Small routes over the ridges of Estrablin

Description

Access: On leaving the crossroads in the centre of the village, head in the direction of Moidieu (D38A, Rue de Dauphiné), take the second road on the left entering into the housing estate, just before a small bridge. Then, less than 100 metres further on, take the left and continue on this road to the bottom of the cul-de-sac (car park).

(D) At the end of the car park, go down the steps made from railway sleepers, which go between the two properties. Take the first path on the left, which turns into a road which then turns 90° to the right 50 metres further on.

After a large house with a white gate on the left of the route (No 31), take the small path on the left which goes alongside a dry ditch. A few dozen metres later, you will reach steps going down to the right in to the ditch. Continue on for just under twenty metres to the end of this ditch and then leave the ditch to the right, at the bottom of a housing estate cul-de-sac.

Continue straight on in the housing estate along Rue des Dames Saint-André which turns to the right and then the left. At the end of the road, at the stop sign, turn left on to Route du Badoit. Leave the Impasse des Dames on the left and, a little after a large house with yellow windows, take the tarmacked path (Chemin de la Pinaye) which leads off on the right (1). When the tarmac stops, veer slightly to the left to follow the wide path going through grass. After 1 km, the path changes into a small tarmacked lane. Keep going straight ahead on this small lane (north-east). Don't worry about the paths branching off left and right. Instead turn around from time to time to enjoy the wide views across the valleys of Vésonne and Gère.

(2) At the end of the lane, when the tarmac stops (this place is called Le Gonnon), take the wide path to the right, then at the first crossroads of paths, take the path to the left. You will arrive at a small path which goes alongside Chapulay woods.

(3) Take this path to the left. Follow this ridges path which offers beautiful views of the Massif du Pilat and the Monts du Lyonnais opposite, on the right the Serpaize hill and on the left views of the Jardin and Saint-Sorlin hills. At certain points, if you turn around, you can also see the snow-capped summits of the Alps.

(4) At the first crossroads (of four routes), after a small equestrian gite, take the right in the direction of "En Laye".

(5) At the next crossroads (of five routes), take the second left, called the Chemin de Chez Roche, which goes downhill offering beautiful views over the valleys and hills. Continue on the Chemin de Chez Roche which winds through the valleys of different shapes. After more than a kilometre, the route goes around a farm (6). Don't go down the right-hand side of the dead end route (dead end sign).

(6) Instead, continue going downhill towards Estrablin on the Chemin de Grange Neuve. Continue on to the bottom of this route.

(7) When you arrive at the "stop" sign, turn left on to Rue de l'Europe (D38A), then the first road on the right, Allée des Sports (in the direction of the stadium). A dozen of metres further on, take the pedestrian path on the left. This path turns to the right, passes through the bottom of a cul-de-sac, turns left and then goes alongside the stadium.
Take the tarmacked road (Allée des Chatons) going alongside the primary school.
At the roundabout, continue straight on on the 'Impasse de la Donce'. At the end of the road, turn left on to Rue de la Vézonne.

(8) On arriving at Place de la Paix, located on the right of the route, cross it diagonally to take the road on the right (Rue du Dauphiné - D38A) in the direction of Moidieu.
Take the first road on the left (into the Michalin housing estate). The road climbs up and up. When it turns to the left, take the very small path between the two properties on the right which passes over the grate of a water drain, and then goes alongside a wire fence on the right.
Leave this path by turning right. You will find yourself at the bottom of a tamped gravel cul-de-sac. Go down the tamped gravel no through road and take the path on the left to return to the car park you started from.