On the heights of Marcellaz-Albanais

A circular loop that follows communal paths and some sections of quiet roads between Marcellaz-Albanais and Montagny-les-Lanches. Numerous panoramic views of the Jura, Bornes les Aravis and Bauges mountains.

Details

278227
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.98 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 189 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 198 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 701 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 541 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from Marcellaz town centre, Place de l'Albanais (plenty of parking available).

(S/E) Go up past the town hall, then turn left onto Rue des Écoles and then left again onto Route de la Radia.

(1) When the road turns right, continue straight ahead on Chemin des Étangs. At the triple fork, continue straight ahead on the middle path. Continue south-east on the rural path that joins the D38 (Route de Chapeiry).

(2) Follow the D38 to the right for about 400 metres. At the entrance to the hamlet of Les Vorges, turn right (south-west) onto the path that leads into the woods.

(3) After 300 metres, at the fork, turn left (south) onto Chemin de Sous-Metry. Join Route de Chaunu and follow it to the right.

(4) At the cross, turn onto the first path on the left and climb up to the hamlet of Gleufoy. Then turn left and follow the small road that descends towards the D38.

(5) At the junction with the D38, turn right towards Chapeiry (south-east). After about 500m, turn left towards "La Molière", then right towards "Montmasson". Cross the hamlet of Chalanche and cross a path.

(6) At the entrance to Montmasson, at the cross, turn left onto Chemin des Molasses (or Chemin de Molassie), which climbs up to Chemin des Grands Champs.

(7) At the top of the hill, at the edge of the woods, turn right towards the north-east. Then turn right and then left at a right angle to arrive at a place called Le Château.

(8) At the T-junction, turn left onto Route du Crêt, which continues as Route de Montagny-les-Lanches to the hamlet of Oilly (stay on the small road).

(9) On leaving Oilly, turn left and head down towards Joudrain. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead downhill.

(10) Join the D16 (Annecy-Rumilly road known as the "Route des Creuses") and follow it to the left towards Rumilly. Ignore the D38 on the left and turn right. At the next fork, turn left and continue to Place de l'Albanais (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 552 m - Place de l'Albanais
  2. 1 : km 0.34 - alt. 556 m - Chemin des Étangs
  3. 2 : km 1.27 - alt. 573 m - Route de Chapeiry
  4. 3 : km 1.89 - alt. 587 m - Fourche
  5. 4 : km 2.43 - alt. 601 m - Crossroads - Cross
  6. 5 : km 3.28 - alt. 598 m - Junction of Route de Gleufoy and D38
  7. 6 : km 4.96 - alt. 644 m - Chemin des Molasses
  8. 7 : km 5.53 - alt. 701 m - Edge of the woods
  9. 8 : km 6.77 - alt. 633 m - The castle
  10. 9 : km 9.38 - alt. 608 m - Oilly
  11. 10 : km 10.2 - alt. 541 m - D16 (Route des Creuses)
  12. S/E : km 10.98 - alt. 552 m - Place de l'Albanais

Notes

Please note: the D16 and D38 roads, which cannot be avoided on some sections of this route, are very busy during weekday rush hour (7am-9am/5pm-7pm).

The Chemin des Étangs, Chemin de Sous-Metry and Chemin de Gleufoy may have some muddy sections during wet weather or after storms.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
Paolo A
Paolo A

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Too many road crossings

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T.DOENLEN
T.DOENLEN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 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 hills and valleys with beautiful scenery and no difficulty. It's a shame that the last kilometre is on a busy road

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Crapet
Crapet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Well-described route, but with a lot of tarmac and sometimes traffic. A pity!

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Nbornel
Nbornel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely autumn walk. Admittedly, there are sections on small roads, but they are not very busy, except for the final short section on the Route des Creuses. There are some beautiful landscapes. However, it took us much less time (2 hours 20 minutes).

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Terreneuve74
Terreneuve74

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant and varied route.

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GE74
GE74

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Many paved roads, fairly busy, with some very dangerous sections, such as the junction with the D16.
It's a shame because the scenery is superb and varied.

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Bernie73
Bernie73

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, nothing more.

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beauquis
beauquis

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Too many sections of the route are on roads

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gilles07
gilles07

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

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mre
mre

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Why average interest?
Because there's tarmac, more tarmac, and almost always tarmac.
End of the hike on the "Creuses" road, connoisseurs will appreciate the passing vehicles, including lorries.

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HélèneRF
HélèneRF

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello,
A pleasant hike through rolling, green countryside.
The route description is remarkably precise, as is the description of the alternative route from Oilly to avoid the main road.
We will happily do it again on a sunnier day than this morning, as the sun was rather shy at the start of spring...
:

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mariepomma
mariepomma

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike that allows you to discover villages. The alternative route along a footpath instead of the road between Oilly and Marcellaz is very pleasant and, having done the hike in reverse, I can confirm that there are small wooden signs indicating the way.

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rumillyaccueil
rumillyaccueil

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 07, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Lovely walk. At the entrance to Montmasson, at the cross, we took the Entremonts path; this was a mistake according to the description. We should have turned left further on. On leaving Oilly, turn right onto the path leading downhill towards the cross, as indicated in a previous review. This is a pleasant path that avoids walking along the road.

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La Tournette
La Tournette

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 28, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very pleasant on a beautiful autumn afternoon with lovely views of the mountains.
Well-marked route, easy trails and small roads, but be careful at the end of the route on the Route des Creuses.
There are two of us and it took us 2½ hours walking at a good pace.

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olivier.aniel
olivier.aniel

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

BJR
an alternative route on the way back to avoid the main road:
at point 9 Oilly: take the path that descends to the crossroads at the bottom of the main road; at the end, cross the main road and take the path opposite (slightly to the left), follow it for 150m, then follow the path to the left (do not continue on the marked path that climbs up to Etercy).
On this path, you climb back up to Marcellaz by crossing a small wooden bridge (you follow the main road (on your left above); when you reach the houses, walk past a farm on your right, then go down the path on the right (electric transformer), cross the small concrete bridge and go up the steep slope (very short) to cross the main road again in Marcellaz. Opposite you, as you cross, is the Place de l'Albanais with the town hall.

kind regards

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