Mont de Cordon from La Bruyère

A lovely walk starting from the banks of the Rhône, leading to the Mont de Cordon viewpoint (altitude 400 m) and offering a beautiful panorama of the Rhône and the Izieu mountain. During the climb, you pass a beautiful private castle and on the way back, you can see three caves that were inhabited during prehistoric times: the Bonne Femme cave, an unnamed cave and the Liévrin cave.

Technical sheet

519187
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.41 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 255 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 254 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 389 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 218 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park on the grassy verge under the bridge between the Rhône and the Via Rhôna.

Yellow markings and a few signposts.

(S/E) Take the path that passes under the bridge, then climb the trail that joins a path.
When you reach this path, turn left for 30 m and climb the narrow path that branches off to the right (wooden signpost "Château de la Barre").

(1) At the wide stony path with a stone wall on the left, turn right and follow it for about 120 m. In a large bend, turn left onto the narrow path until the next fork.

(2) At the path, follow to the left for 200 m to reach Château de la Barre (private property). At the castle, take the path on the left that climbs into the forest; this is the steepest part of the hike.
Note: at the castle, you can also go straight ahead instead of turning left, but the climb is very steep. The route I suggest, although quite steep in places, is easier.

(3) After the steep climb (which can be slippery in wet weather), you will come to a wider path. Continue to the left and cross some large stone slabs (in wet weather, water runs down the middle of the path). Shortly afterwards, turn left and continue for about 400 metres to reach a clear plateau offering a wide panorama.

(4) Turn left, follow the path straight ahead and cross a wooded plateau.

(5) Climb up to the viewpoint to admire the beautiful panorama of the Rhône valley and the Izieu mountain.

(6) Descend by the same route.

(5) Turn left and descend a wide path that becomes a small road, follow it to the D992.

(7) On the road, turn left and follow it for 50 m. Take the small path on the left to avoid the main road. After 150 m, turn right to rejoin the D992. On this road, turn left and follow it for about 80 m, then turn left onto the small road (Chemin du Lac). Follow this road for 600 m to reach the Rhône.

(8) Turn left and follow the path along the river. After 500 m, turn left and follow a narrow path that climbs about ten metres to the Grotte de la Bonne Femme, a prehistoric rock shelter. Return to the path and continue left.
after 120 metres, a narrow path climbs into the woods on your left. Follow this path for 50 metres to reach the second cave, which is also beautiful (unnamed cave on the IGN map). Go back down to the main path and continue on your left.
after 300 m, following a sharp bend, a very narrow path (barely visible) climbs into the forest for about 20 m and leads to the Grotte de Liévrin (prehistoric dwelling). This cave is smaller than the previous one and extends into the rock through two narrow, low galleries.
Return to the path and continue left to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 219 m - Median strip under the bridge - Rhône (le)
  2. 1 : km 0.49 - alt. 257 m - Wide stony path
  3. 2 : km 0.98 - alt. 244 m - Wide path on the left
  4. 3 : km 1.65 - alt. 318 m - Path on the left
  5. 4 : km 2.07 - alt. 337 m - Fork in the road to the left
  6. 5 : km 2.56 - alt. 376 m - Crossroads leading to the viewpoint
  7. 6 : km 2.8 - alt. 388 m - Viewpoint
  8. 7 : km 4.79 - alt. 232 m - Junction with the D992
  9. 8 : km 5.77 - alt. 219 m - Rhône, on the left
  10. S/E : km 7.41 - alt. 219 m - Median strip under the bridge

Practical information

I modified the description in April 2019 to take into account certain comments and after checking on site.

The only difficulty is that part of the climb (300 m) is quite steep and stony, and slippery in wet weather; wear good shoes.

