Tour of the Bois de Gourand in Champier

(S/E) Leave the church square by walking along the left side of the building, heading east. A one-way street runs alongside the cemetery. You will come to a crossroads.

(1) Opposite, on the left, you will see a sign for "Le Cimetière" (the cemetery). Ignore the Route du Stade on the right and take the path immediately after it, also on the right. You will find yourself on a beautiful straight stretch in the heart of the valley.

(2) When you reach the sign for "Vernondière - 493m", turn left towards the hill. When the incline levels off, you will come to a crossroads. Turn right, leaving the yellow markings. When you reach the top, enjoy the panoramic view of the Liers plain, the Côte Saint-André moraine, the Chartreuse, the Taillefer, the Vercors... Continue downhill towards the Liers plain.

(3) You will come to a crossroads with a wash house opposite on the left. Take the small road on the right. At the next two forks, take the left branch. When you reach Impasse du Pré Moulin, continue along the small road on the right, then very quickly turn left onto Route d'Eydoche.

(4) Follow this road until you enter the small village (sign). At the stop sign, go straight ahead (yellow markings). Very quickly, at the fork, take the left branch. At the next fork (wooden cross), take the right branch. At the next junction, take the left fork (it's complicated, but if you follow the yellow markings carefully, you'll have no problem). This will take you to the "Eydoche - 525m" sign.

(5) Head straight ahead towards Gourand. A little further on, leave the small, poorly paved road and take the path on the left that climbs towards the Oratoire de la Madone (sign nailed to a tree).

(6) When you reach the oratory, sit on the bench and enjoy the view. After that, the view will be over. You will be in the forest, then on the other side of the hill. Continue climbing up the forest plateau. Pass the high-voltage power line. Take a look through the clearing on the right. If the weather is clear, you will see the summit of Mont Blanc. Follow the wide forest path, ignoring any paths coming from the right or left. The yellow markings will confirm that you are on the right track. You will come to a sign for "Gourand - 635m".

(7) Continue straight ahead, passing in front of a pylon. At the edge of the woods, you will see a hunter's cabin with a welcoming bench on your left. You will reach the sign for "Château d'eau - 625m".

(8) Turn right towards Flachères and very quickly turn left just before a house with a hipped roof. Pass a narrow lane on your right and take the path on the left at the next crossroads. The tarmac quickly gives way to a beautiful stone path. After passing a house on your right, the path becomes tarmac again. Your small road suddenly turns right at a 90° angle. Leave it and turn left at a 90° angle onto a beautiful grassy path that descends gently.

(9) You will arrive at the private pond of San Bernardo. It is very enclosed. Once past the pond, turn right. You are now in a small valley and will come to a second pond (on your right this time). You will come out onto a small road (sign: Montée du Cordier). Go up to the left and take the first street on the right (sign: Chemin de la Madone). This will lead you to the Madonna.

(10) Take the time to sit on one of the benches and enjoy the view. To continue on your way, go behind the Madonna. The path branches off to the right and comes back in front of it, below. Continue downhill despite the "no entry" sign, which does not apply to you.

(1) Continue straight ahead to return to the church square (S/E).

The starting point for the walk is the small car park in front of the church in Champier, a small village in northern Isère, located between Bourgoin Jallieu and Grenoble.

There is a water source at the Trèves wash house and another at the Champier cemetery. Several benches are available along the way (Oratoire d'Eydoche, Cabane des chasseurs at the exit of the Gourand woods, Madone de Champier).

You will find all shops and services either in Côte Saint-André (to the south) or in Nivolas Vermelle (to the north).

Between the hamlets of Trève and Les Moilles, the route used to follow a very pretty path on the edge of the woods. Currently, this path is overgrown with brambles and therefore impassable. Instead, we take a small, very quiet road, which is paved... much to the annoyance of some walkers... I have not yet found another solution.

The pretty forest of Gourand.

A few views of the Chartreuse, the Vercors, the Taillefer, the Monts du Lyonnais and even a glimpse of the summit of Mont Blanc. Beautiful view of the Liers plain from the Madone de Champier.

The bocage and the houses of the Dauphiné.