Le Chemin des Fileuses in Marsanne

This long hike high up in the heart of the Marsanne forest follows the paths that young silk spinners took to work in the 19th century. At that time, there were many spinning mills in the surrounding area, located along the rivers needed for the activity, particularly near Mirmande.

Details

6477030
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.42 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 304 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 298 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 560 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 261 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Place Émile Loubet car park in the centre of the village of Marsanne.

(S/E) Set off along Avenue de Baillancourt (Route de Mirmande) and leave the village. Follow the road to the first horseshoe bend.

(1) Just after the bridge, take the path on the left that leads into the valley. Pass the hunters' lodge and continue to the right on a sunken path that climbs steadily to the Col de la Grande Limite. Join the D57.

(2) Cross it and follow it to the right for 80 metres, then take the first path on the left to join the wind turbine track. You will come to a fork in the tracks.

(3) At a place called Jeu du Palet, take the track on the right, following the signs for "route touristique" (tourist route) until you reach another fork in the tracks.

(4) Keep left and continue along this path, which goes around the hill until you reach a sharp right-hand bend in the track.

(5) Leave the track and descend to the shoulder of Serre Saint-Félix. This path climbs back up the serre (fir tree plantation) to an altitude of 481 metres, then descends to Marsanne.

(6) Before the end of the path, turn right at the orientation table. Resume the route.

(7) Cross the hairpin bend to rejoin the path opposite. Pass by the ruins and then the Priory of Saint-Félix. Take the stairs leading to Montée Saint-Félix. Immediately rejoin the path that leads to Rue Saint-Claude.

(8) Go down this street on the left. Go straight ahead at the crossroads to follow Rue du Comte de Poitiers, which leads directly to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 261 m - Place Émile Loubet
  2. 1 : km 0.91 - alt. 327 m - Hairpin bend
  3. 2 : km 2.64 - alt. 514 m - Col de la Grande Limite
  4. 3 : km 4.23 - alt. 532 m - Jeu du Palet
  5. 4 : km 4.72 - alt. 524 m - Junction, on the left
  6. 5 : km 7.63 - alt. 480 m - Fork to the left
  7. 6 : km 8.79 - alt. 371 m - Orientation table
  8. 7 : km 8.94 - alt. 344 m - Virage, ruins of the Chapelle Saint-Félix - Prieuré Saint-Félix (Marsanne)
  9. 8 : km 9.17 - alt. 301 m - Rue Saint-Claude
  10. S/E : km 9.42 - alt. 262 m - Place Émile Loubet

Notes

Drinking water points in the old village, at the wash house and on Place Émile Loubet.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
claudettecolombet
claudettecolombet

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We were able to enjoy the view a bit, as the foliage was still sparse.
There were plenty of tracks leading to the wind turbines, and a very stony descent on the way back, but a lovely walk overall, with a visit to the village on arrival and, above all, a must-do detour via Fresneau.

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randalto
randalto

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

March 2026
Please note: the path to the wind turbines is closed to the public
To avoid it, at point 2, continue LEFT onto the road to Loriol, passing the car park
Then, after the start of a slight bend to the right, look out for the start of a PR on the right:
- a large concrete marker with a red tip - a yellow mark - a red marker no. 9
After 1 km along a path offering beautiful views of the first hills of the Drôme and the Rhône Valley, turn right to join the wind turbine track and the trail just before point 3
From point 5 onwards, the descent is steep and stony: good footwear is essential and walking poles are recommended
At the wind turbines (on the PR), the mistral can be very strong

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murauvergne
murauvergne

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The last part is a descent on a path with lots of stones. Otherwise, there are no particular difficulties.
Can be done in hot weather as there are many shaded sections.

A pleasant hike

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randonnée2607
randonnée2607

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Best done when it's warm, as there is a lot of undergrowth and some beautiful ruins and a medieval village with superb views of the Vercors. Finish off with a quick drink at the café.

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LaForet26
LaForet26

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is a fairly easy and very pleasant trail.
There is an error in the description of the route:
Point 1: Do not "take the path on the right that leads into the valley" but take the path on the left at the horseshoe bend to reach the hunters' lodge.
And there is an inaccuracy:
Point 2: When you reach the D57 road at the Col de la Grande Limite, I would rather say "At the end of the path that leads to the D57 road, cross and follow the road to the right for a few dozen metres, then take the first path on the left to reach the wind turbine track."
Enjoy your hike!

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Arnaud Chn
Arnaud Chn

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note: the passage between (6) and (7) is closed until October 2024 due to work on the ruins of Saint-Félix Chapel. We therefore had to take the departmental road, as indicated by the sign at the construction site, which made the end of the route infinitely less interesting.
However, the view from the orientation table (6) is spectacular. On this winter evening, we were treated to a display of red colours in the sky.
The path is entirely in the shade. This probably makes it more ideal on a cloudy winter's day.

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POULIN Gérard
POULIN Gérard ★

It is the description, not the markup, that should be followed .

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Danielle Gilbert
Danielle Gilbert

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A minor issue, but one that allowed us to discover a parish-specific to Brittany, very pleasant path. The description told us to stay on the trail, but there was a nice yellow cross (6), so we took the path next to it... a little lost... but we found the trail again without too much difficulty.

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Solide Cochal
Solide Cochal

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with a magnificent finale above the village.

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jerfa84
jerfa84
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant stroll.

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Francine84
Francine84

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike in the snow with a detour to the Notre-Dame de Fresneau sanctuary, which is well worth the effort.
Very pleasant trails and wide paths in the forest, sheltered from the wind. Magnificent final section from the descent of Serre St Félix. Grandiose panorama over the Valdaine plain, the Saoû syncline and the Montagne de Couspeau.
Thanks to the tourist office for this itinerary.

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Kassiahchat
Kassiahchat

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hi, there's a slight hesitation at the Grande Limite pass because there are many paths to choose from. But they almost all lead to the same place.
The second part after the wind turbines is less pleasant because the route follows tracks, but the view of the Andrans plain from the orientation table (which is very well done) more than makes up for it.
Thank you for this hike, which ends with a visit to the beautiful old village of Marsanne.

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cflachard
cflachard
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk but few viewpoints (the most interesting is the orientation table just above Marsanne at the end of the walk). The first three quarters of the walk are in the shade, which is very welcome in summer!

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