In the nearby area

During the hike:
- Château de la Barre: see the photo description to discover the history of this castle, which served as the setting for Stendhal's novel "The Red and the Black"
- The Mont Cordon viewpoint offers a beautiful panorama of the Rhône valley
- The prehistoric caves of Bonne-Femme and Liévrin.
Nearby: a few kilometres away, visit the village of Brangues and in particular:
- The castle and tomb of Paul Claudel (poet, playwright, essayist, diplomat, member of the Académie Française, who died in 1955)
- The "Claudel-Stendhal" exhibition space,
- The "Stendhal" tour, where panels explain the true story behind Stendhal's novel "The Red and the Black"
For more information: Claudel-Stendhal.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 52 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Isabelle94
Isabelle94

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Hike/walk done this Sunday. Worth doing again in summer when it's very hot, as it's well sheltered by trees.
The view from the lookout point over a bend in the Rhône and Les Bauges is superb.
Caution! The climb to the viewpoint is short but steep and can be slippery when wet.

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dangoodsoft
dangoodsoft
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

hike done on a Monday. The view from the lookout point is really good. The climb through the woods in the direction of the route is sometimes slippery and requires good shoes and walking sticks.
However, it is possible to climb up to the viewpoint by starting in the other direction and returning by the same route (I do not recommend doing the loop down the castle side in rainy weather if you are not a very experienced hiker). Admittedly, you lose the sporting challenge and a few views between the trees, but the essence of the hike is retained. The banks of the Rhône are also very pleasant

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mariemadeleinepiaut
mariemadeleinepiaut

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Very pleasant route. Dogs are allowed. Most of the route is shaded. A few fairly steep climbs.

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User 2370520

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Nice hike with beautiful views, excellent signage, great

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Roland 73
Roland 73

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

After point 2, at Château de la Barre, it is essential to take the path on the left, as indicated by the signs. We wanted to go straight ahead as suggested by Visorandonneur, but following its GPS route, we couldn't find the path higher up (brambles, trees, etc.). So we turned back and started again from Château de la Barre. Otherwise, it was a beautiful hike.

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Guyane38
Guyane38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Good signposting and easy-to-follow directions on the app. It's a beautiful hike, a little busy for my taste. The time estimate is overestimated as it took me 2 hours, including a 10-minute stop at the viewpoint.
There is just a short stretch along the road at the end, otherwise the paths are in good condition. Doing it in reverse seems risky to me at this time of year, especially on the last section, which is very steep and slippery in the opposite direction.

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mroliper
mroliper

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

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opsalys
opsalys

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lovely short hike in beautiful March sunshine. A very clear view from the viewpoint.
The absence of leaves at the end of winter reveals more prehistoric caves at the end of the trail. After the Bonne Femme cave and the Liévrin cave, small paths lead to at least three other caves visible from the main trail.

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Alexya
Alexya

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Great walk with the dogs, mainly in the forest. It's quite steep in places but you reach a lovely viewpoint. There's a bit of road but most of the walk is on footpaths.
Part of it is along the Rhône, where dogs can swim
You'll come across cows and chickens when crossing near a farm.
A very good walk with the dogs.

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17decembre
17decembre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lovely, easy hike with beautiful views from the summit.

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ISABRI38
ISABRI38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A beautiful hike through woods and forests with a magnificent view at the end!
We got a good look at the Château de la Barre and the Grotte de la Bonne Femme (but not the Grotte du Liévrin) and returned along the Rhône in glorious sunshine!
We'll definitely be back!

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Lelynx
Lelynx

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A lovely short hike on a well-shaded trail, which was very welcome in the intense heat and on the steep slopes of the first section. After the viewpoint, it's almost all downhill to the banks of the Rhône. We did this as a family in the afternoon, followed by a refreshing drink near the Glandieu waterfall.

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BOURGOIN38
BOURGOIN38

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A lovely walk that children can do without difficulty.

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crhistine
crhistine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant hike with little elevation gain, best done in autumn with all the undergrowth and beautiful views, perfect for a Sunday.

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fanfan38490
fanfan38490

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant hike for walkers looking for a moderate climb. Best done in summer, with lots of undergrowth. Beautiful views. Magnificent autumn colours and caves at the end of the hike, which are really nice. I did it on my own without any problems. Stop off at the Glandieu waterfall, which is very close by car. Beautiful and peaceful.

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