Vineyards and châteaux starting from Denicé

Park in the small car park near Denicé church (either in front of the village hall or behind the church)

(S/E) Head towards the church and turn right towards the cemetery. Walk alongside it, then turn left to follow the Route de Ronzière (yellow markings). Carry on straight ahead until you reach the junction with the Route de Rivolet (D504). 

(1) Cross carefully and continue straight ahead along the track. When you reach the junction of three roads, turn left, then immediately right onto the footpath. Continue until you reach a tarmac track.

(2) Turn left onto this road, follow it for about fifty metres, then turn right onto the footpath which is set back in front of the farm and leads up to the heights of Lacenas. Turn right at the first junction, then right again at the next one: view of Lacenas and its castle. Walk uphillalongside the vineyards.

(3) Turn right at the ‘Le Clos Étienne’ cadole. In front of the sculpture made of golden stone, glass and a bottle, take the path on the left, towards the Madonna and the mast. Walk straight up to reach the statue of the Virgin Mary: view of Regny. 

(4) Head back down, passing to the right of the mast, and continue downhill to the hamlet of Trève Fontoin.

(5) Cross the road and take the path to the right of the house. Walk straight down and then turn left, skirting the first house at the top. You’ll come out onto a small road that runs through the hamlet and joins the D19; follow this down to the junction with the D504 (bus stop): opposite, at the end of the private driveway, is the Château des Charmes. 

(6) Cross very carefully at the pedestrian crossing (watch out for traffic and speed), head left, then immediately take the small road on the right down towards La Fouillouse. NB: you can also head towards the house on the right, which you can walk past on the left (path marked on the IGN map but overgrown) and then rejoin the road. Walk down to the Marceau bridge.

(7) Turn right and, just past the house, turn left for a lovely climb through the vineyards. Walk past the wash house, situated on the right-hand bend, by about fifty metres. 

(8) Turn left onto the path through the fields and reach the end of a small tarmac road. Head left onto the path, keep to the right at the nearby three-way junction, then take the sharp right-hand bend. Join the tarmac road and turn right to arrive below the Château de Montmelas. 

(9) Walk through the hamlet, past the “Sully” and the Marquis de Montmelas’s tomb, then take the path down to the right, turn left at the junction and join the D44. 

(10) Cross carefully, follow the departmental road to the left for about 200 m, then take the path on the right, which winds its way round the vineyards. Follow this path to the road, cross over and continue straight ahead through the vineyards. Walk down at the end of the vineyards before rejoining the road below: the Château d’Espagne and its grounds are on the right.

(11) Continue to the right along the road, going round the château. As soon as possible, walk alongside the vineyards, parallel to the road, to the end of the plot, where you’ll reach a junction with a sign for ‘Beaujolais village’.

(12) Turn left onto the D19 road, which descends towards Le Jonchy. In the hamlet, take the first road on the right , passing some beautiful golden-stone houses. You’ll reachthe junction with the Montée des Acacias. 

(13) Head straight ahead, then turn right to walk along the edge of the vineyards, skirting the plots as you approach a beautiful house (Le Tremble). Walk back down alongside the last row of vines until you reach the corner of a villa’s garden, then take the road on the right. Pass a cadole on your right, carry on straight ahead, then take the first path on the left, marked with bottle-shaped signposts. 

(14) Leave the cherry tree-lined slope on your left and continue along the path until you reach the tarmac road in the hamlet of Châtenay; cross the hamlet until you reach the first lane on the right. Go up this lane, which ends in a path leading to the Claude Bernard Museum.

(15) Walk down the lane on the left and turn right to reach a crossroads with a signpost for “les Granges”. Turn towards Le Colombier, walk carefully along the road for about a hundred metres, then, at the crossroads with a cross near a wine cellar, take the small road on the left towards Le Colombier. As soon as possible, walk alongside the vineyards rather than staying on the road, and you’ll reach the Château du Colombier, a very beautiful residence. 

(16) Continue along the edge of the vineyards until you reach the tarmac road again; keep to the right at the first junction, then turn left at the next one, and you’ll arrive at the Château du Petit Talancé. Walk along its walls, head towards the car park and, at the end of it, walk towards the woods to enjoy a lovely view of the château.

(17) Then return to the road and head downhill towards the next château, the Grand Talancé, with its magnificent trees, which can be clearly seen from the lower gate. Continue along the small road as it climbs: you’ll once again be able to walk alongside the vineyards until you reach the main road (D44).

(18) Cross carefully, watching out for cars, and take the yellow-marked path opposite. Follow the markings straight ahead to join the D76. 

(19) Cross it carefully, continue along the road opposite, and after the woodland, take the path on the left alongside the vineyards to reach Malval Castle

(20) Walk alongside the gates, take the shortcut across the field diagonally and rejoin a better path.

(21) Turn left and negotiate a hairpin bend to the right, then another to the left, to follow the path leading to Impasse du Four, which will take you back to the village, emerging onto the Grand Rue. 

(22) Turn right onto this street and cross the bridge over the Nizerand. Pass a car park on the right, continue to the church and finally turn right to return to the car park (S/E). 

There are several crossings of local roads; young walkers should take particular care.

Depending on your walking pace, the walk takes between 4 and 5 hours: the estimated time of 6 hours is calculated automatically by the app.

Please note, the vineyards are hard work: walk through them carefully anddo not pick the grapes!

Everyone hikes at their own risk: ensure you have suitable kit, good footwear, etc.

Take plenty of water with you. I didn’t spot any drinking fountains along the route – just wine cellars!

Lacenas, Clos Étienne, Vierge, Château de Montmelas, Château d’Espagne, Claude Bernard Museum, Le Colombier, Château du Petit Talancé, Château du Grand Talancé, Château de Malval, view of the Denicé equestrian centre.

Various Beaujolais wine cellars along the route.