Val du Fier viewpoint from Chavanne d'en Bas

fr

Nice looped hiking trail mostly in the undergrowth where you can see pretty views like Val du Fier's canyon, the river Rhône downstream Seyssel or the lovely ruined Saint André's chapel overlooking Albanais' plains.

Technical sheet

n°2494080
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.08 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 493 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 499 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 930 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 459 m
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Photos

belvédère des Princes
Ruins of the Church of Saint-André, view of the Val-de-Fier!
Chavanne Cross
Gorges du val du Fier

Description of the walk

The start is one of the two car parks in Chavanne d'en bas.

(S/E) Ascend the road for 200 meters towards Chavanne d'en haut, then turn left the rocky track next to the non-entry sign. Go through "Réservoir car park" and follow the track still going up. At the end of the track, bear right at the fork after the low wall.

(1) Turn right again at the next fork to follow the yellow arrow sign. Walk along the small meadow and the shed on your left. From the second meadow on your right, keep following the yellow arrow sign.

(2) From "la Renardière", take the steep path towards "la Mare". Pass the mountain bike grid and cross the private field to the top.

(3) From "la Mare", you can enjoy the view to Albanais' plains and Semnoz hill in the background. Continue on the left towards "la ferme du Comte", then, go down on the left along the meadow. Go through the fence and descend the path in the undergrowth. Can be very slippery during wet weather here.

(4) From "la Corbeuraz", bear left following "belvédère du mont des princes" for about 5 minutes.

(5) Once arrived at the point of view, admire Val du Fier's canyon and the river Rhône downstream Seyssel on your right. From this point, go toward "Nouvellet Godlier" and "Chavanne par croix de Chavanne" following the yellow arrow signs.

(6) From Nouvellet Godlier's intersection, bear left towards "la Renardière".

(7) Enter the meadow on your right, just after the hedge. Head the undergrowth where you can see the yellow cross sign on the tree trunk. It leads you near a small chalet on your right. Keep going down and turn left when you see a double yellow arrow sign. Then, a red sign indicates to pay attention to a small cliff edge for 500 meters. From Chappay, follow ''Panorama de la croix de Chavanne".

(8) During the descent, don't miss another nice point of view on your right, where you can admire Val du Fier and Chapelle Ruinée St-André. Eventually, take the last descent reaching to Chavanne d'en bas' car park. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 467 m - Chavanne d'en-bas car park
  2. 1 : km 1.45 - alt. 642 m - At the fork, on the right
  3. 2 : km 2.45 - alt. 782 m - La Renardière alt. 780 m
  4. 3 : km 3.27 - alt. 916 m - Panorama of the Albanais plain from "la Mare
  5. 4 : km 4.57 - alt. 862 m - La Corbeuraz (alt. 870 m)
  6. 5 : km 4.96 - alt. 870 m - Mont des Princes viewpoint (alt. 880 m)
  7. 6 : km 5.42 - alt. 835 m - Nouvellet Godlier (alt. 835 m)
  8. 7 : km 5.86 - alt. 793 m - Fork right after the unmarked hedge!
  9. 8 : km 7.62 - alt. 524 m - Ruins of the Chapelle Saint-André
  10. S/E : km 8.08 - alt. 467 m - Chavanne d'en-bas car park

In the nearby area

Interesting explanations about the history of Saint André's chapel.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 16 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 13658586

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

No sign of Chavanne d e n bas l along the road, take St André, and climb immediately to the right at the entrance to the village.prendre a gauche, panneau Chavanne, camouflé par les herbes, il y a 2 parkings au beau du village d e bas. Route bien,sauf à la fin,sente non signalé a droite,le long des arbres,pour finir le circuit et arriver au parking,et non entretenue sur 50 m.le passage près des falaises n'est pas dangereux,ni vertigineux,beaucoup de végétation.
👍👍

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Fanfan LEG
Fanfan LEG

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant route, with plenty of shade and very little ascent for those with breathing problems.
However, it's not always easy to get to the banks of the fier for a picnic, for example.
A simple and easy hike, but a long one...

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Normann74
Normann74

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Beautiful itinerary, very varied, carpets of peatlands on the southern slopes that people come to pick (far too many).
What will be left in a few years if everyone picks their own little bunch?

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Dilou013
Dilou013

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

AMAZING.
Superb views. We didn't regret going to all the viewpoints and panoramas, including those that weren't marked on the route.
Physically demanding.
Slightly technical downhill section that can be very tricky in the wet season.

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Jessica du 74
Jessica du 74

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A pleasant hike with lovely views, varied itinerary, few people, uphill and downhill. Look for the car park after the "no agricultural vehicles excepted at 500m" sign. This will make parking easier.

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ENVIEESPACE
ENVIEESPACE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

After the first car park (limited space)
There is a second car park at the end

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jakotfr
jakotfr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Few people at this time of year, fog below, sun above and frosted trees, superb views of the mountains...
As indicated in the topo, the change of direction at point 7 is not visible.
The descent to point 8 should be approached with caution, with dead leaves on the stones and muddy ground ....
Nice walk

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heidi74150
heidi74150

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

a beautiful loop hike in the snow....fairytale landscapes and beautiful panoramic views of the JURA and Mont Blanc....very easy.

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c.debain
c.debain

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

An interesting route, but unfortunately we did it in the rain and fog. In these conditions, we found the descent very slippery.

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vincent D
vincent D

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant hike with an 8-year-old child, mostly in the shade... fortunately with the current heat. We were lucky enough to spot a chamois! The only downside was that the two car parks were very small... no space when we arrived, although not very early (11am). A walker told us that there was a car park further up the road, about 400m up a stony path that you take for the walk. We went there and at the end of our little walk we saw that there was a second car park in the extension of the first (about 30 to 40 metres), but impossible to see from the first...these long explanations to give you this useful information!

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lepinsoncelliste
lepinsoncelliste

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

RAS, interesting circuit, in the shade in the morning, better to do in the afternoon

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Laeti93
Laeti93

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lovely walk with a variety of landscapes, mostly in the shade: a climb through the forest and meadows, a magnificent, unobstructed panorama at the top of the hill over the valleys and the Alps, where several of us had a picnic under the trees in this vast meadow next to the grazing cows, and a beautiful view of the gorges from the belvedere, especially from the chapel of Saint André. The descent was a little more monotonous in the forest. We had an excellent day!

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didou1976
didou1976

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A hike done with our 6 and a half year old son who walked the whole way without complaining!!!!
Very nice walk... not difficult!
We really enjoyed the paths in the undergrowth (cool) and the views are marvellous!

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Ballan1985
Ballan1985

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A trail through undergrowth, with some beautiful views. Be careful when passing through the cows' pasture, they were all in front of the passage, so we had to pass under the barbed wire. Slippery passage. A trail where you need to be careful with children as there are some dangerous cliffs.

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Paonia
Paonia

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The walk is very well described and signposted, making it easy to follow.
The first part of the climb is on a carriage road, then there are some very nice paths and tracks in the woods and meadows.
Pretty meadows in bloom at the end of May.
Belvedere of princes for me not very impressive. Personally, I found the view from the chapel of St. André towards the Belvedere much nicer.
The descent to the chapel is quite steep, so poles are to be recommended.

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