On the Cleyzieu plateau in the Bugey region

This walk offers a lovely route across the Cleyzieu plateau, starting from Montferrand (Torcieu).
The main challenge is the climb up to the Grottes du Crochet, where you’ll need to be careful in wet weather (trekking poles recommended).
Given the length of the route, the walk has been classified as ‘Difficult’.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.28 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,087 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,087 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,687 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 876 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

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).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 899 ft - Montferrand - Albarine (rivière)
  2. 1 : mi 0.55 - alt. 892 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 0.95 - alt. 879 ft - Junction (turn left)
  4. 3 : mi 1.27 - alt. 886 ft - Junction (turn left)
  5. 4 : mi 1.58 - alt. 1,309 ft - Crochet Caves
  6. 5 : mi 2.3 - alt. 1,755 ft - Dorvan
  7. 6 : mi 2.54 - alt. 1,709 ft - Junction (turn right)
  8. 7 : mi 3.38 - alt. 1,555 ft - Junction (turn left)
  9. 8 : mi 4.07 - alt. 1,936 ft - Cleyzieu
  10. 9 : mi 4.84 - alt. 2,162 ft - Croix du Puisieux
  11. 10 : mi 5.53 - alt. 2,635 ft - Creux du Soir (turn left)
  12. 11 : mi 7.16 - alt. 2,224 ft - Creux du Lent
  13. 12 : mi 7.89 - alt. 2,077 ft - Balcon de la Falconnière
  14. 13 : mi 8.98 - alt. 1,499 ft - Mont de Lange
  15. 14 : mi 9.82 - alt. 1,421 ft - Junction (turn right)
  16. 15 : mi 10.48 - alt. 991 ft - Pissoir Cave
  17. S/E : mi 11.28 - alt. 899 ft - Montferrand

Notes

Good walking boots are recommended. In wet weather, walking poles are recommended. There are several fords to cross (the water level of which varies depending on rainfall).

View the starting point.

Signposting isn’t the hike’s strong point: it’s clearly visible from the start as far as Dorvan (yellow) and on the return leg along the Grotte du Pissoir path (also yellow); in other sections, the signposting is very patchy. There aren’t many signposts along the way.

If you’re thinking of taking an alternative route, I wouldn’t recommend the section from the Rochers de la Falconnière to Serrieres: at the start, the path isn’t very visible – if at all – and the descent is then very steep (though well secured by recently installed cables) and somewhat exposed, all within a heavily wooded area. If you do decide to take this route, you might find the following itinerary helpful.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Cyloupb
Cyloupb

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Lots of uncultivated forest and GPS very useful. Beautiful waterfall at the end.
Indeed, there are slippery passages with ropes. Do not attempt with children and follow the directions given. Fun passages with ropes. It adds to the interest of the walk 🤭
Lots of forest along the route. Few views

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FlickaPatsy
FlickaPatsy

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike in the Bugey region, alternating between several types of landscapes and passing through pretty hamlets. The section between points 3 and 4 (Crochet cave) requires a little caution as the path climbs quite steeply and is very slippery, especially as some of the cables are on the ground. I recommend using walking sticks to help you climb more safely. The Pissoir waterfall was completely dry, which is worrying for mid-February.
A GPS is highly recommended because, apart from the directions provided by Visorando, there are few signposts.
The hike took 5½ hours at a leisurely pace, covering a distance of just over 19 km with an elevation gain of 770 m.

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andomir
andomir

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The start of the hike is quite tough (climb with the help of cables and small metal steps).
Otherwise, no problems with the rest
Be careful, some sections are not marked and you will need a GPS
The 7-hour hike time is about right.

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Deuxpattes
Deuxpattes

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk mainly through woodland, with a few villages along the way.
The village of Cleyzieu is superb!
No water at the waterfall today...
Thank you for this post!

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Lerouzi
Lerouzi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike around the Cleyzieu plateau, culminating in a visit to the Charvet caves.
However, on that day (13/02/22), the route was difficult to access due to the presence of numerous uprooted trees and large branches piled up on the path, particularly along the leat Bief Ravinet. This meant climbing over all these obstacles and searching for the path beyond the trees blocking it. As a result, the walking time to complete the circular was consequently longer.

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jean895
jean895

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice, plus a few interesting sights to see, with possible variations. Perfect.

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Charmut
Charmut
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk under a stormy blue sky!
The climb up the cliff to the Crochet caves requires caution on slippery ground, despite the safety measures in place!
We changed parts of the route slightly to avoid the villages and go and see the Lent chasm.
Finally, the Pissoir waterfall was flowing heavily... Bring a headlamp to enter the cave of the same name, which is a well-known caving spot.

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monile
monile

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, very varied hike. The cables and rungs to reach the Crochet cave are very well secured.
No problems getting there, but we didn't go all the way to the cave entrance, about 30 metres away, as there were no cables and we had a beginner with us.
As for the rest of the route, nothing to say, the undergrowth is very pleasant in this heat.
The descent to the Pissoir waterfall is great, but unfortunately there is no water at this time of year.
Thank you to the author for this magnificent hike.

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Correcaminos
Correcaminos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied hike, a bit challenging at times, not to be attempted in wet weather. We encountered a few people at the waterfall but no one else along the route. Excellent! Thank you for the trail.

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gaud bernard
gaud bernard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

great journey

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becchi michel
becchi michel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

There were two of us on this beautiful hike, exploring the area for our association.
We will therefore do it again with a larger group in April-June 2020.
This hike should be avoided in wet weather.

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fakir500
fakir500

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

there were four of us hiking and we can confirm that you should not do the first part when the ground is wet.

the markings are sometimes non-existent or difficult to see, so the map is very welcome. A very pleasant walk in good weather.

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MUMMY
MUMMY

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

On the first section, the climb is steep but the winding path makes it easier to gain height. The cables and concrete iron bars are in good condition and well positioned. The tricky section, which could be slippery and is not recommended in wet weather, is very well secured. It is not exposed, but steep with trees. As the path is narrow in places, the handrails provide reassurance and safety in the event of a slip.
I did this hike in beautiful weather, which was very pleasant and picturesque.
Thanks to whoever created this trail, I had no problems whatsoever.

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mimiche1954
mimiche1954

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, there were 17 of us doing it
A challenging hike, especially the climb through the woods towards the Crochet caves.
I recommend it for experienced hikers with good footwear and walking sticks. The paths are very narrow and slippery, so you mustn't be afraid of heights as the cables between points 3 and 5 are not always well secured to the ground.
Do not attempt this hike if the weather has been wet in the previous days.
We all had a pleasant day in beautiful surroundings. The group returned tired but satisfied to have discovered this hike, and we have decided to do it again next year.
Thank you to zbh0170 for suggesting this hike.

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