Montrottier as seen from Villechenève along the footpaths

Park at Place de la Poste, near the fashion boutique.

(S/E) Head towards the village’s Place de la Petite Boutique, then carry on straight ahead along the Grande Rue to cross through the centre of the village.
Then take the second small road on the right, Rue de la Grande Croix. At the three-way junction, keep left to reach the wash house.

(1) Turn right onto Chemin de la Terre Ronde. At the ‘Les 3 Chênes’ signpost, go round the factories, ignore the road leading down to the lodge on your right and carry on to the next path on the right.

(2) Follow this track down to the Étang des Olmes and then back up again. At the top of the track, where it meets the tarmac road, turn left and then right at the next junction.

(3) At the bend, head down to the left towards the farm, which you’ll walk alongside to reach the dirt track.
Before reaching the departmental road, take the path on the right that runs alongside the meadow – this is the orange-marked mountain bike trail.

(4) At the Bertrand signpost, turn right, then immediately take the path on the left until you reach the departmental road; follow it for about 100 m on the right, then take the^second path on the right – not the one leading to the farm.
Join the country road again, follow it to the right until you reach the farm below on the left, then take Impasse du Vire, and turn left at the next house. At the end of the track, turn right onto the tarmac road until you reach the house.

(5) Take the track on the left above the house (do not go all the way to the departmental road). When you reach Impasse des Étoiles, turn right towards the departmental road. Follow it to the left until you reach the picnic area.

(6) Cross the area, then head down Chemin des Arcades on the right. When you reach the farm, carry on straight ahead to the first houses in the village and the hamlet of Le Petit Saint-Martin.

(7) Head down to the right, cross the road to visit the chapel (there are toilets opposite it).
Retrace your steps and head up the road on the right towards the village.

(8) You’ll arrive near the post office, with a car park opposite the school (there’s a market on Friday afternoons); keep going straight on towards the village centre.

(9) Walk past the town hall and take the^first path on the right; leave the car park on your right and continue along the road to the right – do not take the path opposite.
At the small junction, do not take Impasse des Lanternes; carry on to the right and, when you reach the bottom of the path, turn left onto Chemin du Raty, following it all the way down towards the cross, then turn right.

(10) At the top of Rue de la Déserte, at the junction (there are greenhouses and rubbish bins), cross Route de Saint-Martin and take the path on the right that goes uphill. At the top, at the Camus junction, turn left until you reach Chemin de la Guillonas.

(11) Do not continue along the road, but cross over and take the path that runs between the greenhouses. At the top of Route de l’Étang, at the Montchanin signpost, turn left onto the road and follow the^GR®7(red and white markings); do not take the path below. At the top, take the Chemin des Rossignols on the left.

(12) Walk past the EATON car park, head down towards the main road and, just before you reach it, take the stairs on the left that lead uphill and follow the path that runs behind the fire station.
At the large Auberges crossroads, cross over to the side of the restaurant, walk alongside it until you reach the road, which you cross towards the cross, and carry on straight ahead until you reach the path leading uphill on the right.

(13) Take this path, following the^GR®7signposts at all times. At the top, at the ‘Les Auberges’ signpost, turn right towards Villechenève and La Flachère.

(14) At the end of the path leading towards the house, turn left towards it, walk past it, continue to the ‘La Flachère’ signpost and take the path leading down to the right towards Villechenève and Le Bertrand.
When you reach the tarmac road, heading towards the house, turn right then left and you’ll come to the ‘Le Bertrand’ signpost.

(4) Head downhill to the left along the tarmac road, continuing to follow the^GR®7until you reach the houses.

(15) Turn right between the houses; there’s just a yellow signpost at the start, then you’ll come across the^GR®7markings again.

(3) When you reach the Olmes neighbourhood, go straight on then turn left to return to the Chemin de l’Étang, following the reverse route of the outward journey, and leave the^GR®7.

(2) When you reach the area around the factories, leave the route you took on the way there and turn right towards the main road, then left to pass in front of the garage. Head down to the left along the Chemin de la Grande Croix until you reach the wash house.

(1) Then take the no-entry road on the right to cross back through the village centre and return to the car park, following the reverse route of your outward journey (S/E).

Plenty of tarmac, not much shade.
A drinking water tap in the village of Montrottier on the town hall square.
Dry toilets opposite the Saint-Martin Chapel.

Don’t miss the two shops in Villechenève.
The Grande Croix washhouse.
The Étang des Olmes.
Saint-Martin’s Chapel in Montrottier.
The centre of the village of Montrottier.
The Auberges café-restaurant.