Montcarra walks

This is an easy, well-known walk that allows you to discover the surroundings and heritage of Saint-Chef. In particular, it takes you past the abbey church.

A lovely loop if you fancy an easy, not too long, shady walk, starting from the Chapelle-de-la-Tour car park, with no special equipment required. You could potentially spot ponies, horses, cattle, etc. We went in May, so we recommend going in the morning for the shade and milder temperatures in summer.

A forest where you feel at peace. According to legend, the Vallin forest in the commune of Saint-Victor-de-Cessieu was frequented by druids and Templars who came to enjoy its healing properties. Several places in the forest are said to be full of energy, and there is a special energy in this place that confuses compasses. It is a pretty forest of beech, oak and hazel trees. Part of the forest has been replanted with Douglas firs, cherry trees and red oaks.

An easy little walk for a Sunday afternoon.

A lovely, gentle walk, part of which is along the Rhone, which you can do as a family.

This circuit will take you to several ponds around Siccieu and Saint-Julien and offer superb views of the foothills of the Bugey and, on a clear day, the Alps.

This walk allows you to discover the castles of Pupetière and Virieu. You first walk along the Bourbre valley on the hillside, then through the forest, passing the Croix du Moine Mort, and finally return to the hill towards Virieu.

A short walk that takes us to Mont Morel and Étang de Charamel via the Tilleul de Sully, with a glimpse of the archaeological site of Panossas.

This circuit will take you to Lac de Moras and, on a clear day, there is a superb view of the Alps and the lake from the Moras cemetery.

A route with changing landscapes between the Lyon plain and the Alps, shaded in summer with glimpses of the Alps.

This is a pleasant walk with varied scenery. You will pass Notre-Dame des Vignes in Valencogne, Lake Paladru in Paladru and, on the heights, the charming Chapelle des Trois Croix in the Dauphinois style. There are no difficulties to be expected, apart from the distance. Halfway through the walk, if the weather is clear, you will have beautiful views of the mountains.

This is a very beautiful hike, especially after a few days of rain, which feeds the many streams. The first part up to (1) is not very steep but quite long, so it is best to be in good shape.

A lovely walk starting from the banks of the Rhône, leading to the Mont de Cordon viewpoint (altitude 400 m) and offering a beautiful panorama of the Rhône and the Izieu mountain. During the climb, you pass a beautiful private castle and on the way back, you can see three caves that were inhabited during prehistoric times: the Bonne Femme cave, an unnamed cave and the Liévrin cave.

A marked trail allows you to explore several water-related areas (hillside, stream, marsh) around Glandieu and its waterfall. Some paths are not maintained, see notices.

This shaded trail leads to the top of the cliff at the Leyrieu Chapel and offers superb views of the Lyon plains and the Pilat massif. On a clear day, you can see the Alps and the Vercors massif.

An easy walk around Lake Paladru, allowing you to discover some fascinating Carthusian buildings. The Grange Dimière is a listed building and, higher up, the former Carthusian monastery, which is now privately owned and not open to visitors.

This is a very pleasant circular walk starting from the pretty village of Vernas, which takes you along attractive paths and trails, often shaded by trees, to the Plateau des Aviateurs, where a military aircraft crashed in 1944 and another in 1969. A small chapel, commemorative plaques and a sign commemorate these events. Wide panoramic views of the Rhône plains and the Alps in the distance can be enjoyed throughout the walk.

This circuit takes us from the village of Hières-sur-Amby at the foot of the cliff to the archaeological site of Larina on the cliff. It offers panoramic views of the Pilat Massif, the Monts du Lyonnais, the plains of Lyon and the Ain, and the foothills of the Bugey.

An easy walk among the ponds in the heart of the Nantoin Forest. At the end of the walk, you will be rewarded with a splendid view of the Liers plain, the Chartreuse, the Alps and the Vercors.

Starting from Cerin, this mainly wooded marked trail takes you through several valleys with streams offering several waterfall passages. After rainy weather, the waterfalls are magnificent but the ground is then more slippery.

An all-season looping route in the Bugey region, starting from Colomieu. Taking in the Furans and Gland basins, it is a pleasant walk with its marshes and lakes, and an original one with its passage through the Roche Percée de Corne-Bœuf. Beware of water levels, which can vary considerably. Diversions to (13). Moderator on 06 June 2025. Pending action by the author.

Circuit of the Chosas and Brive waterfalls, starting from Marchamp via the Lac de Cérin, the fossil quarry, the Palaeoecological Museum via the "sur les traces des carriers" (in the footsteps of the quarry workers) trail and the old mills.

A day's walk, quite lovely and varied. You start by going through the Grand Platon Forest, then going along the south-east bank of the lake with beautiful views over the lake. You change banks and go along the Feydelière and Véronnière marshes ('Marais' - protected sites). The return is via the north-west bank of the lake with beautiful views over Chartreuse and, if the weather is clear, Mont Blanc.

A beautiful hike, fairly well marked in blue with directional signs (sometimes a little faded), between 630 and 900 metres above sea level, easy, mostly on good, well-shaded paths. On very clear days, there are views of the snow-capped Alps and the villages of Marchand and Cerin. For flower lovers, between May and July, there are martagon lilies, orchids, snowdrops and erythronium. And for those who like the cool air, they can go to the Grotte de la Jaquette cave near the path.

Passing over the Cols du Grand and Petit Pertuis, you'll be amazed by this route along the ridges, which offers 360° views of the Alps, Massif Central and Jura. An easy hike for regular walkers.

This is a short, easy loop that allows you to discover the panorama at the confluence of the Rhône and Ain rivers, the picturesque village of Anthon and its surroundings, including the banks of the Rhône and the beautiful town hall of Chavanoz.