Nivolas-Vermelle walks

This short family walk offers beautiful panoramic views of the Aravis, Mont Blanc, the Dent du Chat, the Bauges, Belledonne, the Chartreuse and the Vercors.

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.

This is a short walk, best enjoyed on a clear day. It offers exceptional panoramic views stretching from the Monts de l'Ain to the peaks of the eastern Vercors, via the Dent du Chat, Mont Blanc, the Chartreuse, the Belledonne peaks, Taillefer and Dévoluy. There are no particular difficulties along the route.

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.

An easy little walk for a Sunday afternoon.

This is an easy walk that takes you past Dauphiné houses, the ponds of Saint-Didier-de-Bizonnes and the Brosses forest. In the second part of the walk, you will enjoy some beautiful views of the surrounding peaks (even the summit of Mont Blanc).

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.

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.

A loop starting from Veyssilieu to discover some panoramic views and the chapel of Notre-Dame de la Salette at the top of Chatelan mountain. Note: this loop follows the routes indicated on the large map at the side of the road, i.e.: Cros de Lavan, Les Gorges, Frétignier, Seuillere, Floutier and back to Veyssilieu.

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 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.

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 short walk on the moraine between the Bièvre and Liers plains, with views of the surrounding mountains. You will go to the Château de Bocsozel and return via the Château Pointière.

You climb the hillside of La Côte Saint-André (ND de Sciez) from where you have a remarkable view: from the Monts du Pilat in the west to the Mont du Chat in the north-east, passing through the Vercors, Belledonne and Chartreuse. From certain vantage points, on clear days you can even see the summit of Mont Blanc. On the way back, you will pass by the village's main attractions.

This circuit offers a glimpse of the medieval town of Crémieu.

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

This route, which passes by two viewpoint indicators, offers amazing views over plaine de la Bièvre and the Vercors and the Chartreuse mountain ranges.

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 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 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.

In the heart of the Bonnevaux Forest, this is an easy, short walk with plenty of shade in summer. You will walk alongside several ponds.

A lovely circuit in Île Crémieu with a visit to the Lemps Pond nature reserve. This circuit is open to all and presents no difficulty.

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.

An easy route alternating between hills, forests, ponds and views of the mountains in the distance. A superb 360° panorama in the village of Pommiers-de-Beaurepaire.

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.

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

An easy walk from Janneyrias to Saugnieu, passing two pretty lakes and the famous site of the Battle of Anthon in 1430.