Loop on the heights of Mont Pilat

An easy walk to enjoy as a family. Very popular in summer, it is worth the detour to admire the panoramic view over the Alps and the summits of Mont Blanc, the Lyonnais mountains and the Giers valley, the Vercors massif and those of northern Vivarais. With a wealth of flowers in spring, you can gather bilberries in August and raspberries in September. Unless you choose to go ski touring or cross-country skiing here in winter.

Technical sheet

9030
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.65 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 201 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 199 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,428 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,274 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(1) Park your vehicle on the large La Jasserie car park. Walk back up the road and, when you exit the first hairpin bend, take the first path that climbs through the mountain pastures (on the left-hand side of the road, but to the right of a wide path)(2) (There is often a bottleneck designed to limit the number of cows toing and froing on the pasture in summer). Follow the very-visible trail through the pasture. In the summer, walk calmly through any herds you encounter without making any sudden movements. You will arrive on the route des crêts, which you follow on the right until you get to a crossroads(3). Turn left and follow the signpost to "Crêt de la Chèvre" The trail continues to climb.

You arrive on a grassy plateau, where you take the path that goes behind the Chalet Bourguisan(4) in the direction of the Crêt de l'Arnica. The path seems never-ending, but the the Crête de l'Arnica offers the first panoramic view of the Lyonnais mountains, the Rhone valley and the Alps. Go back over your footsteps and resume the trail in the direction of the Crêt de la chèvre(5). Soon you'll find the first view of the Haut Vivarais mountings. With binoculars or by zooming in with your camera, there are lots of natural curiosities to see.

Make a half-turn and retrace your steps. After you have passed the chalet(4), continue to the left and then take the path to the right. Then turn right along a broad path. You'll rejoin the Route des Crêts. Keep to the right until you reach a fork. The Jasserie can still be seen below.

At the fork, take the wide trail signposted "Crêt de l'étançon" (7) (the sign may have been removed). The rising trail narrows quite quickly to become a path that meanders pleasantly through the heath.

Then, to get to the Crêt du Rachat(9), you have two options:
- either you go to the right via the Crêt de l'Étançon(8) to admire a great view. Then, you go back down on the Crêt du Rachat and simply continue along the path to the east. This is the route marked on the map.
- Or you continue to meander through the heath to enjoy the heather and blueberries in the direction of the Crêt du Rachat. This route passes to the north of the previous route.

You then arrive at the Crêt du Rachat(9), marked by a log-signpost as well as a pylon visible from a distance. You can always stop for a meal break on the scree to enjoy the view.

Go back down following the path to the col d'Etançon where several paths intersect. Resume the Route des Crêts on the left straight ahead. When you arrive at the foot of the Crêt de la botte, the col de la Botte (up on your right), take the grassy trail on the right which climbs up and around it. You quickly rejoin a section of tarmac road that you walk up.

Before arriving at the barrier that closes this road, on the left, take the trail that points to a paragliding take-off area. Follow this path straight ahead making sure you continue to climb. You can see the pylon of the Crêt du Rachat far ahead of you. You come across scree that you can cross while maintaining a gentle climb. You rejoin the Col de la Botte coming down from the Crêt de la Botte, still following the path. At this crossroads, take a trail to the right (Sentier de Claude Berthier)(10) which begins to go back on itself on the right-hand side, and then a hairpin that starts a gentle descent through trees in the direction of the Jasserie.

Follow the trail without any particular difficulties until you reach the Jasserie. This trail is very pleasant, with lots of flowers the summer and a superb view of the Giers valley. The end of the trail climbs as you begin to exit the forest. It leads onto the road where where you took the trail through the pasture (to the left). Walk down to find your vehicle at the Jasserie, taking advantage of a final refreshing break at the fountain in summer, or on the terrace.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,306 m - La Jasserie - Source du - Gier (rivière) à finaliser
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 1,325 m - Monument marking the arrival of the Berthier Trail
  3. 2 : km 1.29 - alt. 1,397 m - Route des Crêts
  4. 3 : km 1.6 - alt. 1,391 m - Carrefour
  5. 4 : km 2.09 - alt. 1,420 m - Chalet Bourguisan
  6. 5 : km 2.5 - alt. 1,426 m - Crêt de la Chèvre (1427m)
  7. 6 : km 4.22 - alt. 1,365 m - Col d'Etançon (1365m)
  8. 7 : km 4.63 - alt. 1,389 m - Crêt de l'Étançon
  9. 8 : km 5.11 - alt. 1,380 m - Crêt du Rachat (1380m)
  10. 9 : km 5.37 - alt. 1,342 m - Col de la Botte
  11. 10 : km 6.13 - alt. 1,383 m - Path on the left - Xrêt de Botte (1387m)
  12. S/E : km 9.65 - alt. 1,306 m - La Jasserie

Practical information

Before you start your walk, you can fill your water bottles at the remarkable fountain, which is the source of the Giers.

