The Tram Route

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Discover the old tramway line linking Saint-Marcellin (38) and Lyon (69).

Details

n°49857
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.28 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 160 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 160 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 628 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 460 m
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Photos

Frozen waterfall on the Furand
View of the Vercors
Simplicity
View of Dionay

Description of the walk

Park in the Dionay church car park.

(S/E). To reach the farm track, follow the D27a towards Roybon for around thirty metres. Then turn right onto the farm track to reach the crossroads with the GRP®.

(1). Turn left onto the GRP® (JR: Yellow Red), which follows the old tramway line.
Continue north to reach the tunnel.

(2) Cross it and stay on the GRP® to reach a crossroads of 4 directions at a place called la Chapelle Redon.

(3) Turn right onto a wider track that leads to a picnic area.

(4) Then turn right, reaching another crossroads where a sign points to Dionnay.

(5). Go past Le Cul de Perrette.
Continue along the road and rejoin the farm track at the start.

(1) Then join the Dionnay church car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 489 m - Dionnay church car park
  2. 1 : km 0.16 - alt. 480 m - GRP
  3. 2 : km 2.23 - alt. 568 m - Tunnel
  4. 3 : km 4.93 - alt. 628 m - 4-way crossroads
  5. 4 : km 5.81 - alt. 598 m - Crossroads on the right
  6. 5 : km 6.69 - alt. 535 m - Carrefour panneau Dionnay
  7. S/E : km 8.28 - alt. 489 m - Dionnay church car park

Notes

Picnic area.
All along the route, explanatory panels on the tram show the importance of this line linking the Bas Dauphiné to the Rhône and its capital, Lyon.

Worth a visit

The tram route
Saint Marcellin and its famous cheese.
Vinay and its Grand Séchoir, which tells you everything you ever wanted to know about walnuts.
Saint Antoine l'Abbaye and its architectural ensemble.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 101 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
dekooninck
dekooninck

A lovely route along the old railway line. There are a few information boards about the history of the railway. Walking through the tunnel is a pleasure. Very beautiful panoramic views.

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herveg07
herveg07

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with beautiful views on both sides. The ground was frozen almost everywhere, which was good because it could have been muddy in places!
The little waterfall on the path near the end was frozen...

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dekooninck
dekooninck

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route along the old railway line. There are a few information boards about the history of the railway. Walking through the tunnel is a pleasure. Very beautiful panoramic views.

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Fbourguet
Fbourguet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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Maya69
Maya69

Very nice route, I recommend it. There are some magnificent views of the Vercors.

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andrebayle
andrebayle

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A short hike ideal for walkers not looking for long distances, or for getting back into shape. At the highest point you have a fine view of the surrounding countryside. Don't forget your hat, as some sections are in the open.

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Maya69
Maya69

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A great walk for the whole family, with lovely views of the Vercors.

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mimi26600
mimi26600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk, we continued at point 3 with a return trip to Labaye de Chambaran, with its beautiful buildings. Allow an extra hour for this diversions along a dirt track. Be careful, crossing the road can be dangerous!

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Guillaume13
Guillaume13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A trail that is both historic and educational, yet extremely enjoyable to do.
The scenery is truly beautiful, and the trail is generally very well maintained.
The first kilometre, however, takes what are now farm tracks, which are quite rough and muddy.
It's great that you hardly ever come across a tarmac road, and the loop is completed in a very reasonable time. I'd definitely recommend it!

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wlassow
wlassow

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy and pleasant family hike, done with 2 Australian shepherds. Wide, well-maintained paths, very little tarmac, well-marked trails, beautiful views of the Vercors mountain range.

