The roof of the Rhône: Mont Saint-Rigaud

fr

A hike on the highest summit of the Rhône Department.

Technical sheet

n°211855
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.28 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 530 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 531 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,005 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 583 m
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Photos

Snow-covered path
The summit tower
Sacred fountain
Panorama Monsols

Description of the walk

Park your car at Col de Crie.

(S/F) Follow the D23 towards Chénelette (south). After a few hundred metres, take a path on the right heading up through the forest (GR76).

(1) At the crow's foot above the place called Verrière, keep heading straight.

(2) At the Croix des Oncins crossroads, take a left onto a carriage road and keep going until a fork.

(3) Go right over roughly 600 m.

(4) Leave the GR76 and go left onto a trail heading up through Bois de la Verrière.

(5) After a passage run-down by logging vehicles you'll reach Cabane de Soleilhavoup. The path then heads down a slight slope reaching a road. Head right on the road.

(6) After 300 to 400 m, leave the road taking an uphill trail to the right. Keep to the left at both junctions arriving at a crossroads meeting up with "la Croix d'Amanzé".

(7) Don't take it, instead go right, up a trail heading north-east through undergrowth, then turn left towards Mont Saint-Rigaud and its summit.

(8) Head down a small road leading to a fountain (source du Mont Saint-Rigaud).

(9) Once you get to the fountain, go right due north. Reach the GR7 on a section of road that you'll leave to go left near high point 899 m.

(10) At the crossing, head downhill to the right then head due north crossing Ajoux communes until a crossroads, hardly noticeable.

(11) Head uphill to the right reaching a small road. Follow the road and the GR7 to the left reaching a crossing (high point 820 m). Leave the GR7 and take a path on the right heading down through the woods due east (do not take the large path on the right). Keep going straight, ignoring trailheads to the right and left reaching a large track.

(12) Turn right and follow the track reaching Châtelard pedestrian viaduct.

(13) Keep heading straight on the path through the undergrowth leading to open meadows.

(14) At the crossroads, take the path on the right and head off to the right, due south at high point 584. Keep to the right at the next junction and head up towards Brete crossroads.

(15)Turn off to the left. First flat, the path then heads downhill towards Monsols Village and reaches a small road. Take a hairpin short cut to the left.

(16) At the first sight of houses, head right on a trail along the D43 reaching Col de Crie (S/F).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 624 m - Col de Crie
  2. 1 : km 1.75 - alt. 669 m - La Varrière, three-way junction
  3. 2 : km 2.28 - alt. 701 m - Col de la Croix des Oncins
  4. 3 : km 2.65 - alt. 744 m - Right at the fork
  5. 4 : km 3.28 - alt. 780 m - Path on the left
  6. 5 : km 4.11 - alt. 868 m - Soleilhavoup hut. Close to the source of the - Ardière (rivière) - Affluent de la Saône
  7. 6 : km 4.6 - alt. 879 m - Leave the roiite for the path on the right
  8. 7 : km 5.72 - alt. 946 m - La Croix d'Amanzé
  9. 8 : km 6.17 - alt. 1,005 m - Mont Saint-Rigaud
  10. 9 : km 6.6 - alt. 971 m - Source du Mont Saint-Rigaud, turn right
  11. 10 : km 7.75 - alt. 839 m - Crossroads, turn right
  12. 11 : km 8.62 - alt. 813 m - At the crossroads, follow the GR17 to the right
  13. 12 : km 10.21 - alt. 646 m - Track, turn right
  14. 13 : km 11.24 - alt. 597 m - Viaduc du Châtelard
  15. 14 : km 12.34 - alt. 584 m - At the crossroads, turn right
  16. 15 : km 13.1 - alt. 641 m - Carrefour de Brete, on the left
  17. 16 : km 14.07 - alt. 583 m - To the right, path along the D43
  18. S/E : km 15.28 - alt. 623 m - Col de Crie

Practical information

A well waymarked trail (SR1) until Croix des Oncins (2). Then SR2. Back to SR1 at Brete Crossroads (15). (See photos).

