park.

(S/E) Cross the bridge then climb for about 200 m.

(1) Turn right and follow the yellow markings which lead you to the small village of Dramelay. The actual route does not always follow the purple line on the 1:25,000 IGN map. You will arrive at a tarmac road.

(2) From here, you can already see the famous tower perched on the hill to the right, to the west. Take the road on the left.

(3) In the hamlet, turn right onto a tarmac road leading downhill. You will then be on a dirt track, the GR®9 (marked in red and white), with a pretty fountain and a wash house on your right. Ignore a path on the right and continue to the next junction.

(4) Continue straight on along the track heading south-east.

(5) 1.2 km further on, in a large 180° bend, start the final climb leading to the Dramelay Tower.

(6) After visiting the site, head north-north-east following the sign for Quinquenouille. Pass by a chapel, ignore several paths on the left, then take a sharp left-hand bend to reach a small bridge.

(7) Cross the bridge, follow the tarmac road to the right for about a hundred metres, then turn left to reach the left bank of the little stream known as the Dard. Take a short detour to admire the Roman bridge at La Pie du Dard. Follow the stream, then turn right to cross it, admiring the Roman bridge at La Pie du Dard as you go. Continue to the next junction.

(8) Turn left and go down the steps to reach the foot of the magnificent Quinquenouille waterfall. Take care when going down the steps leading to the bottom of the waterfall as the path is very slippery in wet weather. Then return to the previous junction.

(8) Keep left and follow the path until you rejoin the route you took earlier. Turn left and follow the path back the way you came to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,158 ft - Car park next to the bridge
  2. 1 : mi 0.1 - alt. 1,188 ft - To the right
  3. 2 : mi 1.15 - alt. 1,486 ft - Tarmac road at the entrance to Dramelay
  4. 3 : mi 1.27 - alt. 1,509 ft - Turn right in the village
  5. 4 : mi 1.51 - alt. 1,480 ft - Crossroads, straight ahead
  6. 5 : mi 2.06 - alt. 1,506 ft - A sweeping 180° bend
  7. 6 : mi 2.71 - alt. 1,926 ft - Tour de Dramelay
  8. 7 : mi 3.99 - alt. 1,417 ft - Small bridge
  9. 8 : mi 4.62 - alt. 1,355 ft - Junction - Cascade de la Quinquenouille
  10. 9 : mi 5.2 - alt. 1,158 ft - Car park next to the bridge
  11. S/E : mi 5.2 - alt. 1,155 ft - Car park next to the bridge

Notes

Sturdy footwear is recommended due to the risk of slipping. Walking poles are advised.
There is a shelter near the tower to provide protection from the weather.

If you don’t have the time or are unable to complete the entire hike, but only the Quinquenouille section, follow the route as indicated on the signs at the start car park (anti-clockwise).

The route is explained on the sign in the car park. We chose to take it in the opposite direction to that indicated on the sign, as we are combining the Quinquenouille with the Tour de Dramelay. This way, we save the best part of the walk for last. The trail is signposted with yellow markings for the Quinquenouille section, then red and white (GR®9) with white (heritage trail) for the Tour de Dramelay section.

Worth a visit

The medieval village of Arinthod with its arcades, church, tower and fountain.
After visiting the tower, a few hundred metres further north, you can see what remains of the old village of Dramelay (the last inhabited house was burnt down on 17 May 1944 by the German army, marking the end of a village that bore witness to a prestigious medieval past.

The base of the tower was restored in the 1990s, but the structure as a whole has suffered the ravages of time.
A small chapel is nevertheless in good condition (restored in 1980).
Old wells are still visible.

On the way back, near the waterfall, an old millstone bears witness to its former use: it was used to grind wheat and maize using water power. You then cross the small stream (right bank) and climb up to reach the viewpoint overlooking the waterfall.
20/02/2022: for more information: https://www.jura-tourism.com/vivre-le-ju...

