The Nant en Rhône stream trail

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Featuring 16 information panels, this route introduces you to the region’s flora, fauna, geology and history.

Details

n°13550242
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.86 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,519 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,496 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,978 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,102 ft
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Photos

Ecluse Gorge
Les Tines de Parnant
The banks of the Rhône at a place called "Le Moulin"

Description of the walk

Park in the Crêt du Feu car park.

(S/E) Take the small road opposite, towards Traînant. At the crossroads in this hamlet, leave the road and follow the path to the right of the Crêts de Fruitière; this is a moraine ridge offering an impressive panorama of the Rocher de Léaz, the Défilé de l’Écluse and the Vuache. Join a road at a cross.

(1) Turn left and head down towards Fruitière. At the entrance to the hamlet, turn right. At the end of the path, there is a signpost: Champ du Chêne – 420 m.

(2) Here you have two options:
- continue straight ahead, which is the route to Parnant,
- turn left and quickly reach the Ruisseau de Parmant; this is the route shown on the map.

(3) Cross it and head back up through the woods. You’ll arrive at the village of Éloise.

(4) Take the path on the right downhill towards the Rhône to reach the Pont de Grésin.

(5) Follow the path running alongside the river. Turn right to discover the spectacular Tines de Parnant. Caution: do not approach the edge of the excavation as the walls would make it impossible to climb back up after a fall. Then cross the stream via the footbridge and follow the steep path up to the edge of the forest at a place called Parnant.

(6) Continue along the path on the left, then along the road, to the hamlets of Beauchâtel and Bange. After the houses, turn left onto the road leading down to the hamlet of Le Moulin and its picnic area.

(7) Leave the site via the north and follow the path through the woods to rejoin the Route d’Entremont just before the houses at La Pague.

(8) Turn right onto this road and follow it up to the village of Arcine. At the T-junction, turn left to quickly reach the church.

(9) Continue straight ahead, ignoring a street on the left, until you reach the D908a.

(10) Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing and head up to the higher part of the village to enjoy the remarkable view stretching from the terraces of La Semine to the Bugey.

(11) At the top of the hill, turn right and continue to the signpost for Arcine. Then head back down the road on the right to return to the Crêt du Feu car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,870 ft - Crêt du Feu car park
  2. 1 : mi 1.43 - alt. 1,496 ft - Wooden cross
  3. 2 : mi 2.19 - alt. 1,381 ft - Alternative route junction
  4. 3 : mi 2.47 - alt. 1,237 ft - Crossing the Parnant
  5. 4 : mi 2.98 - alt. 1,673 ft - Église Saint-Vincent (Éloise)
  6. 5 : mi 3.51 - alt. 1,168 ft - Pont de Grésin
  7. 6 : mi 3.97 - alt. 1,335 ft - Parnant
  8. 7 : mi 5.53 - alt. 1,109 ft - The Mill - Rhône (River)
  9. 8 : mi 6.07 - alt. 1,286 ft - La Pague crossroads
  10. 9 : mi 7.07 - alt. 1,663 ft - Église Saint-Martin (Arcine)
  11. 10 : mi 7.25 - alt. 1,768 ft - Arcine
  12. 11 : mi 7.47 - alt. 1,969 ft - Crossroads
  13. S/E : mi 7.86 - alt. 1,870 ft - Crêt du Feu car park

Notes

Make sure you have good walking shoes, suitable clothing in case of rain and water.

Worth a visit

(10) Arcine: visit its picturesque church square, surrounded by traditional buildings. You may also catch a glimpse of Arcine Castle, perched high on a huge limestone outcrop above the Rhône.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
3.5 / 5
JAMBO74
JAMBO74

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I prefer to start at the mill by the Rhône – the climbs are behind me! – and then the views unfold all along the route. We do this walk when the paths are soggy, as it’s always passable. The only thing missing is a tree stump, or ideally a bench at the first signpost, as the view is superb on both sides and it’s a picnic spot, right in the middle of the walk. The tarmac sections are always dotted with hamlets and lovely little sights.

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Montagnes74
Montagnes74
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk to keep fit when the lack of snow limits snowshoe outings. Of cultural interest is
- a visit to the very simple church of Éloise, with its beautiful wooden carvings,
- the Grésin bridge, and the history of the ‘Spanish’ path,
- Arcine Castle (which is not open to visitors) and its role in controlling traffic on the Rhône.
The second half of the route involves walking along the road, which isn’t too tiring as there is no traffic.

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toinede5974
toinede5974
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, beautiful scenery, but a lot of walking along the road.

Machine-translated

fred7491
fred7491

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It wasn’t so much that I didn’t like the route itself – the scenery along the walk is actually quite nice – but rather that a third of the walk is along a road, though fortunately there isn’t too much traffic.

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Other walks in the area

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