Wild nature between Saint-Alban and Four

You don't have to go to the ends of the earth to get away from it all. In the first part of this route, you will discover wild and little-used paths before a more sedate second part.

Details

29655729
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.61 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 255 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 257 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 496 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 278 m

Description of the walk

The start is from the Golf des 3 Vallons car park in Saint-Alban-de-Roche.

(S/E) From the car park, return to the road you arrived on and take the wide path opposite you that leads into the woods. When you reach a field, turn left and follow the stream, which you then cross via a small stone bridge.

(1) Follow the stream again, going upstream, then take the path on your left which climbs before descending. Follow it through the woods until you come out at the bottom of a meadow.
Walk up the meadow to reach the Saint-Alban/Four road.

(2) Follow the road on your left for a few metres before turning right onto the path that climbs behind a house and leads you to Chemin du Loup.

(3) Take it on your right until you reach the first path on your left.

(4) Follow it to climb into the forest. At the fork, turn right and you will come to a crossroads.

(5) Take the path on your right, which takes you across the stream and then climbs steeply. At the top, turn left and keep left at the intersection to descend back to the stream.

(6) Turn right and, a little further on, find a path that climbs up to your right into the woods and takes you to a place called Le Bournay.

(7) Take the road on the right, cross the Four/Chèzeneuve road and arrive at a crossroads of wide paths.

(8) Take the one opposite, which climbs slightly. Leave this path and take a trail on your right that enters the forest (you will pass behind the hunting cabin). At each fork, stay on the path that descends to rejoin the road you crossed earlier and arrive at a place called Maison Revellin.

(9) Follow the road straight ahead and turn left onto thesecond wide path, along the house. You will pass the Mongelin viewpoint and then arrive at the road at a place called Le Gua.

(10) Turn right onto the road, then take the first right (Traversée du Puisou). You will come to a road on your left, which you should take to reach the centre of Four.

(11) Turn left, then take Rue du Pré de la Cour on your right. Turn left onto the footpath to reach Rue de la Luminière.

(12) Turn left and then immediately right onto Rue du Grand Curtil. Turn right again to reach the Four/Vaulx-Milieu road. Proceed with caution for 100 metres, then, at the intersection, continue straight ahead towards the hamlet of Le Lemps.

(13) Turn left onto a wide stone path, which is an old Roman road. Follow it to your right and, at the road, turn left to rejoin the access road to Le Rival and follow it to the golf course car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 294 m - 3 Vallons Golf Course car park
  2. 1 : km 0.61 - alt. 278 m - Stone bridge
  3. 2 : km 1.26 - alt. 307 m - Route St Alban / Four
  4. 3 : km 2.36 - alt. 339 m - Chemin du Loup
  5. 4 : km 3.45 - alt. 361 m - Ruisseau du Loup
  6. 5 : km 4.37 - alt. 388 m - Crossroads of paths
  7. 6 : km 5.46 - alt. 401 m - Near the stream
  8. 7 : km 7.02 - alt. 474 m - Le Bournay
  9. 8 : km 7.62 - alt. 489 m - Crossroads
  10. 9 : km 9.53 - alt. 388 m - Revellin House
  11. 10 : km 10.73 - alt. 351 m - Le Gua
  12. 11 : km 11.94 - alt. 323 m - Four centre
  13. 12 : km 12.42 - alt. 316 m - Street intersection
  14. 13 : km 13.13 - alt. 312 m - Le Lemps
  15. S/E : km 14.61 - alt. 294 m - 3 Vallons Golf Course car park

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
balladesetrandonnees
balladesetrandonnees

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Difficulties finding the path to the bridge due to overgrown vegetation. The route is shaded but would be better done in reverse in hot weather as the end is not shaded.

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valy38
valy38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike, varied and offering beautiful views with autumn colours – it was great. The only downside was that between points 6 and 7, we couldn't find the path: perhaps there was work being done in the forest? There were lots of fallen tree trunks. After searching, we returned to the original path and continued on. A few hundred metres further on, we found a path on the right that took us back to the road.

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Selligus
Selligus

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, mainly through woods and unspoilt nature, along small streams. The wild side is present, but the last 3 kilometres, partly on tarmac, are a bit long.

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AlainVa
AlainVa

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Many sections pass through the forest, so they are very shaded, which is very pleasant in summer. Please note: between points 1 and 2, it is difficult to find the path when walking along the stream. In fact, you have to cross the stream using the small bridge. (This is the only way across that I found.) Otherwise, it is a beautiful walk.

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1963
1963

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, even in hot weather, as there are quite a few sections in the forest.
And above all, no dogs barking when you pass through villages, which is very rare and much appreciated.
Varied landscapes, lots of greenery, chestnut trees in bloom, birdsong...
You can even see Mont Blanc in the distance at the end of the route.
Note that between points 1 and 2, we were unable to find the path (especially along the stream), which was probably hidden by the grass. So we cut across the wheat field and joined the Alban/Four road at the village, or hamlet, of "Les Moines".

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PascaLyon
PascaLyon

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Nice route, I did it in trail mode. Apart from the start, it can be done on a mountain bike. An option I'll keep in mind for next time.

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