Park just before the small village of Montferrand, between the bridge over the Albarine and the railway level crossing (park on the left-hand side).
(S/E) Head towards the village of Montferrand, crossing the railway line. At a wash house, turn right onto Rue du Quartier d’en Bas.
Once you’ve left the village, the track runs alongside the railway line on your right, through open countryside. You’ll come to a pumping station and, shortly afterwards, a crossroads of paths.
(1) Continue straight on, following the railway line. After a bend towards a railway bridge, you’ll come to another fork in the path.
(2) Take the path on the left for 100 m. Follow the yellow markings, then take another path on the right for 400 m. You’ll reach another fork.
(3) Turn left, following the yellow markings along a path that climbs steadily but not too steeply. After a short while, in a shaded area, you’ll reach more rugged terrain.
Please note: Some sections involve short ladder sections that are very securely anchored with cables.
=> In wet weather, walking poles are recommended in this area.
(4) The Grottes du Crochet are visible and accessible on the left, via a short ledge.
Caution: This is an off-trail route and is not secured.
Continue climbing the path, with a few sections involving rungs. The terrain becomes less rugged. Continue along a path overlooking a stream (which was dry when I was there), through woodland.
After a bend in the path, at the fork, turn right (the path on the left leads to private property). You’ll reach another clearly marked fork. Turn left towards the houses in the pretty hamlet of Dorvan.
(5) Take the small road on the right for 500 m. After a bend, you’ll reach a fork.
(6) Take the path on the right towards the bottom of the valley. The path then climbs gently whilst following the small stream, crossing it at several fords (please note: crossing these fords is not always straightforward during periods of heavy rain, and the course of the stream may merge with that of the path). After thethird ford, you’ll reach another fork in the path (near Le Muret).
(7) Take the path on the left, crossing thefourth ford you come to. A little further up, you’ll reach a pretty wash house (Fontaine de Flon) after crossing another ford. Continue along the path towards Cleyzieu. In the village, take thefirst street on the left (called Sur le Roy) and then the one on the right, where you’ll find a very pretty church in front of you (Église Saint-Martin).
(8) Carry on to the right, passing an old communal oven. Continue straight on (Montée du Village) for over 700 m, passing some beautiful old houses.
On leaving the village (altitude 631m), take the road on the left (called En Puisieux). The small road leads to a four-way crossroads.
(9) Take the path on the left (at the Croix de Puisieux), which climbs through meadows. The path then leads into the woodland, and a little further up, to an elongated meadow (le Creux du Soir).
(10) At the fork, take the path on the left. Walk along the meadow; shortly afterwards you’ll reach another fork and should take the path on the left, which leads into the woods. With little incline, you’ll pass over the Crêt Saint Martin (the symbolic highest point of the walk, though with no unobstructed view) before descending through scenery alternating between woodland and meadows. Keep away from the adjacent paths. Further on, you’ll reach the Creux de Lent crossroads.
(11) Cross the road and turn left. 100 metres further on, cross another road. Continue almost straight ahead. You’ll soon come to another path: turn right. The path continues through fields across a plateau. You’ll approach the Rochers de la Falconnière.
(12) A small, clearly visible path leads to the Balcon de la Falconnière a few metres away (this is the only unobstructed spot in the area offering a view of the valley).
Retrace your steps and continue along the path, which leads down to a pretty village.
(13) Walk straight through the village of Mont de Lange (with its charming communal oven).
After passing the main street, carry on straight ahead and turn left onto the small road below, which descends to the valley floor and then climbs back up through woodland.
About 200 m before you come out of the woods, look out for the start of a path on the right.
(14) Take this yellow-marked path on the right. It’s an even, easy path.
When you reach a stream, follow it on your right-hand side. Turn right to reach the Grotte du Pissoir (visible a little further up), where a pretty waterfall (with an irregular seasonal flow) can be seen not far away.
(15) Retrace your steps a little and continue along the path to rejoin the track you took on the way out, on the outskirts of Monferrand.
(1) Turn right to return to the starting point (S/E).