Parves walks

Parves and a few other villages are nestled between the old Rhône and the canal (actually the canalised Rhône): you could say that this area forms an island. The suggested walk takes place at low altitude through woods, forests, agricultural landscapes, villages and hamlets that have preserved or enhanced the typical buildings of the Bugey region. There is also a beautiful view of the Savoyard foothills.

This circuit runs along a sunny hillside. It takes you to the heritage sites of the commune of Lucey and offers a beautiful view of the Jongieux vineyards dominated by the Saint-Romain Chapel.

A peaceful hike on the border between Ain and Savoie. From the start, there is a beautiful view of the Rhône riverbed. Further on, you will see Lac de Barterand, bordered by unexpected sculptures in the rock. A short climb towards the flag reveals a beautiful view of the lake.

Starting from Lac du Lit au Roi, passing by Lac de Barterand and then through the wine-growing villages of Bugey, Flaxieu, Pollieu, Vongnes, Ceyzerieu and its hamlets, and Saint-Martin de Bavel.Views of the Grand Colombier and the Lavours marshes.Circular with return to Lac du Lit du Roi for a quick dip.

The Montagne de Parves is a promontory of the Bugey region, wedged between the Rhône diversion feeding the Belley waterfall and the route of the bypassed section of the Rhône passing through the Pierre-Châtel gorge. Its modest altitude makes it accessible all year round; the suggested route starting from Yenne offers a wide variety of landscapes and views, ranging from the banks of the Rhône, the site of Fort les Bans, the limestone plateau of Mont Chevreaux and the rural landscape of the commune of Parves-et-Nattages.

This is a half-day outing and the route is dotted with points of interest with information panels. Until the Pré Cevin intersection, shortly after the Croix de Chevru, the route follows theGR® trail, which is part of the Way of St. James. Then follow the yellow markings until you reach your destination.

Tour of the vineyards of the Savoyard hinterland.

A pleasant, varied walk, with sections through vineyards, others through forest and some beautiful panoramic views.

A pleasant route starting from Jongieux, alternating between sections through the vineyards of the Savoyan foothills and through woodland, culminating in a route around Mont Landard and its viewpoint overlooking Saint-Pierre-de-Curtille.

A hike in partial shade and partial sun on the heights of Yenne, offering beautiful panoramic views of Mont du Chat and the Rhône plain. Beautiful views of the Gorges de la Balme, the Château de Pierre Châtel and Fort les Bancs.

Near Belley, the Rothonne Forest offers pleasant, well-maintained and marked trails. The Chevreuil trail presented here is 9 kilometres long. It is a lovely, peaceful walk with a view of the Dent du Chat at the top. The elevation gain of approximately 200 metres is not significant, allowing everyone to enjoy themselves. The trail is entirely shaded.

A medium-altitude hike in the Avant Pays Savoyard. Ideal for spring or autumn when there is still or already snow elsewhere. The yellow markers and directional signs at the main intersections leave very little room for doubt.

This circular walk starting from the village of Billième in the Savoyard foothills allows you to explore the region’s vineyards and take in some panoramic views.In autumn, along the path there’s a chestnut tree here, a walnut tree there – your pockets won’t be big enough for all the fruit you’ll gather. In the vineyards, the grape-pickers will surely have left a few grapes behind. If a hiker tries to slip off the path discreetly, follow them – it means they know a spot for mushrooms.

Among the many access routes to Mont de la Charvaz, this loop takes the most direct route to the summit, via its steep western face, and descends via gentler forest paths. The view from the summit over the Avant Pays Savoyard and the surrounding mountains is extensive.

An easy walk in the Savoyard foothills starting from the curious Church of Saint-Pierre-de-Curtille. The walk provides access to a pretty viewpoint over the Rhône river developments.

This circular route goes up the Ruisseau d'Armaille, passes La Roche Percée de Corne Bœuf and runs alongside the marshes and Lacs d'Armaille, before descending through the forest. Remaining at low altitude, it can be done in any season, with only the water levels of the lakes and streams potentially complicating certain passages.

This hike takes you to the remarkable site of Hautecombe Abbey, starting from the Belvédère d'Ontex, which offers a magnificent view of the site. The route is more difficult than it appears, with a somewhat uneven path above the lake and a fairly challenging final climb.

A pleasant and refreshing route thanks to the many lakes and streams along the way. It is situated to the west of the village of Thoys, in an area of forests and marshes to the south of the Bugey. You’ll be walking through peaceful, relaxing surroundings, taking in the typical landscapes and villages of the Bugey.

An easy route to discover the Bas Bugey. Pass by Lac de Barterand, a small, refreshing lake (fishing and swimming), Marignieu with its wines, honey and an almost 800-year-old chestnut tree, and the nearby Marais de Lavours with its discovery trail. Not forgetting Vongnes, its Bugiste wine cellar and the Ecomuseum on the trades of the vine and wine.

A pleasant, easy hike through the Mont Landard forest and the Montagnin vineyards.

A short walk for a half-day outing from the tourist village of Chanaz. In the village, directional signs clearly indicate the Circuit de Pierre Noire. Lovely viewpoint over the village and its canal, the Rhône river developments, Mont Colombier, etc.

An autumn walk in the Avant Pays Savoyard, to see something other than mountains, even if Mont Colombier is omnipresent throughout the hike.

Pleasant, shaded hike Few markings at the start of the route, yellow markings in the undergrowth, cairns to cross the stone plateaus.

An easy walk with beautiful views of Chanaz, then Lac du Bourget on the Chemin de Pomey.

