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Best Forest Hikes in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

There are 601 hikes in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in our database that fit. They average 7.2 km and 218 m (715 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 445 km.

That is 20 percent of the 3,014 routes we map in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Forest trails are the dependable choice: shade when it is hot, shelter when it is not, and a completely different character once the leaves turn. The mix is broad: 402 are rated easy and 46 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Expert

De Néris-les-Bains à Chabanne

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
146 km
/ 90.6 mi
Elevation gain
3,208 m
Typical duration
39 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Sur les pas des Huguenots

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
87.2 km
/ 54.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,919 m
Typical duration
23 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Littoral du Léman

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
85.5 km
/ 53.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,881 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Variante GR Balcon du Léman

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
15.1 km
/ 9.4 mi
Elevation gain
331 m
Typical duration
3 hr 38 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Easy

GR 5 Variante La Plantaz

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
48 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Balcon du Valromey

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
106 km
/ 65.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,330 m
Typical duration
28 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Boucle Longue du Sancy

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
80.6 km
/ 50.1 mi
Elevation gain
3,410 m
Typical duration
23 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Tour du Pays de Lhuis et d'Izieu

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
87.5 km
/ 54.4 mi
Elevation gain
2,210 m
Typical duration
23 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Cascade de Clairefontaine

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
5.9 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
300 m
Typical duration
1 hr 40 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Forest
Hard

Les Cascades

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
16.9 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
372 m
Typical duration
4 hr 9 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Forest
Easy

Tour du Puy de Côme

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
116 m
Typical duration
1 hr 16 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Les Vans - Brahic

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
99 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
  • Forest
Easy

Littoral du Léman

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
104 m
Typical duration
1 hr 8 min
  • Coastal
  • Forest
Hard

Les Gorges de la Loire

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
21.0 km
/ 13.0 mi
Elevation gain
462 m
Typical duration
5 hr 15 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Hard

Pointe de la Fougère

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
17.8 km
/ 11.1 mi
Elevation gain
392 m
Typical duration
4 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Expert

Les 3 vallées

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
50.1 km
/ 31.1 mi
Elevation gain
2,950 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Les Gorges de Thurignin

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
13.9 km
/ 8.7 mi
Elevation gain
240 m
Typical duration
3 hr 16 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Les Gorges de la Sioule

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
16.8 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
369 m
Typical duration
4 hr 6 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Mont Julioz

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
4.0 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
560 m
Typical duration
1 hr 41 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Mont de Cordon

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
7.1 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
205 m
Typical duration
1 hr 47 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Montagne Saint Benoit

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
12.0 km
/ 7.5 mi
Elevation gain
475 m
Typical duration
3 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Croix d'Albiez en aller-retour

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
385 m
Typical duration
2 hr 12 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Le plateau du Guéry

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
13.1 km
/ 8.1 mi
Elevation gain
288 m
Typical duration
3 hr 9 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Lac et sous Bois

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
118 m
Typical duration
1 hr 18 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Lac et vignobles

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
9.6 km
/ 6.0 mi
Elevation gain
236 m
Typical duration
2 hr 21 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Le Lac de Barterand

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
7.2 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
212 m
Typical duration
1 hr 49 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Le lac d'Armaille

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
175 m
Typical duration
2 hr 12 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Les Balcons du Lac de Nantua

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
26.2 km
/ 16.3 mi
Elevation gain
577 m
Typical duration
6 hr 40 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Circuit des caves bugistes

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
8.0 km
/ 5.0 mi
Elevation gain
170 m
Typical duration
1 hr 56 min
  • Forest
  • Cave
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Les caves de Saint-Julien

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
9.0 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
198 m
Typical duration
2 hr 10 min
  • Forest
  • Cave
  • Waymarked route
Easy

À l'assaut du Fort du Mont

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
123 m
Typical duration
1 hr 21 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Castle and ruins
Moderate

Randonnée : La Daronne

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
460 m
Typical duration
2 hr 36 min
  • River
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Boucle du Mont Vouan

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
102 m
Typical duration
1 hr 7 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Easy

La Thuile

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
122 m
Typical duration
1 hr 20 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Chemin d'Assise, Cluny - MontcenisAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes445 km9,800 m120 hrExpertApril to October
De Néris-les-Bains à ChabanneAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes146 km3,208 m39 hrExpertApril to October
Sur les Pas de Charles IX et Catherine de MédicisAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes270 km5,951 m72 hrExpertApril to October
Sur les pas des HuguenotsAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes87.2 km1,919 m23 hrExpertApril to October
Littoral du LémanAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes85.5 km1,881 m22 hrExpertApril to October
Variante GR Balcon du LémanAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes15.1 km331 m3 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
GR 5 Variante La PlantazAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes2.2 km48 m31 minEasyApril to October
Le Bourbonnais, de Moulins à Montcombroux-les-MinesAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes51.9 km1,142 m13 hrExpertApril to October
D'Evaux-les-Bains à Néris-les-BainsAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes26.1 km574 m6 hr 38 minHardApril to October
Balcon du ValromeyAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes106 km2,330 m28 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Chemin d'Assise, Cluny - Montcenis, De Néris-les-Bains à Chabanne, Sur les pas des Huguenots. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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