The Isère countryside around Notre-Dame-de-l'Osier

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In the hills between the Chambaran forest and the Isère valley, discover beautiful nature and interesting heritage.

Details

n°1091494
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.38 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,430 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,434 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,752 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,099 ft
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Photos

The Virgin Mary
The exterior of the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-l'Osier.
The bell tower and portal of the basilica.
The mosaic of bleeding willow.

Description of the walk

Park in the car park in the village of Notre-Dame-de-l'Osier near the retirement home and the cemetery, with toilets and a water point nearby.

Yellow and red markings ofthe GR®® de Pays Tullins-Vinay

(S/E) Head west towards the basilica for a tour of the interior. Go round the building on the left. Return eastwards towards the school. Before the school, follow “Route de Bergerandière” to the left. At the next junction, you’ll reach a residential area.

(1) Turn right and continue straight on through the residential area. The road turns sharply left. After the last house, the road becomes a grassy track. Follow this through the middle of the meadow, ignoring a path branching off to the left. After Les Mouilles, you’ll reach a road near some buildings.

(2) Take the road leading up to the right at a right angle. Walk alongside the buildings. Ignore a path coming from the right from the Chapelle de l’Épinouse (option to go to the chapel and back). Reach a crossroads (elevation 495m).

(3) Turn right onto the road leading uphill to the left and running alongside a house. After 200 m along the edge of a walnut grove, take the grassy path branching off at a right angle to the right towards the south-east, heading for the Madonna and the orientation table. After admiring the views, retrace your steps back to the road. Follow this road to the right until you reach the next houses 700 m away (elevation 517 m).

(4) Turn right between the houses and reach a dirt track. Ignore a path leading uphill to the left.
After a stretch of meadow, reach the forest as the path curves to the left. The path is marked here with red and yellow. Cross a cleared area with buildings on the left (at the time this guide was written, grass was being grown there).

(5) The path climbs then descends in curves to the right and then to the left, exiting the forest to reach walnut groves. At Landan, turn left onto the flat path between the walnut trees. Cross the forest again, climbing then descending in curves to the right and then to the left towards Les Amandes. Join a road near the village of Chantesse.

(6) Follow the road to the left for 100 m, then take a path on the right, marked Red-Yellow, leading into the forest (you can take a detour to the pond on the right). On a gentle slope, after 700 m, join a path coming from the left.

No markings

(7) Take a hairpin bend up a path to the left. Reach a road at a hairpin bend. Follow it to the right, ignoring a road branching off to the left, and continue rounding the bend to the right. The road then curves to the left towards some houses. Reach a multi-way junction at Le Rif.

(8) Turn right onto the D210C for 20 m, then take the road on the left to continue on level ground. After 50 m, ignore a road branching off to the right. When you reach some houses, take a short grassy path on the right leading to a road. Follow it uphill to the right. Go round a house on the left. You’ll reach the forest and, via a bend to the right, arrive near the buildings at Grand Champ opposite, but do not go right up to them.

(9) Take the path as it curves sharply to the left. After 400 m, you’ll reach the houses on the left where the path becomes a road and you’ll rejoin the GRP® Tullins-Vinay.

Red and yellow GRP® markings

(10) Follow the road straight ahead, ignoring the one on the left; this is the GRP®. Near a built-up area, reach a junction and a road coming from the right (the D201) and continue downhill to the left. After 100 m, ignore a road coming from the right. Reach the Col de la Cassière and a junction near the houses.

(11) Follow the “Chemin du Plancher” uphill straight ahead. At the top, take the path on the right opposite a gate, ignoring the road heading off to the left (elevation 524). The markings are red and yellow. Cross the meadow, then continue downhill to reach the forest. Note: 100 m after entering the forest, turn left through a small gate.

(12) Cross the meadow, then enter the forest and continue almost straight ahead, ignoring the paths to the left and then to the right. Near some buildings (elevation 454 m), reach the road. Follow it straight ahead, ignoring a path and then a road to the right. Continue rounding a bend to the left and then a hairpin bend to the right until you reach a road coming from the left at Les Endeyés.

