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Park in the Marchil car park in Saint-Chef.
Red markings with the abbey church logo
(S/E) Take the Sentier des Rossignols (Nightingale Trail) which runs alongside the car park, at the top of the stairs, slightly uphill on the right. At the end of the trail, turn left onto the Route de Champ-Bénard and continue for about 200 m.
(1) At the crossroads, turn right onto Chemin de la Basse Biousse. Continue through the hamlet. At the narrow point between two houses, note the typical adobe farmhouse on the left. Continue along the road, which curves to the right. After a sharp bend, it continues to the junction with a dirt track at the entrance to the hamlet of Basse Biousse.
(2) Take this path on the left, which is steeply downhill at the beginning. Stay on this path until you reach the first houses of the hamlet of Merlan. Cross this hamlet and continue on Chemin de Merlan (tarmac road) until you reach the entrance to the hamlet of Arcisse.
(3) Take Chemin de la Garenne on the right for 50 metres (tarmac road), then Chemin du Séchoir on the left, which quickly turns into a dirt track. Continue towards Lac de Crucillieux (ENS currently being created). Pass close to the Ferme du Lac, where you can admire its harmonious proportions. Then join Chemin du Lac, which you take on the left, until you reach the departmental road (D19). Cross it carefully, then turn right until you reach the Croix de Crucillieux.
(4) Continue straight ahead on Chemin des Pandreaux, which crosses the plain before climbing up to the first houses. Continue straight ahead between two houses, cross Route des Vignes and continue along a well-marked path behind a house. After about 50 metres, this path joins another road, which you should take on the right for 100 metres.
(5) Turn right onto Chemin des Picardes. Cross the hamlet of Crucillieux. At the last houses, continue on Chemin des Roches, which climbs slightly. On the flat section, at the first vineyards, you can enjoy the view of the Château de Chapeau-Cornu and the Lac de Crucillieux nature reserve. Continue along this dirt track until you reach the intersection.
(6) Turn left onto the ridge path. Enjoy the view from the ridge. On a clear day, you can see the entire Alps, the village of Sermérieu on the right (you can see the Madonna) and, further away, the foothills of the Bugey. Pass a distinctive rock called the "Pierre des Trois Cantons". Continue along this ridge path until you reach the tarmac road. Continue straight ahead into the hamlet of Mont de Crucillieux. Go between the houses and do not take the Chemin du Vieux Sapin on the left, which leads into the woods.
(7) At the crossroads, follow Chemin du Lissaud on the left (tarmac road), which climbs slightly. Continue along this ridge road for a good kilometre. The view is superb over the Bugey and, if you turn around, over the Alps. This road crosses vineyards where natural wine is produced. With a bit of luck, you may encounter sheep, pigs, poultry and horse-drawn carts used to maintain the vines. Continue along the road. Crossing a wooded area, slightly downhill, leads to the first houses of the hamlet of Mont de Trieux (Les Arpées on the map).
(8) Turn left onto the dirt track. Keep left on the flat section. After 200 metres, this track slopes downhill, passes by La Madone (beautiful viewpoint) and runs alongside the vineyard before joining the road.
(9) Cross the Route des Vignes, pass the Ruisseau du Ver and reach the hamlet of Arcisse via the Chemin de Choulin (tarmac road).
(10) At the traffic lights, cross the departmental road and enter the hamlet of Arcisse. Continue across until you reach the crossroads with the fountain. Continue on the right along the Route d'Arcisse.
(11) This road curves sharply to the right and then climbs above the hamlet. From here, you can admire the vineyards below and the entire Ver valley (named after the stream that runs through it). After about 500 m uphill, leave this road at the hairpin bend, level with the houses, and descend to the right along Chemin du Freney (tarmac road) for 50 m.
(12) At the first bend, take the dirt track opposite (Chemin du Fayet), which climbs steeply up the hillside into the forest. This joins the Route du Fayet further up. Follow this road to the left and go around the cemetery.
(13) At the crossroads, opposite the cemetery entrance, continue to the right. Further to the right is the Tour du Poulet, a remnant of the medieval castle. After 50 metres, continue straight on along Chemin des Châteaux, which descends to the car park where you started (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
