Tour of the Guizay plateau

Starting from the Croix du Guizay, this circuit in the Pilat Regional Nature Park offers some of the most beautiful views of Saint-Étienne. The belvedere allows you to take in the city's central street and enjoy a panoramic view of the entire urban area.

Details

916623
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.99 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 224 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 219 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,017 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 813 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The starting point is in the Croix de Guizay car park.

(S/E) From the car park, two roads lead to the hamlet of Guizay; take the road on the left (to the left of the restaurant). A little further up, the unobstructed view also offers a beautiful glimpse of the town.

(1) At the crossroads, turn left. At the next crossroads (cross), continue straight ahead. Walk past a riding centre and ignore a turn-off on the right. At the junction before Bayon (VAZILLE sign), take the steep road on the right; 100 metres further on, you will come to an intersection.

(2) Be careful to find the path behind the Impasse de Bayon sign (it is not the road on the left or the road on the right). Further up, the path enters the woods and reaches the highest point of the route (elevation 1015).

(3) Ignore the first path on the right that descends, continue a few dozen metres along the main path and turn onto a small path that descends to the right. This is difficult to find, especially if the grass is tall.
Stay on the main path, ignoring the side paths, and you will arrive at the crossroads at elevation 922 (elevation indicated on the map, but there is no sign!).

(4) Continue along this wide path, which climbs slightly to the left; the view quickly opens up again at the edge of the woods. Continue straight ahead on this path.

(5) At the next crossroads, descend to the right via the "Tour du Parc" for a few hundred metres.

(6) Turn right and begin a steeper descent at the farm (elevation 904). After crossing the river, the path climbs again and joins a road. Follow it to the left towards the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 867 m - Car park - Le Sacré-Coeur du Guizay
  2. 1 : km 0.95 - alt. 911 m - Le Guizay
  3. 2 : km 2.18 - alt. 958 m - To the right behind the sign
  4. 3 : km 2.78 - alt. 1,015 m - On the right, downhill. Passage near the source of the - Ondaine (rivière) - Affluent de la Loire
  5. 4 : km 3.99 - alt. 922 m - On the left
  6. 5 : km 4.73 - alt. 924 m - On the right on the Tour du Parc
  7. 6 : km 5.09 - alt. 904 m - On the right, steep descent
  8. S/E : km 6.99 - alt. 868 m - La Croix de Guizay (car park)

Notes

Version updated on 25 June 2018
Having received several messages concerning inaccuracies in the description, I have taken the various comments into account.
Thank you to the attentive hikers! I recommend using the app during the hike to avoid getting lost.

Moderator update, 20 August:
(2) The path is between the "impasse du bayon" sign and the house on the right (comment from 20 August, FRENCHCORSAIR)
(3) The path is marked by a green painted stake with a red mark at the top (comment from 26 July, Joel42)

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 18 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Xris83
Xris83

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This circuit is a good warm-up for relaxing while getting some exercise.
The last section is technical, which is why I would classify this circuit as moderate rather than easy.
It also offers beautiful views of the city of Saint-Etienne.

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Georjon
Georjon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike with varied terrain and shade

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Christian42
Christian42

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, especially in the sunshine! Preferably in dry weather towards the end.
On the paths, watch out for horses from the neighbouring stud farm.
Before and after point 4, very wet.
One downside on the way to point 6:
At point 6, the path between the broom bushes is not obvious; take it just after the uninhabited house 20 metres from the main path.
Crossing the Ondenon is difficult, as there is no footbridge and two branches to cross; be careful if there has been heavy rainfall beforehand.
Arduous climb between rocks and stream for the same reasons.
I would rate it as average.

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Ibra
Ibra
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike, very good description, but be careful after point 14, as the path on the left is not very easy to find and should be better marked. Moderate elevation gain, beautiful views of Saint Genest Malifaux.
A route definitely worth doing.
Thank you.

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britt
britt

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

the hike is pleasant and varied, with beautiful views, yet very close to St Etienne. The paths are easy, wide and cross through forests.
Sometimes there is a lack of signposts. GPS is very useful

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Traviata
Traviata

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

first hike in 2022.
The second time was very pleasant. At point 2, I didn't want to go through because there were two dogs with their heads sticking out of the fence, so I went around higher up to reach point 3.
Lovely views and beautiful expanses after bridge 5.
One of my favourite hikes.

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Danyla
Danyla
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I had already hiked part of this trail (the beginning from 1 to 4, and the end, in the opposite direction from D to 5), so I know the area quite well. I enjoyed this complete tour, which was mostly in the forest but with views in places. It's close to St Etienne, yet you feel like you're far away from everything. It's wild. Beautiful paths, easy to follow route. (I should point out that I followed my route with Visorando, which is an extremely useful app when in doubt.)
I will definitely do it again. Thank you

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misou
misou

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We were unable to follow the suggested route because at point 3, the small path that we found easily (there is a stake to help locate it) was blocked by fallen trees, which would only be cleared in April, but this was not certain.
Note that at point 2, we had trouble finding the path because you have to enter the Bayon cul-de-sac and immediately to the left, the path runs alongside a house and you can walk right past it without seeing it.
We will reschedule this trail for another time.
Very pleasant: it feels like you're in the high mountains!

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mustangdolpo
mustangdolpo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Quite an interesting hike

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lanakikitine
lanakikitine

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

d/A coordinate not found by car (towpath) 30-minute walk before the start of the hike.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback.

Indeed, with Visorando, we often venture off the beaten track, so there are no markings.

Visorando does not recommend signposting because it can be modified or erased, whereas information about the terrain is stable.

Visorando provides a detailed description and a 1:25,000 IGN map. And if markings are essential for you, Visorando offers free virtual markings in the form of a GPS app.

See you soon!

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jeanninebonche
jeanninebonche

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

regarding the hike (around Guizay), there weren't many signs, so we had to ask for directions at least twice. It's not the first time I've walked this route with a map. Since it's a permanent walk, why not make some small signs and put them at strategic points? I did it again and had another pleasant walk.

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grandin
grandin ★

Thank you for your clarifications, FRENCHCORSAIR and Joel42, which I have added to Practical Information. The author may, if they wish, include them in the description

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FRENCHCORSAIR
FRENCHCORSAIR

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A nice little hike, but very poorly signposted at point 2. It should be noted that the path is between the "Impasse du Bayon" sign and the house on the right.
Other than that, it's perfect!

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grandin
grandin ★

Thank you, Joel42, for these additional details.

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