(13) Take the road coming from the left. Walk past the house on the right. 20 m after the house, turn right downhill into the meadow and walk along a fence. Join the road and follow it to the left. Note: 400 m further on, look for a very narrow path climbing steeply to the right up the roadside embankment.

(14) Follow the path up to the right and then to the left to reach a road. Cross the road and take the path almost directly opposite, to the left of it. After a few bends, reach and follow the fence of a house as it climbs. Reach the cemetery, walk along its left-hand side, reach and visit the Bon Rencontre Chapel. Continue facing the basilica and, at the corner of the retirement home, turn right and return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,371 ft - Village park at Notre-Dame-de-l'Osier
  2. 1 : mi 0.39 - alt. 1,394 ft - Route de la Combe Rougey
  3. 2 : mi 1.3 - alt. 1,522 ft - Bergérandière Road
  4. 3 : mi 1.63 - alt. 1,624 ft - L'Epinouse
  5. 4 : mi 2.38 - alt. 1,696 ft - Shepherd’s hut
  6. 5 : mi 3.11 - alt. 1,585 ft - Le Trémollet
  7. 6 : mi 4.62 - alt. 1,109 ft - Chantesse
  8. 7 : mi 5.13 - alt. 1,184 ft - Les Sablières
  9. 8 : mi 6.15 - alt. 1,339 ft - The Rif
  10. 9 : mi 7 - alt. 1,644 ft - Grand Champ
  11. 10 : mi 7.34 - alt. 1,640 ft - GRP junction
  12. 11 : mi 7.95 - alt. 1,617 ft - Col de Cassière
  13. 12 : mi 8.67 - alt. 1,591 ft - Combe Noire
  14. 13 : mi 9.42 - alt. 1,348 ft - Les Endeyès
  15. 14 : mi 9.9 - alt. 1,161 ft - Path to the right of the D201C
  16. S/E : mi 10.38 - alt. 1,371 ft - Notre-Dame-de-l'Osier Park

Notes

Standard hiking kit.
Water points and toilets at Notre-Dame-de-l'Osier, near the care home and the cemetery.
A few fairly steep and short ascents and descents.

Worth a visit

The village of Notre-Dame-de-l'Osier.
Basilica and Chapel of Bon Rencontre linked to religious events dating from 1649 and 1657 and described by Pierre Port-Combet.
The Madonna and the orientation table near the hamlet of Le Belvédère.
Views over the Isère valley, the northern part of the Vercors massif, the Chartreuse massif, and the hills sloping down from the Chambaran forest.
The numerous walnut groves planted in straight rows.
The village of Vatilieu to the north.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 10 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
randodromeardeche
randodromeardeche

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A walk with scenic views. Much of the route is under the trees.
Well signposted. No difficulty. A small correction at point 14: when crossing the road, take the path opposite on the right, not the left.

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Saradote
Saradote

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

If you love nature, trees, meadows and streams, steer clear of this hike, which has nothing to offer except for Parisians or other city dwellers who are confined to urban areas. Tarmac, tarmac, tarmac and more tarmac, or else walnut groves, walnut groves, walnut groves and more walnut groves. Come to Ardèche instead, where you'll find everything you could wish for.

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cathyferrer
cathyferrer

Given such an abundance of accounts, please specify what needs to be corrected on the route.
The markings are sometimes old, but in Isère they are generally much better than in other nearby departments.
As for visiting places of interest along the route, I think everyone should be free to do so according to the map. Not everyone has the same religious or ecological sensibilities (a chapel, a pond, etc.).

