Pierre à Fromage via the Crêt de la Goutte

de fr

A family hike offering views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Pays de Gex

Details

n°25153479
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.39 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,591 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,585 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,312 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4,062 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Haut Jura mountain range
Forest trail
Crêt de la Goutte
Pierre à Fromage

Description of the walk

Coming from Bellegarde, just before entering the village of Menthières, turn right onto the Grand Crêt d’Eau forest road until you reach the Charnaz car park.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, head up into the forest towards Sous les Crêts via theGRP® Grand Tour de la Valserine. You’ll reach a crossroads.

(1) Turn right towards the Chalet de Varambon, which you can already see.

(2) Walk past the chalet and head back into the forest. Join the forest track at the Sous Varambon car park.

(3) Continue straight on, following the GRP®. At the Fork in the road, leave the forest road leading to the antennas and turn left, heading uphill towards La Charmante.

(4) Turn left at a 90° angle to climb up to La Sorgia d’en Haut via the GRP®.

(5) Leave theGRP® to join theGR®9/GR®509by turning left and heading uphill. Enjoy the views as you pass between the various ridges. You’ll reach a T-junction before the Crêt de l’Éguillon.

(6) Leave theGR®9/GR®509by turning left. You can take a look at the Pierre à Fromage, which is on your left below the path. Take theGRP® again. Return to the crossroads you passed on the way out.

(1) Continue straight ahead along the path in the opposite direction to the outward journey, following theGRP®, and you will reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 4,065 ft - Charnaz car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.76 - alt. 4,728 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 1.16 - alt. 4,554 ft - Chalet de Varambon
  4. 3 : mi 1.86 - alt. 4,409 ft - Sous Varambon car park
  5. 4 : mi 2.3 - alt. 4,531 ft - La Charmante
  6. 5 : mi 2.51 - alt. 4,656 ft - Sorgia d'en Haut
  7. 6 : mi 4.15 - alt. 4,941 ft - Pierre à Fromage - Crêt de l'Éguillon
  8. S/E : mi 5.39 - alt. 4,065 ft - Charnaz car park

Notes

Toilets and drinking water in Menthières.
Wear proper walking shoes.

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
marielinebrun
marielinebrun

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through forests and over hilltops. Views of Mont Blanc and the Rhône Valley. Not very busy at the end of September.

Machine-translated

David B.
David B.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A walk offering beautiful scenery on the Jura side and then on the Pays de Gex side, with views of the Salève and Mont Blanc. The route is fairly easy. Definitely worth a go.
Please be aware of the wildlife sanctuary. Between 15 December and 30 June, part of the route is closed (between point 2, the Varambon chalet, and point 3, the car park below Varambon). You will need to take a short detour to rejoin the tarmac road.

Machine-translated

Poppy74
Poppy74

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the route, which offers stunning views of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc, on a very windy day and found shelter for our lunch break at the Chalet du Sac, which isn’t included in the suggested route but is easily reached from the Pierre à Fromage, heading towards the Col du Sac. It was a lovely surprise that we really appreciated that day.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Crêt de la Goutte via Le Sac and Varambon

Visorando Member
Crêt de la Goutte par Le Sac et Varambon
↔7.07 mi ↗+2,346 ft ↘-2,326 ft ◔5h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chézery-Forens (Ain)
Tour of the chalets of the Col du Sac and Varambon via the Crêtes du Sorgia - 360° view at the Crêt de la Goutte with orientation table to discover the Monts d'Ain, Lake Geneva and its water jet, the start of the Jura mountain range, the Swiss and French Alps including the Matterhorn in good weather and the majestic Mont Blanc.

Walking Menthières - Valserhône

Tourist office
↔10.99 mi ↗+2,152 ft ↘-4,459 ft ◔6h 55 ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Chézery-Forens (Ain)
Open from 1 April to 30 November – subject to there being no snow. The fifth and final stage of the GRP® de la Valserine. The stage begins in the forest before reaching the mountain pastures and the Pierre à Fromage. The Crêt de la Goutte (1,621 m) offers a breathtaking panorama of the Alps, Mont Blanc and the three great lakes — Lake Geneva, Lake Annecy and Lake Bourget. The descent crosses the nature reserve between the Crêt du Miroir and Crêt du Milieu to Sorgia-d’en-Haut, then the path heads into the forest before following the banks of the Valserine to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. Protected area: dogs and tent camping are prohibited in the Haute Chaîne du Jura National Nature Reserve. If the Valserine riverside path is closed, follow the diversion via the Voie du Tram to reach the centre of Bellegarde.