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SP3.8
SP3.8

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A VERY NICE WALK WITH A MIX OF FORESTS AND BEAUTIFUL VIEWS. THE PATHS ARE VERY WELL MAINTAINED! LOTS OF PATHS AND VERY, VERY LITTLE TARMAC. EASY ACCESS FOR MY 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
THE DESCRIPTION IS DETAILED AND THE SIGNPOSTING IS A GOOD COMPLEMENT
PICNIC TABLE HALFWAY ALONG THE TRAIL, A VERY PLEASANT PLACE TO TAKE A SHORT LUNCH BREAK.

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gentonf@gmail.com
gentonf@gmail.com

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very fine route (in good weather) and an accurate description, highly recommendable.
A dangerous section for children on the way back: they can fall over concrete and stones 10-15 m into the Furand stream. A railing is needed, as there is nothing to warn of this danger in the current configuration.

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chant26le
chant26le

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk.
We added a diversion to the Chapelle Saint Jean de Fromental, a must...
Meal at the Auberge de Dionay.

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mariethe.
mariethe.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Short easy walk with beautiful views

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DAVID jean luc
DAVID jean luc

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Nice view of the Vercors and the Alps

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Other walks in the area

Walking From Dionay to Saint-Antoine l'Abbaye

Visorando Member
De Dionay à Saint-Antoine l'Abbaye
↔20.35 km ↗+506 m ↘-514 m ◔7h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Dionay (Isère)
You walk along the foothills of the Chambarans until you reach the unmissable medieval village of Saint-Antoine l'Abbaye with its famous abbey. You have constant beautiful views of the northern barrier of the Vercors. The only difficulty is the high mileage.

Walking The tramway and Dionay pond

Association / Club / Walk leader
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⚑Departure from Dionay (Isère)
Walk starting from Dionay Town Hall. Set off to explore the tramway and the Chambarans National Forest. The end of the route offers unobstructed views of the Vercors and Chartreuse mountains.

Walking Along the old tramway from Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye to La Trappe

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De Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye à La Trappe par la voie du tram
↔20.68 km ↗+428 m ↘-427 m ◔7h 10 ▲Difficult
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In the region famous for walnuts, along the tracks of the old tramway from Lyon to Saint-Marcellin and among various church buildings. Magnificent panoramic views over the Chartreuse, Vercors and Mézenc mountain ranges.

Walking Pilgrimage to the Chapel of Saint-Jean le Fromental

Visorando Member
Pèlerinage à la Chapelle Saint-Jean le Fromental
↔7.35 km ↗+215 m ↘-212 m ◔2h 45 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye (Isère)
This short walk takes you north of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye to explore the walnut groves. You’ll catch a glimpse of the foothills of the Vercors. The Chapel of Saint-Jean le Fromental is quite large and houses a small, very old cemetery. The return route takes you straight back to the abbey, just like the pilgrims of the ‘du mal ardent’ era. You can fit in the walk, a tour of the town and a visit to the monuments all in the same day if you arrive early enough in the morning.

Walking The Secret Wood of Gargamelle

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Le Bois Secret de Gargamelle
↔7.04 km ↗+67 m ↘-68 m ◔2h 10 ▲Easy
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Immerse yourself in the Chambaran Forest from the Trappe. Head to Gargamelle, a ruin in a clearing, to see the Smurfs or, if not, deer or roe deer. Walk part of the Way of St James in Chambaran. Please note: this is an old, manual GPS track, see reviews

Walking La Forêt de Thivolet

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La Forêt de Thivolet
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Association / Club / Walk leader
Boucle de Dionay depuis Saint Antoine l'Abbaye
↔10.34 km ↗+262 m ↘-259 m ◔3h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye (Isère)
Une boucle qui permet de rejoindre Dionay par la Combe de l'Enfer, la voie du tram et le retour par Saint-Jean de Fromental. Une belle ballade en famille pour découvrir la nature et le patrimoine.

Walking L'Étang de Chapaize

Association / Club / Walk leader
L'Étang de Chapaize
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Petite balade autour de Saint-Antoine passant par l'Étang de Chapaize et les bois. Idéale en famille pour découvrir le village et ses alentours.

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