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Routes France Ain Hike: A wolf life.
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Hike: A wolf life.

· 7 reviews · Hiking Trail · Ain Open
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  • The source of the Groin
    The source of the Groin
    Photo: ©Maxime Ballet
christelle bruneau
on  July 21, 2025

randonnée tres sympathique. jolis paysages variés. arrêt ...

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    Hike in the local nature of Valromey following a peaceful river, an emerald source and several local heritage monuments.
    Open
    easy
    Distance 7.2 km
    2:10 h
    167 m
    167 m
    534 m
    377 m
    Ideal for families, this hike from Champagne-en-Valromey follows the course of the wild Arvière river to la Source du Groin, an impressive water resurgence of emerald color.
    The walk also allows you to discover the Adoue site, its source, its fountain and its 17th century chapel, then the Vieu en Valromey church and its unique history.

    This hike can be downloaded on the free app Ain Outdoor.

    Author’s recommendation

    Tourist Office Advice.

    This hike at the foot of the Grand Colombier allows you to discover some gems of Valromey's natural and historical heritage.

    Although the intense color of the source of the Groin is incredible, its level can vary significantly throughout the year depending on precipitation; the source can easily overflow or be completely dry during drought periods.

    For small and large hunger pangs after the outing, we recommend the café restaurant la Barque located near the departure point.

    A must for cheese and Comté lovers, discover the Valromette, Valromey-made raclette at la Fruitière du Valromey located in Virieu-le-Petit.

    This route is part of the "Ain Outdoor" selection.

    Logo Bugey Sud Grand Colombier Tourisme
    Responsible for this content
    Bugey Sud Grand Colombier Tourisme  Verified partner 
    Difficulty
    T1 easy
    Overall difficulty
    easy

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Experience
    Landscape
    Highest point
    534 m
    Lowest point
    377 m
    Best time of year
    Jan
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    Track types

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    Rest stops

    Restaurant Le Séran
    Restaurant "Les Caudalies"
    La Barque: café, restaurant, boutique and living space

    Safety information

    The hike does not include any difficult passages.

    Defective marking, incidents / safety, usage conflicts, illegal waste deposits? : locate and share the problem encountered on the national alert system via the SURICATE app or via the site https://sentinelles.sportsdenature.fr/

    Tips and suggestions

    APIDAE Tourism data updated on 04/11/2023 by "Office de Tourisme Bugey Sud Grand Colombier".
    An error on this sheet? Write to the owner by mentioning these references:
    Sheet name: Hiking circuit: The life of the Wolf | Sheet ID: 5367301 | URL (link) of this Outdooractive page.

    Public transport

    Champagne-en-Valromey is located on bus line 145 Belley - Virieu-le-Grand

    Directions

    Access to Champagne-en-Valromey is from the D31 via Artemare to the south and via the D1504 and D904 from Ambérieu-en-Bugey or Belley.

    Parking

    It is possible to park in the La Poste parking lot located opposite the town hall and next to the church.

    Coordinates

    DD
    45.904640, 5.678240
    DMS
    45°54'16.7"N 5°40'41.7"E
    UTM
    31T 707736 5086940
    w3w 
    ///poses.issuers.branched
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    Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!

    Book recommendations for this region:

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    Equipment

    It is recommended to have good shoes, as some parts in the undergrowth can be slippery.

    Localization

    Parts of this content were machine translated using French as the source language
    The most beautiful hikes in the Ain
    France › Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes › Ain › Champagne-en-Valromey

    Questions and answers

    Profile picture of Mireille Broyer
    Question from Mireille Broyer · August 15, 2023 · Community
    La randonnée est indiquée étant fermée sur l’appli. Est-ce que quelqu’un en sait plus ?
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    Profile picture of Isabelle Dumont
    Answered by Isabelle Dumont · August 15, 2023 · Community
    Bonsoir Nous l'avons faite quand bien même elle était indiquée "fermée ". Je ne sais pas pourquoi. Randonnée sans difficulté et variée.
    3 more replies
    Profile picture of Charlotte de Montgolfier
    Question from Charlotte de Montgolfier · July 01, 2023 · Community
    Bonjour, est-ce possible de faire cette randonnée avec une poussette ? Merci !
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    Answered by Brigitte Duchamp · July 02, 2023 · Community
    non, passage en sous bois,
    Answer
    Profile picture of Sophie Jonard
    Question from Sophie Jonard · May 27, 2023 · Community
    Bonjour, est il possible de faire cette randonnée à vélo?
    More
    Profile picture of Maxime Ballet
    Answered by Maxime Ballet  · May 30, 2023 · Bugey Sud Grand Colombier Tourisme
    Bonjour Sophie, cette randonnée peut être accessible à VTT, certaines parties me semblent trop techniques pour les autres types de vélos. Veuillez noter qu'elle est cependant fermée actuellement suite à un incendie qui bloque la route au niveau de Chongnes, un détour est cependant possible via Don. N'hésitez pas si vous avez d'autres questions !
    Answer

    Ratings and reviews

    4.9
    (7)
    christelle bruneau
    July 21, 2025 · Community
    randonnée tres sympathique. jolis paysages variés. arrêt conseillée chez l'apicultrice d'arvieres juste avant la source du groin. Pour notre part les telephones indiquaient que nous avions parcouru 9km 500, donc un peu plus qu'indiqué sur le site.
    More
    Route done on July 21, 2025
    Comment
    Profile picture of Mireille Broyer
    Mireille Broyer
    August 18, 2023 · Community
    Très belle balade avec de jolies surprises : le fait de longer l’Arvière qui a encore de l’eau en plein mois d’août, de beaux panoramas sur le Colombier, la fontaine avec la vierge de Claudel… Les chemins sont très diversifiés, le plus souvent ombragés, cette balade était un vrai plaisir. Cela grimpe sur certains passages au retour mais c’est tout à fait abordable. En plus nous avons eu la chance de loger presque sur le chemin de la randonnée dans une belle demeure du Valromey.
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    Route done on August 17, 2023
    Photo: Mireille Broyer, Community
    Photo: Mireille Broyer, Community
    Photo: Mireille Broyer, Community
    Photo: Mireille Broyer, Community
    Photo: Mireille Broyer, Community
    Comment
    Profile picture of Isabelle Dumont
    Isabelle Dumont
    August 07, 2023 · Community
    Randonnée très agréable et variée, de jolis paysages. super !
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    Route done on August 07, 2023
    Photo: Isabelle Dumont, Community
    Photo: Isabelle Dumont, Community
    Photo: Isabelle Dumont, Community
    Photo: Isabelle Dumont, Community
    Photo: Isabelle Dumont, Community
    Comment
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    + 14
    Status
    Open
    Reviews
    7
    Difficulty
    T1 easy
    Overall difficulty
    easy

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Distance
    7.2 km
    Duration
    2:10 h
    Ascent
    167 m
    Descent
    167 m
    Highest point
    534 m
    Lowest point
    377 m
    Family-friendly Fauna Geological highlights Flora Round trip Dog-friendly 'Healthy climate' Scenic Cultural/historical interest

    Weather at the starting point

    10-day forecast

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    Routes France Ain Hike: A wolf life.