Country:
City:
Marchil car park - Antoine Pécaudy de Contrecœur.
Orange signage with the abbey church logo
(S/E) Take Rue de l'Abbatiale towards the village, passing in front of the schools. At the cross, take Rue Saint-Theudère on the left.
(1) Leave the return path on your left when the street curves to the right at its end. Opposite the small fountain, take Rue de la Forge on the right and continue straight ahead. Pass below the arboretum. You can take the opportunity to visit the arboretum and walk back up. At the top, it offers beautiful views of the village.
(2) At Place Frédéric Dard (large stone building), enter the forest via the path on the left. Continue along this path, which is flat at first and then climbs to cross the Bois d'Yvrard. This path leads to the Rivier plateau. Walk along a barbed wire fence. At the road, turn left and continue to the crossroads. Continue right on the road, Chemin du Rivier, for 200 metres until you reach the next crossroads.
(3) Continue along Chemin de Vaillot on the tarmac section. At the intersection in front of an isolated house, continue left on a slightly uphill dirt track. Join Chemin du Rivier.
(4) Continue right on the road, Chemin du Rivier, for 500 m. At the intersection, continue right on Chemin de la Nizarde. This shaded road winds down towards the hamlet of La Collinière.
(5) Just after the last bend, about 300 m before the hamlet of La Collinière, take a path on the left. This path leads to the hamlet of Versin. Walk along this hamlet and continue straight on the tarmac road that leads to the hamlet of La Grande Chanas.
(6) At the crossroads, continue to the left. The tarmac road gives way to a stony path that climbs uphill. Continue along this path. After a bend to the right, then a bend to the left, the steeply ascending path reaches the plateau. You will find yourself back on the Chemin du Rivier.
(7) Continue on the left until you reach the intersection at approximately 1,500 metres. This peaceful road offers views of the surrounding hills and the Bugey and Alps mountains.
(8) At the crossroads with Chemin du Puisat, continue straight ahead along the path behind the house. This path runs alongside fences for 300 metres and joins a stone path. Continue left on this path, which overlooks pastures before reaching the heights of Saint-Chef. This path offers unobstructed views of the Bugey mountains and the Mont Blanc massif.
(9) At the crossroads with Vie des Granges, continue left on this road, downhill, to reach the Chapelle district. Ignore Chemin Cadet on the right, then Chemin du Rivier on the left. In the bend, join Vie de la Chaîne on the right, between two buildings.
(10) Continue along this pedestrian passage on the right and return to the intersection you passed on the way there.
(1) Take the opposite route to the one you took on the way there, turning right to return to the car park (S/E). You can also return to the car park by exploring the upper part of the village (museum, abbey church, medieval garden, etc.).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
