Boucle du Couzon

The steps of the itinerary : Plan de ville > Mairie de St Pierre de Chartreuse > Parking du Bourg > Croix de St Claude > Chemin des Amoureux > Chapelle du Rosaire > Le Paquet > La coachatière > Le Battour > Télésiège du Battour > Champ Massot > Sentier du Col des Aures > La Coche > Merlatière > Patassière > Carlinière > Bois des Lièvres > Plan de ville.

(1) The starting point is located in the heart of the village at the "Plan de Ville". Pass between the Tourist Office building and the pizzeria through a passage between houses that leads you to the "Place de la Mairie". Take the Perquelin road, passing by the "Parking du Bourg" (next to Raidlight). Continue on the Perquelin road until you reach the "Croix Saint Claude".

(2) Take the trail on your left, which climbs along ruins of barns and meadows slowly overtaken by the forest. At the "Sentier des Amoureux" (Lovers’ Path), continue straight on the balcony trail until you reach the "Chapelle du Rosaire" (Rosary Chapel).

(3) Then take the right-hand path that climbs through the meadows between old dry-stone walls (the chapel, with a viewpoint over the village and mountains, is on your left 50 meters off the trail).

(4) At "Le Paquet", turn left onto the slightly uphill drivable path. When you reach the paved road, continue straight downwards to "Cochatière".

(5) Turn right onto the road that crosses the hamlet. At the hamlet’s exit, take the path climbing on your right into the forest. The signpost "Le Batour" is just at the edge of the forest. Follow the small forest track through woods and meadows until you reach the drivable path. Turn left uphill, then left again onto the descending path. After reaching a new track in about 100 meters, turn right uphill to reach the "Télésiège du Batour" (6) (the chairlift is no longer there, so don’t look for it!). Continue straight on the drivable road, passing a wood storage area, and head to the "Télésiège de la Combe de l’Ours". On your left, across from the chairlift, take the steep path that descends into the forest until you reach the road. Cross it, and take the trail 20 meters below on the left. After passing behind the gîte, cross the footbridge over the stream on your right to reach "Champ Massot".

(7) Follow the path downhill to the "Sentier du Col des Aures". Cross the bridge and take the trail straight ahead that descends (crossing the forest road), continuing along the right bank of the Couzon stream. You’ll cross another bridge and follow the left bank. Then cross back to the right bank via another bridge and continue to "La Coche".

(8) Take the road on your right and cross the hamlet. At "Merlatière" (on your left, a contemporary sculpture by Nadaud Guilloton, part of a set of installations in various hamlets of the village), continue slightly to the left onto a descending path between the houses, then ascend through meadows and a small wood (some sections are clayey and may be slippery when wet...). After the small footbridge, descend left on the Orchid Path (in season, plaques are installed to help you discover a dozen species of local wild orchids). When you reach the paved road, continue descending to "Patassière". At the intersection, take the road to your right towards "Carlinière".

(9) Then take the small path on the left that descends into a small valley (you can see the village ahead). Some sections may be slippery, depending on conditions, and are exposed to a fairly steep slope, so be cautious. Cross the Couzon one last time over a small bridge before climbing up to "Le Bois des Lièvres". Crossing the "Plan de Ville" on your left will bring you back to your starting point.