Walking Grand Crêt d'Eau circular path starting from Farges

Visorando Member
↔9.53 mi ↗+2,510 ft ↘-2,497 ft ◔6h 35 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Farges (Ain)
Walk on the Grand Crêt d'Eau at the far end of the Jura. The route starts at the top of Farges, passes via the Crêts du Miroir, du Milieu and de la Goutte, then descends to Menthières where you can stop for a bite to eat or a drink at the Bistrot de La Gentiane. We then head back up via Le Vélu and Le Pelaz. Beautiful alpine landscapes and views over the Pays de Gex, the Genevois, the Valserine Valley and Menthières

Walking Col de Menthières, La Pelaz et le Chalet du Sac

Tourist office
Col de Menthières, La Pelaz et le Chalet du Sac
↔6.37 mi ↗+1,552 ft ↘-1,549 ft ◔4h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chézery-Forens (Ain)
Open from 1 April to 30 November, subject to snow conditions. The Menthières mountain pastures and the landscapes around the Sac chalet offer wide open spaces for a getaway in the heart of the Jura Mountains. Between forest and mountain pastures, this varied route, open from April to November, offers superb panoramic views. The trail starts from the car park opposite the Rendu chairlift, runs alongside the tree-top adventure park and then climbs towards the Col de Menthières. It passes by iconic landmarks that serve as reference points for hikers: the "Grange Velue" and the "Chalet du Sac", which offer panoramic views of Valserhône, the Retord plateau and the Alps. Dogs, even on a lead, are not allowed in this area, which is part of a nature reserve.

Walking Circular at Grand Crêt d'Eau

Visorando Member
Boucle au Grand Crêt d'Eau
↔4.62 mi ↗+1,345 ft ↘-1,375 ft ◔3h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Lancrans (Ain)
A circular with limited elevation gain, winding through mountain pastures, allowing you to visit three of the ridges that form the Grand Crêt d'Eau (including the highest point) and enjoy breathtaking views of the Genevois and the Alps.

Walking Along the Valserine at the start of the Pont des Pierres

Visorando Member
Le long de la Valserine au départ du Pont des Pierres
↔7.59 mi ↗+1,578 ft ↘-1,585 ft ◔4h 50 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Montanges (Ain)
The route forms a circular loop in the Valserine valley between Montanges (Pont des Pierres) and Champfromier. The outward route follows the Valserine river. The return route follows the Lancrans tramway from Chézery. There are two small tunnels to pass through along the way. There are a few difficulties between points (1) and (2) on a trail that is moderately passable at times. The rest of the route does not present any major difficulties.

Walking La Poutouille - Lancrans

Tourist office
La Poutouille - Lancrans
↔10.55 mi ↗+1,900 ft ↘-5,092 ft ◔6h 30 ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Péron (Ain)
Open from1 April to 30 November – subject to there being no snow. The section between La Poutouille and Lancrans is the third stage of the six-day walking tour, “The GTJ from Mijoux”. The GR®9 enters the Ain department via Mijoux, before following the spectacular ridges of the Monts-Jura, passing through the Crêt de la Neige, the highest point of the massif. It then descends towards Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, crosses the Retord plateau, and then crosses the Grand Colombier. The trail continues its route to Culoz and the Rhône Valley, before leaving the Ain to reach Savoie and continuing southwards. Part of the route passes through the Haute Chaîne du Jura National Nature Reserve, which is subject to specific regulations:Dogs are not permitted, even on a lead, and camping in tents is also prohibited. Please respect these rules to preserve the richness of this exceptional environment.

Walking La Poutouille Refuge - Lancrans

Tourist office
↔10.44 mi ↗+1,893 ft ↘-5,092 ft ◔6h 25 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Péron (Ain)
Open from 1 April to 30 November ( subject to there being no snow) Third stage of the Grande Traversée du Jura walking route: from La Borne au Lion to Culoz, in 6 days. The GTJ links Mandeure (Doubs) to Culoz (Ain) in 15 to 20 days, crossing the Jura Mountains and the Haut-Jura Regional Nature Park. The route proposed here corresponds to the second half of the itinerary. The route winds through the heart of the Haut-Jura Regional Nature Park and the Haute Chaîne du Jura National Nature Reserve: a protected area to be explored with respect. Part of the route crosses the Haute Chaîne du Jura National Nature Reserve. Dogs arenot permitted, even on a lead, and camping in tents is prohibited Please respect these rules to preserve this exceptional environment.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.