Even though this walk is possible as a family, don't forget that you are at altitude and that a wind-proof jacket and fleece are recommended.
For example, during a heat wave in summer 2012, the temperature was 12°C at 8am and 15°C at 2pm. This wind can also be very strong and increases the feeling of cold, but also the risk of dehydration. Consider taking sun protection as soon as the sun rises (+ hat as the first part is exposed).
Good shoes highly recommended.

If you choose to do this in the winter: for skiing, avoid travelling to the Crêt the Chèvre, stop at the Chalet Bourguisan. Feasible in snowshoes.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 103 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Pascale Mô
Pascale Mô

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

The route is not very well signposted, but there are plenty of waymarked paths in the area and it's very easy to find your way around without a GPS. The views are really worth a look!

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OlivierM
OlivierM

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Walk carried out using GPS.
This is a fine hike that allows you to discover the heights of the Monts du Pilât and their panoramic views.
No particular difficulty other than exposure to the sun in fine weather (few shaded areas).
For the more courageous, don't hesitate to push on to the crêt de l'Oeillon or the crêt de la Perdrix.

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MB1
MB1

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very interesting route, great views, easy but muddy path. Worth doing again!

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FlickaPatsy
FlickaPatsy

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

This was an easy, pleasant hike that we modified slightly by starting from the Crêt de l'Oeillon car park, which is closer to Lyon than the Crêt de la Shepherd's hut. As a result, we were able to do all the crests: de l'Oeillon, de Botte, du Rachat, de l'Etançon, de l'Arnica, de La Chèvre and de la Perdrix. A small turnout, but it was a Sunday. The weather was fine and we were able to admire all the surrounding mountains, in particular the Mont Blanc massif.
About 9 km and 340 m of elevation gain for a leisurely 2h15 hike.

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apaloosa55
apaloosa55

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Lovely easy hike over the peaks of the Pilât massif. Beautiful views. Very few encounters, as it was done in the middle of the week. Two hours are enough to complete the circuit without rushing.

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Clmrbs
Clmrbs

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very nice route, crowded at the start
If you walk at a good pace, you can shave 1 hour off the route (done in 2 hours 15 minutes).

Note the possibility of eating at the start of the trail at La Shepherd's Hut or filling up your water bottle at the fountain.

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zonzon
zonzon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Walk done today 25/05/23 with our Association de loisir des retraités de Vaulx en Velin. Very pleasant route, very nice view although it was very misty and cloudy this morning, so no Mont Blanc in sight. It's very green, with lots of wild pansies in the meadows. We passed quite a few hikers along the way, even though it was a weekday... Of course, we ate in the scree! The end of the route was a bit more rock 'n' roll: the forestry machinery used to cut down the trees had torn up the path for at least 1km, and with the recent rain it was very muddy and there was no way out - you had to go through it!
It's a very nice, easy route, very pleasant and always offers a beautiful view.

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chribon
chribon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Pleasant walk; beautiful views; at the foot of the shepherd's hut where we had lunch; top!

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GENET
GENET
• Last modified:

HELLO,

I requested the itinerary in the morning and received it the next morning (I wanted to use it the same day).

I fell back on a route that I knew.

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dulaurier
dulaurier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

We did this walk at the end of August 21 without any difficulty. Very pleasant walk.
We did it again on Friday 15 October, but the part at the end of the route is really impassable because of the forestry machines that have broken up the path; it's very muddy, you sink in up to your ankles and there's no way of getting round it.

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Anassou
Anassou

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Hello,
Very nice walk, it's a shame that the return through the forest was made difficult by the forestry work. The path was very muddy and almost impassable in some places.
Anassou

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bruno sim
bruno sim

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very pleasant walk with a change of scenery amidst heather and bilberries!
We did it the other way round without any difficulty.
Still a lot of people but plenty of space.
Lots of viewpoints!
A beautiful day

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Guytou42
Guytou42

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Best done in the morning if it's very hot. And what's more, it's less crowded.

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Vanoise
Vanoise

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

TRES BELLE BALADE pas trop difficile mais enormement de monde car c'était un dimanche; un peu perdu vers la fin pas très bien balisé mais des beaux paysages car de la neige sur les arbres et comme il y a bp de vent car plateau c'était gelé ds le sens du vent, magnifique; je l'avais deja fait un 11 nov c'était encore plus feerique car plus de neige
as one hiker said, to be done in August or September in the middle of summer, it must be great too.

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Fabienne 14
Fabienne 14

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice walk. Relatively easy. Beautiful views. Trail not too busy.

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