The “Vers d'autres horizons” trail starts at the Church of Saint-Alban-de-Varèze in Vernioz. Along the way, you can catch a glimpse of the privately owned Château de Richoud. The château has medieval influences and is surrounded by centuries-old beech trees. If you appreciate architecture and old trees as part of a hike, you’ll find both here along a route with a clearly marked starting point.

Hiking between château views and woodland

A second trail, “Au travers du bois de la Limone”, connects Saint-Alban-de-Varèze with Assieu. It crosses the Varèze via a footbridge and passes through the deciduous woodland of Bois de la Limone. Wild boar, roe deer and hares live in this woodland. The river crossing and deciduous forest offer a different focus from the view of the château. If you’re choosing between château views and a hike with river and woodland scenery, the two trails offer different experiences.

The trail details also differ. “Au travers du bois de la Limone” is 4.4 km long, has 137 metres of elevation gain and takes about 1.5 hours. “Vers d'autres horizons” is 7 km long, has 210 metres of elevation gain and takes approximately 2.5 hours; it is rated moderate. Both routes are marked with yellow markings and signs. “Vers d'autres horizons” is open year-round.

When choosing by time, the difference between about an hour and a half and two and a half hours is especially clear: the shorter trail takes less time, while the 7 km hike requires more walking time and involves more elevation gain. The moderate rating adds another point of comparison for this longer hike. This lets you weigh up trail length, duration and stated difficulty together.

Summer rides on electrically assisted bicycles

The Office de Tourisme Entre Bièvre et Rhône’s summer 2026 programme includes rides on electrically assisted bicycles. They offer a way to discover the landscapes and local heritage. The rides are open to people of all experience levels; the meeting point is the Vernioz campsite. As well as hiking, this offers another way to make landscapes and heritage the focus of an outing.

You can compare the hiking trails by distance, elevation gain and approximate walking time. For the cycling rides, the season, meeting point and what you’ll discover are the main points to consider. So, if you’re choosing between hiking and cycling, you can first decide which activity you prefer, then consider the timeframe that suits you.

The rides are part of the summer 2026 programme; future seasonal programmes may differ. If you’re planning a trip for a later season, check the relevant dates before adding a ride to your plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Châbons, Mizoën, Beaucroissant, Engins, Pierre-Châtel, Cholonge, Saint-Egrève, Mont-De-Lans.

Back to the main travel overview: Isere.