Discover Saint-André-La-Côte via its high-altitude trails, a striking viewpoint and tours on foot or by bike. At its heart is Le Signal: at 934 metres, it is one of the highest points in the Monts du Lyonnais. From here, the natural 180-degree view extends east towards the Alps, south towards the Massif du Pilat and west towards the beginning of the Monts du Lyonnais.
Le Signal: views and orientation
At Le Signal, you’ll find a footbridge, an orientation table and panels interpreting the landscape. Cartography also has a historical connection here: in the mid-18th century, César-François de Cassini de Thury established a surveying reference point at Le Signal to map the region. This reference point highlights another role of the viewpoint: Le Signal was also part of regional mapping work. At the same place, you can encounter both the sweeping panoramic view and a tangible link to the history of surveying.
On foot: circular route and long-distance trail
The waymarked “Circuit Panoramas sur la ligne de crête” is 14.3 kilometres long, with 500 metres of elevation gain. Its route passes L’Église Saint-André-la-Côte, a named waypoint on the loop. Le Signal also lies along the GR76 long-distance hiking trail. This gives you two different hiking options: a measured circular route with a church as a waypoint, and the long-distance trail passing the viewpoint. When weighing up the options, you can use the loop format and stated elevation gain, or the route of the GR76, as a guide.
By bike: circular route and stage
The waymarked Circuit VTT 191 – Tour de Saint-André-la-Côte is a 35-kilometre loop with 1,200 metres of elevation gain. Compared with the hiking loop, it is longer and has more elevation gain: 35 kilometres and 1,200 metres of elevation gain compared with 14.3 kilometres and 500 metres. The Grande Traversée du Rhône VTT stage offers a different type of route. It leads from the heights of Saint-André-La-Côte to Saint-Maurice-sur-Dargoire. The route passes through deciduous forests, along small roads and on well-ridable paths in a rural setting with farm hamlets. Alongside the named stage destinations, the different types of paths shape the character of the route. For nine kilometres, the Grande Traversée du Rhône VTT shares its route with the Grand Tour des Monts du Lyonnais, from Saint-André-la-Côte to Sainte-Catherine. Unlike the loop, this stage is described by its named start and finish points.
Geocaching with the Gnolus
Another activity in Saint-André-La-Côte is the free geocaching experience “The Gnolus – The Cassini Code”. The puzzles are accessible to everyone; children aged three to five are also welcome when accompanied by adults. Geocaching offers a different way to explore than walking or cycling routes: here, the focus is on puzzles, not distance and elevation gain.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Germain-Au-Mont-D'or, Légny, La Mulatière, Sainte-Colombe, Theizé, Grézieu-La-Varenne, Saint-Laurent-D'oingt, Saint-Forgeux
For the broader travel overview: Rhône.
