Villechenève walks

A sheltered walk with a few views of the Monts du Lyonnais and a chance to discover the Matagrin Tower at the top of the highest peak in the Monts du Lyonnais. An ideal walk in hot weather as it is at altitude and mostly in the woods.

Violay is a town with over 1,200 inhabitants and many shops! In the first part of the hike, you will pass by the Matagrin Tower (which you can visit). You will then follow theGR®7to Violay, before returning by another route. Most of the route is through the woods.

A beautiful circular route with panoramic views of the Monts du Forez. No particular technical difficulty. You can start from any of the three villages. The route is described from St-Clément les Places.

This circular route of almost 5 km allows you to discover the heights of Saint-Marcel-l'Éclairé and enjoy the view over the entire valley. The paths at the edge of the forest are very pleasant.

Beautiful 360° view at Mont Popey on the northern edge of the Monts du Lyonnais with, as a bonus in good weather, a breathtaking view to the east of the Monts d'Or, the Alps and Mont Blanc. Interesting ridge trail in the forest or open countryside, well marked with beautiful views. A paragliding launch site where, in good weather, you can enjoy the spectacular views! The climb up Mont Popey and the descent to Mas Saint-Jean are a little steep, but take your time!

A circular route starting from Ancy, marked with crosses, rolling hills and views of the Beaujolais and Lyonnais mountains, alternating between balcony paths and shaded forest trails. Some tarmac sections, visit to a cheese producer. Picnic area available in a peaceful spot. Option to climb to the summit of Mont Popey at the end of the route.

The region has prehistoric and ancient remains, particularly from the Gallo-Roman period. Two temples are said to have existed, one on the Arjoux mountain and the other, dedicated to Jupiter, near the Mas Saint-Jean. Silver mines were worked nearby in the 15th century.

I recommend this hike when nature is waking up in mid-April, to enjoy the green meadows and bright yellow dandelions. There are unobstructed views over much of the route. The ridge offers beautiful views of the Loire and Rhône departments. Picnics by the pond are very enjoyable and peaceful. The return trail near the river (Turdine) is very wild and quiet.

A beautiful walk in the Monts du Lyonnais, from Saint-Romain-de-Popey to Saint-Forgeux. Beautiful views of the Turdine and Azergues valleys.

A short walk from Saint-Romain around Mont Popey, passing through the centre of Ancy. Option to continue to the Popey ridge From the heights of Popey, you can see the Crêt d'Arjoux. This circular takes you along many paths and very few roads.

A lovely route through fields, cherry orchards and forests, offering beautiful views of Saint-Romain-de-Popey, the village of Bully and its vineyards, Pontcharra-sur-Turdine and, in the distance, Mont Verdun in the Monts d'Or massif.

A circular that starts in Jas and takes us through forests and countryside to the small village of Salt-en-Donzy.

A short, half-day family hike in the Monts du Lyonnais. Can be started from Haute-Rivoire, but the car park is a little way from the route. TheGR®89, Chemin de Montaigne, is marked in white and red.

Starting from Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges, this route runs along the ridges surrounding this small village in the Montagnes du Matin. The first ridge is open. The second part, on theGR®7, is in the forest. Located halfway along the route, the Lac de Saint-Cyr, which is more of a pond, is ideal for a break in the shade. The return journey offers beautiful unobstructed views of the plain and the Monts du Forez.

A very beautiful hike starting from the car park at the bar in Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges. You will travel through the Saint-Cyr and Violay countryside, passing by the Échanssieux dam and then Violay, returning via Les Crêtes (GR®7) where you will enjoy two magnificent landscapes: on your right, the Monts du Lyonnais (and, on a clear day, the Alps and Mont Blanc); on your left, the Monts du Forez, Auvergne and Cantal.

A magnificent hike around the countryside of Machézal and Amplepuis. The views of the Roanne and Haut-Beaujolais regions are breathtaking.

This circuit with pleasant trails allows us to admire views of Amplepuis and its surroundings, the Château de Rochefort and splendid views of the Monts du Lyonnais, Tarare and its surroundings. Not to be missed. Following work to install wind turbines, the French Hiking Federation has significantly modified the route at point (8) to divert theGR®7. I have redrawn the route as indicated by the FFR, so please follow this modification to complete the circuit.

This hike will allow you to discover some beautiful landscapes between the Monts du Lyonnais and the Monts de Tarare on either side of the Brévenne valley. Much of this hike takes place on the ridges, offering some very interesting views. Numerous signposts along the route will help you find your way.

A short trip to the Monts du Lyonnais from Savigny, above Sain-Bel. A very beautiful walk through orchards with magnificent views of the Turdine, Azergues, Saône and Brévenne valleys and the surrounding mountains.

A very pretty walk to discover the rolling countryside around Savigny, alternating between dirt tracks and little-used roads, valley bottoms (Trésoncle) and hilltops (viewpoints).

Découvrez une agréable randonnée autour de Savigny ; un circuit, d'environ 8 km, offrant de points de vue sur les paysages vallonnés environnants. Classé avec un indice IBP de 40 HKG, vous emprunterez des chemins variés, et bénéficierez, notamment, d'une vue panoramique sur le Château de Montbloy et la Villa Mangini. Attendez-vous à un mélange de sentiers, de chemins en terre, et de passages longeant les vignes et la campagne locale.

