Vénérieu and the Moras Pond

Walk near the CAPI, mainly in the woods. In the first part, there are beautiful views of the Bourbre valley, Bourgoin-Jallieu and Isle d'Abeau. On the way back, you walk along the Étang de Moras, but the reeds prevent you from seeing the shore. A few communal ovens and wash houses adorn the route.
Yellow signposts throughout the route. Allow between 3 and 4 hours depending on your pace and photo stops.

Details

9953797
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.03 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 269 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 261 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 431 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 279 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the foot of the church in Vénérieu.

(S/E) Take Rue de la Rivoire, which runs westwards on flat ground. Take a quick look at the oven on the corner of Chemin Beauvillard. At the wash house, turn left onto Chemin de Roche-Vieille towards the château of the same name.

(1) Continue right on Chemin de la Grande Terre. Pass Chemin de Valette on your right and walk between the farm buildings.

(2) You will enter the Morean National Forest. Follow the forest along the path on the left, then continue on the right until you reach Combe Bonnard.

(3) Turn right onto the gravel path that climbs uphill. Halfway up the hill, do not enter the field; continue climbing the path on the left.

(4) Follow the path on the right to the Gorges crossroads, then turn right onto the path that leads to the telecoms relay station. Walk along the right side of the relay station and descend via the footpath.

(5) At the crossroads, turn left and cross the road towards the stadium. Before reaching it, take the gravel path immediately on the left in the undergrowth (Chemin du Plan), then take the path on the right that descends towards Les Mangettes.

(6) Turn right onto the tarmac road and continue straight on until you reach Route des Mangettes, then turn right.

(7) In the centre of Frétignier, turn right (150°) onto a grassy path that runs between the houses to Route du Mont (tarmac), which you will take on the left to descend towards a roundabout and then towards the D18a.

(8) Go up to the left for 100 m on the departmental road (watch out for traffic), before turning right onto a path that winds between the enclosures towards Moras, on the other side of the valley. After walking along the castle walls, take the tarmac road on the left to the town hall.

(9) Turn right onto the lane that climbs up to the schools, then take the path opposite that climbs up to the cemetery. Take the path to the left of the cemetery that descends towards Crizieu. Continue straight on the tarmac road into Crizieu. Take the first street on the right, then immediately left, walking alongside the old oven. At the bottom, turn left and walk down towards the wash house.

(10) After the wash house, continue along the tarmac road uphill. Halfway up the slope, take the stony path on the right which descends towards the pond. Continue straight on to the end of the pond. At the edge of the woods, take the path on the right which leads back to the tarmac road.

(11) Turn right along the tarmac road, crossing a small bridge, then take the dirt track on the left which climbs back up towards La Rivoire. At the first houses, continue straight ahead and descend towards the church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 307 m - Church of Vénérieu
  2. 1 : km 0.78 - alt. 317 m - Roche-vieille
  3. 2 : km 1.24 - alt. 312 m - Morean Forest
  4. 3 : km 2.51 - alt. 280 m - Combe Bonnard
  5. 4 : km 3.86 - alt. 389 m - Morean
  6. 5 : km 4.99 - alt. 374 m - Frétignier
  7. 6 : km 5.95 - alt. 351 m - Fork to the right
  8. 7 : km 6.62 - alt. 376 m - Frétignier centre
  9. 8 : km 7.31 - alt. 354 m - D18a
  10. 9 : km 8.3 - alt. 351 m - Moras
  11. 10 : km 9.45 - alt. 331 m - Crizieu
  12. 11 : km 11.77 - alt. 304 m - The coulures
  13. S/E : km 13.03 - alt. 307 m - Church of Vénérieu

Notes

CAPI - Porte de l'Isère Urban Community

There are no nice picnic spots along the lake.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Norbert38
Norbert38

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

As it was very difficult to leave from Venerieu that day due to work being carried out on the drinking water network, after consulting the app, I left from St Hilaire de Brens to join my loop. A varied route with lots of undergrowth and a good hill before arriving at Moras. Poor visibility on Lake Moras. It would be useful to repaint the markers.

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fch53
fch53

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route, which I followed without difficulty (using GPS). The castles of Moras and Montplaisant, as well as the Moras chapel site, are interesting, but the lake is hidden by the greenery. I recommend it.

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Cathi
Cathi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This route is very pleasant, with no particular difficulties. It gets a little busier around Moras Pond, but it's not overly crowded. Lovely paths and views!

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Hélène.G
Hélène.G

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very nice walk for seven septuagenarians, towards the cemetery, a pleasant shaded picnic area with a table and bench, a fountain... No problems with the route using a smartphone, but a lick of paint on the signposts would be great... Thank you for this route. Hélène...

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cricri38
cricri38

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A rather pleasant route with lots of paths and little tarmac. It was sometimes difficult to find our way as the place names given in the paper description were very rarely indicated on site. What a shame! We met a very friendly local in Crizieu who showed us the way. Our smartphone came in very handy. Thank you to the author for this wonderful discovery.

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AnneClaire
AnneClaire

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with a few climbs, but nothing insurmountable, beautiful scenery, horses and foals, cows, we ate at the old well, thank you

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mrugala
mrugala
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike through nature and small hamlets. Forest, stream, cows, oven, well, wash houses. Really very pleasant.
The paper description is very poor, luckily I had the app, otherwise I wouldn't have made it to the end.
For example, instead of saying "centre of Frétignier", it says "at the cross next to the building with a tower".
The "left path" at the start of the national forest... leads to a farmer's house; you need to take the path in the middle.
There is a water source and a table near the Moras cemetery.

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Dalzo
Dalzo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Excellent walk, very well explained

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regrevud
regrevud

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant route but not very shaded. Be aware that you will encounter many mountain bikes along the way. Lovely views.

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bernadetteborel
bernadetteborel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

we enjoyed the numerous passages through the woods as it was rather warm. Varied passages, beautiful rural architecture. The distant views were hazy. Everyone enjoyed it. Thank you.

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le nez dans l'herbe
le nez dans l'herbe

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

the circuit is used during the week, so there are few people. Beautiful views

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RENE69
RENE69

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

nice half-day hike with lovely views of the Alps

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Dominique M
Dominique M

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

a pleasant hike with many beautiful views of the entire Alpine range and lovely stone houses

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TineDo
TineDo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike on a beautiful sunny day. A few climbs and descents add to the interest of the walk. Beautiful views of the Alps on a clear day, the Moras lake and a few castles and churches. Pretty woodland. Passing through villages with beautiful stone houses, wash houses and communal ovens.

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B. LEMOINE
B. LEMOINE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike. Thank you to the author.
B. LEMOINE

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