Optevoz offers two distinct themes for days of discovery: trails through sensitive natural areas and landmarks of local history. The natural landscape of Val d’Amby is shaped by heathland, dry grassland and rocky escarpments; at Étang de Lemps, wetlands and wildlife take centre stage. Plan your visit according to whether you would like to spend more time on nature trails or at cultural sites.
Nature in Val d’Amby
The Val d’Amby Sensitive Natural Area comprises heathland, dry grassland and rocky escarpments bordering the Amby River. A marked trail runs through this riverside landscape. This offers a specific nature-focused option for anyone who wants to explore different habitats rather than focus on a single cultural theme. Heathland, dry grassland and rocky terrain give the trail its distinctive points of interest; the Amby provides the landscape’s geographical reference. When choosing between Optevoz’s natural areas, the difference from Étang de Lemps is useful to bear in mind: there, wetlands are the main focus.
Wetlands and educational trails at Étang de Lemps
The ENS de l’étang de Lemps is a sensitive natural area in Optevoz representative of the wetlands of northern Isère. Its wildlife includes the threatened European pond turtle. The Parcours d’orientation de l’étang de Lemps is 3.6 kilometres long and has eight stations introducing visitors to the natural area’s wildlife and plant life. The educational trail at Étang de Lemps runs through a preserved wetland and has nine educational stations. These activities combine exercise with insights into habitats and their wildlife and plant life. Check local trail conditions before setting out.
Starting point for two discovery walks
The two discovery walks through the sensitive natural areas of the municipality of Optevoz start at the car park of the Auberge des Peintres in the town centre. If you are planning one of these walks, this gives you a specific starting point for finding your way around locally. This information applies to these two municipal walks; the route at Étang de Lemps and the marked trail at Val d’Amby are identified by their respective names and themes.
Art and local history
Optevoz is stop 5 on the Route des Peintres, a road route linking places associated with around 100 artists. The Auberge des Peintres houses a permanent exhibition tracing Optevoz’s flourishing artistic period. Check access to the exhibition before visiting. The stop on the route and the exhibition give the town an art-historical connection, while the history of its church and mills offers further points of interest.
The Church of Saint-Symphorien dates from the 19th century and is listed in the General Inventory of French Cultural Heritage. The Optevoz washhouse was built in 1873. Its large roof timbers support a roof made of stone slabs—an illustrative architectural detail that goes beyond the building’s date alone. The Moulin des Gobilles, also known as the Moulin d’Ollier, dates from the first half of the 17th century. This makes it possible to distinguish the cultural sites mentioned by age: the mill is older than the washhouse and the church.
Choose a nature or culture focus
The nature experiences differ considerably, from the marked trail along the Amby to the educational activities at Étang de Lemps. Visitors more interested in culture will find several distinct themes in the Route des Peintres, the permanent exhibition and the historic buildings. This makes it easy to choose a destination based on your interests for the trip.
Discover more destinations: Sarcenas, Saint-Pierre-D'allevard, Le Freney-Dʼoisans, Pont-En-Royans, Moidieu-Détourbe, Cheyssieu, Chonas-L'amballan, Cholonge
For the overarching travel overview: Isere.
