Le Grand Large and the Jonage Canal

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

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Date of your route : May 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I have travelled this route in both directions. It is not difficult, but there are many cyclists, so caution is advised. The scenery is relaxing, and the information boards about the canal and the weir are particularly interesting. On the Grand Large side, it gets very busy when the weather is nice.

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Date of your route : May 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

i have slightly modified the route, which remains 21 km long
I set off from the Les Simondieres car park (point 6) to reach the lake for lunch or to find a spot in the park (so in the opposite direction!)
I went as far as the Jonage bridge
and, most importantly, I crossed it because the towpath on the park side is not interesting (in full sun). There is a towpath (cycle path) that is in the shade and much more pleasant despite its length
after the bridge, I took an unmarked path towards the black earth, which leads back to the Petit Camargue and avoids the cycle path
you can stop at the open-air cafés when they are open
there are a few people around the port and a bit of tarmac

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Date of your route : Apr 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant spring hike during the week, starting from the car park at the Décines bridge. We encountered a few people on the Grand Large trail, but few afterwards. Although there were no birds to be seen, we were able to observe the tree trunks gnawed by beavers near the small lake and enjoy a peaceful picnic at the tables and benches.

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Date of your route : Mar 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We settled for the loop between the two bridges – 8 km.
On one side, it's true that the straight line seems endless, but the other bank is very pleasant.
It's very busy, even on weekdays.

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Date of your route : Jan 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Changed the start of the hike to the car park on Francisco Ferrer Street.
To avoid the long straight stretch back along the canal, we crossed back over at the Herbens bridge. The walk is now only 19.2 km long.

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Date of your route : Aug 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a lovely walk with few encounters except for animals
the return trip over the Décines bridge is a bit long if it's sunny
be careful when you arrive at the lake, as it is not always well signposted and you have to climb over a small barrier to get around it

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Date of your route : Jul 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Hike completed in 4 hours and 40 minutes, covering 21 km, starting at the Passerelle de Décines (parking available there).

A few inaccuracies in the description...

1/ We took the wrong path towards the small lake (called Lac d'Emprunt, it would have been better to specify this), but it wasn't a big deal as there weren't many details.

2/ We never came across a car park at point 6, so we got lost until we reached Les Grands Vernes. We therefore changed the rest of our route and ended up crossing via Le Bletta to finish the rest. Perhaps this was no bad thing, as we had already walked along the canal for the first 10 km, so there was no point in walking back in a straight line.

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Date of your route : Apr 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Easy hike with no difficulty.

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Date of your route : Sep 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

No elevation change, so easy on the knees
The car park location needs to be changed; there is one on the other side of the footbridge (secure)

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Date of your route : Jul 11, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

There were 17 of us hiking this trail on Wednesday, 11 July, with a guide from the Vaulx-en-Velin Retirement Services Department. We set off from near the Sucrerie bridge (the bridge before the Pont de Décines), skipped the section on Miribel-Jonage and turned directly onto the Pont d'Herbens to go around the Grand Large.
We had a picnic facing the Grand Large in the "Aviron" area. It was a very pleasant route, with a fairly strong north wind, which was welcome on the towpath on the way there in the bright sunshine.
Apparently, the work undertaken by EDF has been completed and the barriers have disappeared at Herbens, but many hiking trail signs have been installed.
We came across lots of children from day camps and their chaperones, adult cyclists doing the ViaRhôna with their tents on their luggage racks, fishermen... All in all, we had a wonderful day with a beautiful hiking route. There was no elevation gain, but there was a beautiful view of Lyon, the Monts du Lyonnais, Mont Cindre and Mont Verdun... Thank you for this beautiful route near Lyon!

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Date of your route : Apr 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

we got lost at one point because there weren't any markings on the ground, but it wasn't a big deal, just an extra 3 or 4 kilometres.
Otherwise, the park is huge and full of walks to do.
Thank you. Best regards

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Date of your route : Dec 15, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

You can change the departure point to access the circuit by TCL.
That's what I did, starting from the T3 Décines Grand Large tram station

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Date of your route : Dec 15, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant route at this time of year for its tranquillity, but everything is dormant, with few birds and vegetation losing its colour.
Many walkers and fishermen along the canal.
A magnificent route to do in spring and ideal for those who want to let off steam.
Thank you to the author. Best regards. Lyly.

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Date of your route : Jul 23, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Easy and enjoyable hike, done with an 8-year-old child.
Picnic at Lake Emprunt was fantastic

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