From Saint-Jean-de-Chevelu, a circular route to the Maison Forte viewpoint above Vernatel offers a superb view towards the Chevelu Lakes. It is possible to climb to the Dent du Chat via the Col de la Vacherie.

In the Savoyard foothills, in the Chambéry Pre-Alps, a walk of less than two hours around the magnificent Chevelu Lakes.

This walk in the Savoyard foothills runs alongside the vineyards of this region. Vineyards are synonymous with well-exposed plots.

A pleasant hike in the Savoyard foothills. Vineyards are still very much present. Yellow markings and a few directional signs help you follow the description.

A circular route allowing you to walk along the wild ridge that runs from the Col du Chat to the summit of Mont de la Charvaz, returning to the foot of the mountain. Much of the ridge route is off-trail but presents no real difficulty other than orientation.

A fairly challenging walk on the first section with an average gradient of around 20%. Some quite vertiginous sections, but well secured with cables and ladders.On the descent, part of the path is poorly marked or unmarked; it is best to have some basic orienteering skills. At the top, superb views of Mont Blanc, Belledone, the Chartreuse, the Bauges, etc.

A peaceful hike that starts from the picturesque little hamlet of Veyrin in Saint-Bois in the Ain department and takes us to Conzieu. Peace and quiet guaranteed, with paths that are generally good and easy to walk on.

This is a lovely half-day hike with beautiful views of Lac Du Bourget, Aix-Les-Bains and the Chambérien basin, the Belledonne massif and Mont Blanc on one side, and the Savoyard foothills (Yenne, Belley, Grand Colombier) on the other. Please note: Those who are afraid of heights may be affected by some technical sections equipped with cables or ladders.

A lovely little walk with lots of views of the lake. Much of the route is in the forest, making this hike ideal on a hot day.

A short walk to discover this Sensitive Natural Area, with 2 km on stilts. Numerous information panels and superb views of the Grand Colombier.

Circular trail exploring the Lavours Marsh and its nature reserve, via the boardwalk, then along the Séran river before climbing the Courbettes hill to return to Ceyzérieu.

Exploring the Cat Tunnel via the safety gallery. This gallery, running parallel to the road tunnel, serves as an emergency exit in the event of an incident. Normally, this passage is used by many cyclists as well as pedestrians to get from the Lac du Bourget side to the Yenne Valley and the Chevelu Lakes. The tunnel has been converted into the “Musée du Chat” and features an impressive collection of murals created by contemporary artists, inspired by Savoyard tradition. In my opinion, it is unique in France. A note on the route: you will see an elevation gain of 732 m, which is incorrect, as the software includes the mountain height above the tunnel; you must therefore subtract 321 m, bringing the route’s total elevation gain down to 455 m.

This circular route takes place mainly in the forest and can be completed in any season in half a day, allowing you to visit the characteristic sites and viewpoints of this area crossed by pilgrims on the Way of St James.

The Crête de la Montagne du Chat route follows paths and tracks with little change in elevation, offering exceptional views at both ends.

Ascent to the Dent du Chat from the Relais des Aigles. Splendid views, with 90 per cent of the walk taking place in the shade amongst the trees. Along the way, you’ll come across giant anthills shaped like large piles of fir needles, magnificent vegetation and plenty of butterflies and bumblebees. On arrival, there’s a superb view of Lake Bourget, with – in season – numerous paragliders flying overhead.

Here is a good route connecting Bourdeau to Hautecombe Abbey. The outward journey takes you above the wild shores of Lake Bourget with numerous viewpoints, all on a somewhat rugged route. After climbing a little higher, the return route takes you in the shadow of Mont de la Charvaz before coming back via the Col du Chat.

This hike takes place in a setting dear to Lamartine. The first part, which runs alongside Lac du Bourget, offers beautiful views, and a good climb leads to the Chapelle Notre-Dame de l'Étoile. Be sure to linger around the building and take advantage of the facilities to admire the panorama. On the way back through the forest, there are other viewpoints over the Savoyard countryside. Finally, the descent to Bourdeau also offers some sought-after views. 19/09/2023 Message from the moderator: the section between (2) and (3) is very steep and slippery on the way up and requires a good level of fitness for around 500 m. Some sections between (8) and (9) are also slippery on the way down. This route should be attempted in dry weather. Not recommended for young children.

A lovely walk through the Chautagne State Forest (poplar groves), heading for the Mollard de Vions and the Port of Chatillon. The short, steep climb up to the Mollard de Vions offers panoramic views from the Canon de Vions site over the Rhône, the Grand Colombier and the Lavours Marshes plain. During the descent towards Vions, there’s a viewpoint overlooking Lac du Bourget and the Croix du Nivolet. From Vions, it’s possible to continue on a round trip to Chanaz and the lock on the Canal de Savières, but the entire section along the Rhône has very few shaded areas.

Short midday route, with the Croix de Beauvoir viewpoint and the Rochetaillée pass.

Circular route above Izieu, suitable for all seasons. The route is mainly through forest but offers some views of the Rhône valley and the surrounding mountains.

Variation of the "Dent du Chat" with a route that passes through Molard Noir and starts above Caton, instead of the traditional "Col du Chat".

The Montagne d’Izieu and the Grand Thur are accessible all year round via numerous paths criss-crossing the area. The circular route described here takes you along these paths from the Route de Fay via pleasant wooded trails.

A hike from the picturesque village of Izieu, steeped in history, to a breathtaking viewpoint overlooking the Rhône and its valley.

Enjoy the undergrowth and streams as you walk along the stony paths and through the forest. Pass through the hamlets of Grimaillon and Les Cachouds to La Roche Saint-Alban. Return via Château de la Serraz, Les Grangeons and La Matassine.