Starting from the car park in Ilay, follow the trail (GR559A) downhill to the first waterfall (Saut Girard). (1) At the bottom of the Girard falls, cross the river and follow the track along the left bank. The path is wide and easy at first but can get slippery after the Saut de la Forge. It becomes slightly steeper but is well maintained.
Continue downstream to the Sarrazine footbridge (2), then follow the yellow waymarks and continue towards "Bonlieu". (3) Here you can follow the barrier to admire the view. On the way back, just before the end of the barrier, turn right towards Bonlieu. The uphill path is a bit narrow and very steep on the right, so be careful!
When you are almost above the cliff, you can either continue directly to Bonlieu, or take a detour to the Dame Blanche viewpoint (definitely worthwhile) (4). To get there, follow the yellow waymarks which lead to the viewpoint, then on to Bonlieu.
(5) Go through the village, first taking the rue de la Maison Blanche, then the main street taking you to the other side of the village.
(6) When leaving the village, follow the GR signs up a small road, which becomes a track then a forest path.
The GR markings will lead you back to your starting point via the Girard falls (1).
Les cascades du Hérisson / The Hérisson (Hedgehog) Waterfalls
The walk descends the Hérisson ('hedgehog') River with its series of rapids and waterfalls, then returns via Bonlieu, passing through the Dame Blanche viewpoint, with a panoramic view over lakes Val and Chambly and the Herisson valley.
Details
-
Activity: Walking -
Distance: 12.11 km -
Average duration: 4h 40 -
Difficulty: Moderate -
-
Back to start: Yes -
Ascent: + 423 m -
Descent: - 430 m -
-
Highest point: 823 m -
Lowest point: 572 m
-
Country:
France
-
Areas: Jura mountains, Haut-Jura -
City:
La Chaux-du-Dombief (39150) -
Start/End: N 46.615218° / E 5.885574° -
IGN map(s): Ref. 3326ET, 3327OT -
Hour-by-hour weather
Photos
Description of the walk
Waypoints
- S/E : km 0 - alt. 769 m - Ilay car park - Auberge du Hérisson
- 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 732 m - Saut Girard
- 2 : km 2.87 - alt. 602 m - Sarrazine footbridge - Hérisson (rivière) - Affluent de l'Ain
- 3 : km 3.05 - alt. 581 m - Cascade de l'Éventail
- 4 : km 5.81 - alt. 715 m - Belvédère de la Dame Blanche
- 5 : km 8.61 - alt. 775 m - D678, Bonlieu entrance
- 6 : km 9.09 - alt. 788 m - Turn left onto the GR
- S/E : km 12.11 - alt. 769 m - Ilay car park
Notes
It is possible to start from different points along the route.
Worth a visit
Boissellerie du Hérisson, Auberge du Hérisson, Auberge l'Eolienne. (Auberge: Hostel/Restaurant)
Reviews and comments
4.6 / 5
4.6 / 5
4.6 / 5
Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : May 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
It’s a lovely walk to do during the week to avoid the crowds, and when the weather’s fine.
The waterfalls are magnificent; you never tire of them.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Apr 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
I followed the route using my smartphone. There were lots of people along the waterfalls, but as soon as you leave the Cours du Hérisson, you’re on your own. Just one slight detour. At the highest waterfall, if you go down to the base, you’ll leave the trail. If you want to stay on the trail, don’t take the metal footbridge. A lovely, shaded walk.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Oct 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
A superb hike in a simply magnificent landscape.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Sep 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
The first part of the hike, along the waterfalls, is very busy but offers beautiful views. It was also very slippery on the wet rocks. On the second part, on the plateau, there were no other hikers.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
The first part up to the waterfalls is very busy, but the second part is very nice with very few people
A very beautiful, magnificent hike.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No
The description is accurate.
A very beautiful, shaded hike. The elevation gain is not too noticeable because the paths are not too steep.
The waterfalls are not very full in summer, which is frustrating.
I highly recommend it.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 3.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes
The part of the trail along the stream with all the waterfalls is very pretty, although it can get a bit busy.