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MALE
MALE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
A very beautiful and varied route, but difficult to follow as there are not enough place names and street names in the description.
Make a return trip to the Espinouse chapel.
Please note that some paths indicated on IGN or OSM do not exist or no longer exist (e.g. OSM indicates a shortcut after point 5 at a place called Landan, but it is lost in the brambles). Near Chantesse, you reach the Chemin de l'Etagna. It would be a shame not to walk around the Chantesse pond (an enchanting nature park), marked with a red dot on OSM.
At the junction between the Route des Amandes and the Chemin de Broissat (altitude 387m), the pink trail on the IGN map no longer exists, but you can still cross the meadow to reach Petit Liens.
At point 9, known as Grand Champ, do not go up to the farm but turn left a little before (you still have to go up for the view).
At point 10, signposted Le Sabot, you join the very poorly marked GRP (the RG on the left goes downhill).
The GRP is not easy to follow, but it is straight ahead (be careful, at an altitude of 524m, take the road on the right, the marker is not easy to see).
No problem at point 12 until point 13, where it gets complicated. Turn left as indicated in the guidebook, then right just after a house (yellow and green cross 10m further on) and descend steeply along a walnut grove. You will reach the D201, which you follow to the left for 400m, then right along a steeply ascending path to the D201A. The rest of the route is to the right, unmarked but with a chicane, some brambles, a short descent and a steep climb below the cemetery.
The rest of the route and the end are enchanting, with the cemetery and its bench (tap closed in winter), the Bon Rencontre chapel, its heritage garden and the return to the basilica, which can be visited until 5pm.
A hiker enjoying the well-marked trails, thank you.

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MALE
MALE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
A very beautiful and varied route, but difficult to follow as there are not enough place names and street names in the description.
Make a return trip to the Espinouse chapel.
Please note that some paths indicated on IGN or OSM do not exist or no longer exist (e.g. OSM indicates a shortcut after point 5 at a place called Landan, but it is lost in the brambles). Near Chantesse, you reach the Chemin de l'Etagna. It would be a shame not to walk around the Chantesse pond (enchanting nature park), marked with a red dot on OSM.
At the junction between the Route des Amandes and the Chemin de Broissat (altitude 387m), the pink trail on the IGN map no longer exists, but you can still cross the meadow to reach Petit Liens.
At point 9, known as Grand Champ, do not go up to the farm but turn left a little before (you still have to go up for the view).
At point 10, signposted Le Sabot, you join the very poorly marked GRP (the RG on the left goes downhill).
The GRP is not easy to follow, but it is straight ahead (be careful at altitude 524m, take the road on the right, the marker is not easy to see).
No problem at point 12 until point 13, where it gets complicated. Turn left as indicated in the guidebook, then right just after a house (yellow-green cross 10m further on) and descend steeply along a walnut grove. You will reach the D201, which you follow to the left for 400m, then right along a steeply ascending path to the D201A. The rest of the route is to the right, unmarked but with a chicane, some brambles, a short descent and a steep climb below the cemetery.
The rest of the route and the end are enchanting, with the cemetery and its bench (tap closed in winter), the Bon Rencontre chapel, its heritage garden and the return to the basilica, which you can visit until 5pm.
A hiker enjoying the well-marked trails, thank you.

Machine-translated

chrisden
chrisden

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The signage could do with a good refresh, the only downside at this time of year.

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Migrateur 77430
Migrateur 77430

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Varied route throughout the route.
For information, yellow markings between 7 & 10 are not very visible at level 9.
Continuity of the route not indicated at level 14.
Walking time: 5 hours 15 minutes

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casillas
casillas
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route with no difficulty in finding your way with the Viso trail. Nothing to complain about, perhaps a few too many small tarmac roads, but with no traffic.

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FDG38410
FDG38410

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting hike when the weather prevents you from going higher. The path is a little muddy between points 4 and 6.
Pay attention at point 12 as the fork is not very visible.

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michel1941
michel1941
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Beautiful hike, wonderful walk through the walnut and chestnut trees, snack at point 9, great view, congratulations. Chelmi Bellegarde-Poussieu.
One small downside: after point 14, the trail is not maintained, with trees blocking the path. The local council could make an effort here, but otherwise it's perfect.

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markopolo
markopolo

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful circular route completed on a superb day! Follow the GPS route carefully from point 13 to point 14 (the start of the trail is not obvious). Each section of the route offers a different atmosphere.

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