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 59 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Sylvie 39
Sylvie 39

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We ended up doing the walk in reverse because we retraced our steps after seeing the waterfall , which, despite the heat over the past few days, still had water flowing.
In any case, a very pleasant, peaceful walk with very few people (we only came across one couple). The signposting wasn’t always there, but with the map we’d downloaded, we didn’t get lost
Quite a few sections across fields and along roads in full sun ☀️ so I think it’s best not to do this walk in the middle of a heatwave, but rather in the autumn or a cool spring.
There were absolutely no benches along the route, so we had lunch in the little chapel

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User 27423665
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk; a bit warm on the sections along the road and through the meadows, but refreshing in the woods and along the stream. The varied scenery is beautiful and well worth the detour! The waterfall is lovely, and there’s a viewpoint at the top accessible after crossing the Roman bridge. Personally, I’d rate the difficulty of this walk as moderate, with some tricky sections (particularly between stages 7 and 8).

Be careful between stages 5 and 6: we tried to follow the route from the hairpin bend on the left after the final climb towards the tower, but the path shown on the map is overgrown and inaccessible. We therefore had to continue by following the sign for ‘Tower (direct) 0.4km’ and then the (rather inconspicuous) sign for ‘Ruins 🟡’. We were still able to complete the circular path around the tower, but the path was difficult to navigate. The chapel is very interesting.

Also be careful from stage 7 onwards. The path leading back to the road climbs steeply; there is another path on the right that can be taken, but we couldn’t see where it started. We got a bit lost along the Dard; the path had shifted quite a bit due to natural causes (fallen trees, rocks, water perhaps higher than usual…) and the route description didn’t help us find our way easily. It wasn’t possible to follow the path along the left bank; we had to rejoin the path a little further up (still on the left bank) via a rather slippery section. We then had to walk along some rather steep and slippery rocks. The Roman bridge is right at the end of the path, just before the waterfall at stage 8.

Thank you for sharing this, as the walk is still very beautiful and enjoyable!

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ppillon
ppillon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 26, 2026
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. The Dramelay Castle site is very interesting and the Quinquenouille waterfall is definitely worth a visit (impressive flow at the end of January).
Thank you for sharing.

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Marcochap
Marcochap

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

it's short, what a shame

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weirichrando
weirichrando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pretty hike, interesting. Lots to see. It's really worth going down to the foot of the waterfall, which is quite unique.

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Primot Masson
Primot Masson

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with beautiful trails and scenery, but it's a shame that such pretty places are littered with plastic waste (old tarpaulins), bulky items and vehicle wrecks (at the entrance to Dramelay). This is unacceptable! It's a shame that the tower and the little chapel aren't better showcased by pruning and maintenance.

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MATHEY Didier
MATHEY Didier

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 12 March 2025. The trails are well maintained and the descent to the waterfall is well laid out, which was not the case a few years ago. There was water on the day we visited, but in summer the waterfall is dry

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ALerouge
ALerouge
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route on a magnificent day: sunshine and frost-covered vegetation.
In terms of difficulty, I would rate it as "moderate" due to the continuous steep climb to the castle (it's best to be in reasonably good physical condition) and especially the access to the waterfall, which is very steep (we climbed up and down the same way because we couldn't find a path along the stream).

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Pontarollo PHIL et Nel
Pontarollo PHIL et Nel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful route. Walking sticks are necessary along the stream and around the waterfall as the ground is very slippery at this time of year. Signposting is clearly visible.
Worth doing again in spring or summer to enjoy the cool air.

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jean marie MARESCHAL
jean marie MARESCHAL

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Signposting not always visible and sometimes missing; for example, finding the waterfall was a nightmare.
Otherwise, it was a pleasant route

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giroddo@orange.fr
giroddo@orange.fr
• Edited:

Your comment warms my heart.
Finally, some shared enjoyment.and sharing that inspires ideas.

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MDuViso
MDuViso
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

point 6: minor concern regarding the poorly maintained tower site.
interesting castle chapel.
the stairs leading down to the quinquenouille are equipped with a two-level handrail (for children and adults), which is very welcome when going up and down!
it's a shame that the waterfall wasn't flowing as strongly as in the photos.
the picnic table in the car park at the start is in the shade for lunch between 12 and 1 p.m.

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Ruthy
Ruthy

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant but challenging route... The map description is not very detailed... We walked 12.5 km instead of the 8 km advertised... Thank goodness for our phones to help us find our way...
Poor description of the tower.

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Toutencarton
Toutencarton

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The yellow markings on the first part of the route are not always easy to find. However, they are there, sometimes hidden by vegetation if you are not very close.

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Marie- Thé ARBEY
Marie- Thé ARBEY

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike. Lots to see.

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