The climb up to the Dame Blanche viewpoint is more challenging but not too difficult. Be careful of the steep slopes along the way.
After the viewpoint, the route is less interesting, with forest paths and tarmac roads ☹️
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Jun 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
A beautiful hike with few people around for the low season. Highly recommended.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
Beautiful hike. Lots of water, so there are some stunning waterfalls
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Jun 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
There's no longer any point in leaving lumbering notices, of which there are many. We haven't found any obstacles. Curiously, there is only one notice of mud on the "Tour des Lacs des Mortes et Bellefontaine au départ de la Chapelle-des-Bois" even though the obstacles accumulate and make the passage dangerous, over almost a kilometre.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : May 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
Very good! Quite a few people compared with the summer months.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
No particular difficulty, but a bit crowded in both directions between points 1 and 2 (relatively early start: empty car park at the start and full on arrival --> moral: don't hesitate to leave early); and what's more, it's 10 November, so it must be hellish in summer.
The waterfalls are nice and it's even possible to descend to the foot of the Grand Saut waterfall and walk behind the waterfall, but be careful as the start of the path (under the promontory) is slightly sloping and slippery.
Personally, I think there are too many facilities and therefore too many people.
However, there were far fewer people between points 2 and the return. The path that climbs between point 2 and the belvedere at Dame Blanche is pleasant and the view from the summit is beautiful.
On the other hand, the return journey from the belvedere to the car park is not very pleasant: wide tracks, road, crossing a village.
On the way back, just before the Saut Girard waterfall, you can turn right onto a narrow path that climbs to the road, which you then turn left onto to reach a lookout overlooking the Saut Girard. Then take the road back to the car park.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
Very nice tour, it was our 3rd time.
Machine-translated
Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
pleasant walk in undergrowth following the river
beware of very slippery terrain, but it is prepared
easy to access hike crowded during the holidays and probably on weekends and many narrow passages
the guidebook I used started from the summit and followed the river bed, I did it but I would have preferred to do it uphill rather than downhill
Machine-translated
Thank you very much camelita, it's just as I feared. Nobody dared reply to me, it's so huge. I naively thought that only the influencers who wanted to take a selfie in front of the falls would have to queue, and that those who just wanted to look could go past them and continue their walk.
I'm adding this place to my blacklist. 
I'm still waiting for some thoughts on the over-frequentation of natural environments, transformed into tourist attractions. I don't dare start the debate, because clearly I'm not objective. 
Machine-translated
Other walks in the area
The 7 waterfalls of Le Hérisson
Tourist office 
7.01 km
+294 m
-298 m
2h 50
Moderate
Departure from La Chaux-du-Dombief (Jura)
The Pic de l'Aigle
Visorando Member 
9.86 km
+297 m
-290 m
3h 40
Moderate
Departure from La Chaux-du-Dombief (Jura)
The Maguenay viewpoint circular tour from Lac d’Ilay
Association / Club / Walk leader 14.06 km
+420 m
-413 m
5h 15
Moderate
Departure from La Chaux-du-Dombief (Jura)
Hérisson waterfall and Bonlieu lake
Visorando Member 
15.53 km
+321 m
-321 m
5h 20
Moderate
Departure from La Chaux-du-Dombief (Jura)
Tour of the four lakes via various viewpoints and the Pic de l'Aigle
Visorando Member 
15.34 km
+457 m
-450 m
5h 40
Difficult
Departure from Le Frasnois (Jura)
Pic de l’Aigle and the Lookout Points on the Lakes
Visorando Member 
4.87 km
+199 m
-191 m
2h 00
Easy
Departure from La Chaux-du-Dombief (Jura)
Pic de l'Aigle and Belvédère des Quatre Lacs
Tourist office 
9.78 km
+271 m
-264 m
3h 35
Difficult
Departure from La Chaux-du-Dombief (Jura)
The cairn trail starting from La Chaux-du-Dombief
Visorando Member 
3.93 km
+75 m
-68 m
1h 20
Easy
Departure from La Chaux-du-Dombief (Jura)
For more walks, use our search engine .
The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.