Starting from L'Argentière (in the commune of Aveize), this short 2- to 3-hour circular will delight the whole family with its varied landscapes and the last third of the route, which follows a fun botanical trail. The places mentioned "in quotation marks" in the description are marked with corresponding signs on the ground put in place by the Rhône department.

A walk starting from the typical golden stone village of Bully, offering superb views of the Monts du Lyonnais and the Monts d'Or.

Starting from Montromant (Mont Romain), a beautiful hilly route through woods and forest will take you to the remains of the underground section of the Roman Brévenne aqueduct. Beautiful views of the Monts du Forez, the Monts de Tarare and, from the Croix des Brosses, the Alps and the Pilat Massif.

Superb views along this route: Brevenne, Pilat, Lyon.

A beautiful circular walk starting from the village of Courzieu, ideal for an afternoon in the countryside! You will walk through the village's crops, cherry orchards and strawberry fields. Beautiful views of the Brévenne valley and the Beaujolais mountains in the distance.

Meadows, orchards and woods follow one another on the hillsides where, from late spring to early summer, raspberries, strawberries, cherry blossoms and other red fruits flourish. The contrasting plots of land create a very varied and pleasant landscape, including wooded areas of oak, chestnut and hornbeam coppices. Exceptional panoramic views of the Tarare mountains (particularly from the "Lafont" orientation table), Lyon and the Ain plain. Virtually no tarmac. Pure bliss!

This route will take you through the village of Courzieu, first to the western side of the village, before heading towards the Col de la Croix de Pars. You will then descend back to the village, enjoying a bird's eye view.

The Fraise Blanche route is a good introduction to the topography of Courzieu. You will reach the Col de la Croix de Pars from the hamlet of Sottizon and, after a pleasant stretch along the ridges, you will descend back to the village via the hamlet of Lafont.

This is a large loop offering several views of the Lyon area and, on a clear day, even Mont Blanc and the Alps. You will also discover the Beaujolais des Pierres Dorées (Oingt, Le Bois d'Oingt, Moirée, etc.) and part of the Tarare Mountains. No major difficulties to expect, the route passes along forest tracks, trails and a small section of tarmac (D629, very little traffic).

This beautiful circular route from Duerne takes you along well-marked paths and tracks, often shaded, to discover the varied landscapes of this little-known part of the Monts du Lyonnais. A small stele by the side of the road commemorates the sacrifice of the American pilots who crashed there in 1944. At the end of the route, before heading back up towards Duerne, you can discover the astonishing remains of the Roman Aqueduct on the Brévenne.

This route allows you to discover Old Ternand, a superb medieval fortified village perched on a peak. Halfway along the route, you can admire the Ronzière chapel and the adjoining property before passing by a pond with water lilies. This route can complement the very interesting circular Heritage Loop through Ternand, Saint-Paule and Saint-Laurent d'Oingt. Starting from Old Ternand allows you to visit it at your leisure after the hike. You can spot this rocky peak in the distance if you go on other hikes in the area.

This loop, starting from the old village of Ternand, winds its way through the vineyards of the Beaujolais region and the deep Brou forest. The circuit begins with a visit to the pretty medieval village of Ternand. The route follows small roads and easy paths and offers beautiful views of the surrounding Beaujolais mountains, from Létra to Oingt.

Starting from the pleasant shores of Lac de Ronzey, this hike takes you to its highest point, Crêt du Py Froid, passing by a dolmen and the Châteauvieux chapel. Finally, your steps will lead you to the dam on the Garon. Magnificent panoramic views of the Mont du Lyonnais and the city of Lyon will accompany you throughout your journey.

Walk in the Monts du Lyonnais with superb views of the Brévenne and Rhône valleys and the Alps in the distance.

This hike allows you to see and visit the Pierres Dorées heritage sites in the villages of Ternand, Sainte-Paule and Saint-Laurent-d'Oingt. The medieval part of Ternand is not included in this hike.

This route starts at Lac du Ronzey and descends to the dam on the Garon. It takes you along a trail dedicated to local hydrology linked to rural life in the early 20th century.

This circuit of around ten kilometres will take you to the heights of Yzeron, along fairly unfrequented and sometimes unmarked paths and trails. Enjoy peace and greenery in the forests and meadows.

Half-day hike with very varied landscapes. Variations are possible to shorten the route.

Starting from the village of Bois-d'Oingt, this loop allows you to visit the villages of Oingt, Theizé and Moiré, passing through Woods and vineyards in a beautiful landscape.

The main attraction of this hike is the long path that follows the Ruisseau de Rebaisselet stream for 5 km. The first part climbs through vineyards and small woods, then the path plunges into the Ruisseau de Rebaisselet valley. Yves Duteil's song will come to mind and stay with you, as there are many small wooden bridges to cross from one bank to the other. This is a little-used route with the option of extending it to the Col du Joncin.

This loop takes you on a journey of discovery through an original and unique area, shaped by yellow ochre limestone, before you stroll through the medieval village of Oingt, listed as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France", with its golden stone houses welcoming artists and craftsmen. The village enjoys an exceptional view over the Azergues valley.

A beautiful circular walk through the varied and undulating landscapes of this part of the Monts du Lyonnais, taking you through the pretty, shady valley of the Bâtie stream and along the Rontalon botanical trail. The route follows an old railroad track from the early twentieth century, before climbing up through a Mediterranean style forest and past some market gardens. End by visiting the medieval village of Rochefort where you can visit the remains of the keep and the chapel.