In the nearby area

According to legend, the Mont Saint Rigaud source (9) has miraculous qualities, particularly that of restoring female fertility.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

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

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Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 37 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
gilberteliane
gilberteliane

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

path cleared by the foresters. We did it before the felling

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Randonneur de l’ain
Randonneur de l’ain

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A fine hike on 21 February, 3.5 hours including a break, but the weather was cloudy and rather mild. At this time of year, you have to expect to tread on a few muddy stretches, but nothing catastrophic. There are some very fine views with a fairly easy gradient and several points of interest, including the "orgy" point at the summit with its beautiful wooden tower and double helix staircase.
This route is undoubtedly much more popular in fine weather and on weekends.
We really enjoyed it and will certainly do it again sometime.
I would recommend
Thanks to the author 👍

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Thierry du 05
Thierry du 05

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

The route was completed in bitterly cold weather. There were 18 of us and everyone enjoyed it, apart from the cold, but there was just one drawback: the lumberjacks tore up the paths on the north-eastern part of the route, so you sometimes had to leave the GPS route for a short while. Beautiful panoramas, even if they are rarefied by the density of the forests. We preferred to do the loop anti-clockwise to walk as much as possible before lunch. As I use a GPS, I don't dwell too much on the description, but I did rate it very highly.

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24bis
24bis

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Great walk, mainly in the shade, which is very pleasant at this time of year. The paths are very pleasant, wide and pastoral. It's a lovely loop. Completed in 4 hours, with a picnic break at Mont Rigaud.

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alethpretet@live.fr
alethpretet@live.fr

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant walk through undergrowth. Follow the explanations carefully. Stony paths alternate with dirt tracks.

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24bis
24bis

Great walk, mainly in the shade, which is nice on hot days. I took the opportunity to pick a few mushrooms. No major difficulties, and not too many Douglas fir trees. A short break at Mont Rigaud for a picnic. The walk took 4h30.

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Nathy1968
Nathy1968

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

We did this walk under the 1st snowfall in 2024! It's a very pretty route, which I'm more familiar with in autumn. Unfortunately, as the sky was very overcast, we weren't able to enjoy the lovely view from Mont Rigaud, but it was a lot of fun all the same.

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tatamousse
tatamousse

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A lovely walk, especially on a hot day. The path is always protected from the sun by the trees.

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Patlemarin
Patlemarin

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

4-5 motorbikes, 2 quads, a few walkers (especially around the village), nothing exceptional for a sunny Sunday. No views of the Alps because of the mist... Shame...

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mameissimilly@free.fr
mameissimilly@free.fr

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

We did this walk in August, but it started at 11°C and arrived at Mont Saint Rigaud in mist, so we weren't able to see all the surrounding valleys from the air. Nevertheless, it was a really nice walk, with lots of undergrowth and the smell of mushrooms and plants. Do it when the weather is warmer and clearer! The route is over 18kms long.

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BABOUR RANDO
BABOUR RANDO

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

Yesterday's walk under (or in) the clouds... A bit sad.
A lot of walking under pine trees, dense shade and few clear views (except, in principle, at Mont Saint Rigaud!). And quite a lot of mud.
Having already done it in good weather, I know that this walk is better than yesterday's impression.

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chrishooter
chrishooter
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Beautiful walk on 2 January 2020 in wintry weather. The path was completely snow-covered, but very passable with hiking boots. The snow in the fir trees and undergrowth made this walk unique and a real change of scenery. Be careful before point 12, the route is not good, but only for 150 metres.

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Eric Gaston
Eric Gaston

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : Yes

Hi, this is an easy walk through undergrowth, which is pleasant in very hot weather.
However, there are very few viewpoints along the route, and only the panorama from the belvedere is interesting.
Best regards

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SullivanR
SullivanR

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A lovely walk along wooded paths with views of the Beaujolais mountains.
The inconspicuous junction (10) is easy to miss.
The end of the path (11) was not maintained (IGN trace), and we had to walk 500 metres through tall grass to reach the wide track. According to the other comments, an alternative route is possible
Well-marked routes

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chguilleminot
chguilleminot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Observed the same alignment anomaly as geffraye 1 before point 12

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