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Castles and farms of Bas Dauphiné

Castles of Virieu_Val-de-Virieu
Go up to the castle of Virieu_Val-de-Virieu
Path of the castle of Virieu_Val-de-Virieu
Castles and farms of Bas Dauphiné

Description

Numerous panoramic views of the Haute Bourbre valley and the peaks and full of heritage discoveries. The rammed earth farms with roofs covered in typical flaked tiles, fortified houses and castles will offer you a few breaks.

ROUTE

From the church, wander through the streets of Virieu, a medieval village built at the foot of its castle. The picturesque charm of the village centre can be seen in the typical Dauphiné houses, the murals recounting the history of the village, the Place du Trêve painted by the impressionist Jongkind and the wooden covered market hall with its gable roof made of tortoiseshell tiles. A map of the village is available at the Mairie (townhall).

Once you reach the Trêve, head up towards the Château de Virieu either by the road or along a shady path (not recommended for mountain bikes or horses). You can visit the château and the Galoche museum, which traces the history of said shoe, a clog cousin (depending on opening hours).

Then, until the Croix de l'Homnézy, there are uninterrupted views over the valleys and mountain ranges.

The route then heads gradually deeper into the forest until the Croix du Moine Mort, a reference to the nearby former Carthusian monastery. The forest track then descends through the valley described by Lamartine in his poem. On the edge of the forest below stands the 17th-century château de Pupetières. Tours are available (subject to opening hours). You can also see the Dutch painter Jongkind house a few hundred metres further on. Finally, you return to Virieu along a wide path through the Bourbre valley.


WAYMARKING AND SIGNPOSTING

From the Virieu-sur-Bourbre SNCF station, follow the yellow signs to the village of Virieu (alternative starting point - car park in front of the church).
From the church parking, follow yellow markings and the following crossroads:
VIRIEU > Le Trêve > Château de Virieu > Les Cardelles > Croix de l’Homnezy > Chemin de Ripaillon > Les Frênes > Croix du Moine Mort > Mallein > Combe Mounard > Les Tournelles > Le Trève > VIRIEU (church parking lot)

Please note: add 2.2km (1.1km one way) if starting from the SNCF trainstation.

Technical Information

Walking
Difficulty
Medium
Duration
4h15mn
Dist.
13 km
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Altimetric profile

Starting point

Parking de l'église - 90 rue Carnot , 38730   Val-de-Virieu
Lat : 45.484821Lng : 5.475554

Points of interest

image du object

Virieu Castle

Built in 1010. Military heritage and french gardens characterize this monument which offers visitors some beautiful rooms : you would particularly enjoy Louis XIII's room, the medieval kitchen, the XVIIe chapel and the peculiar dunjeon.Come and discover the Virieu's castle during a one hour visit with our team of tour guide. You will start your visit in front of an impressive entrace door with 2115 original nails, topped by its pediment, bearing the Virieu coat of arms. Then, you will be in the castle's court of honor, just in front of its dungeon. You can see at your right the cannons offered by Louis XIII in 1622, placed under the arcade gallery in brick of Italian style. A few steps and you will be in the peaceful atmosphere of Virieu's chapel. Inside of it, you will discover the Way of the Cross sculpted by Stéphanie de Virieu at the age of 80. With a few steps under the gallery, you can access to the ancient kitchen, which now used as a dining room. You will discover the monumental fireplace with its low arch and its XIIIth century fireback, a souvenir of the ancient Chartreuse de la Sylve Bénite. You will also be able to appreciate its furniture before entering the Great Hall full of history. The King's bedroom, impressive and majestic room, called like that because the King Louis XIII slept there in 1622, has kept its original aspect and part of its furniture. You will then reach the White Room, which should have been a chapel. The visit touch to its end near the dungeon, which is now a memorial place dedicated to the Resistance during German's occupation from 1940 to 1944.

1245, Rue du Château Virieu 38730 Val-de-Virieu
- Office de Tourisme des Vals du Dauphiné -
Consulter

Additional information

Updated by

Office de Tourisme des Vals du Dauphiné - 01/12/2025
www.tourisme-valsdudauphine.fr/
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Environments

Panoramic view
Forest location
Station district
In the country
TER stop (regional train) within 500 m
Close to a public transportation
Village 2 km away
Less than 10 min walk from a train station

Open period

All year round daily.

Location complements

This circuit is accessible by TER from GRENOBLE via the line Grenoble - Saint-André-le-Gaz (stop at Virieu-sur-Bourbre).

This circuit is accessible from LYON via the line Lyon - Chambéry (stop in Saint-André-la-Gaz) then Saint-André-le-Gaz - Grenoble (stop in Virieu-sur-Bourbre).

Type of land

Stone
Ground
Hard coating (tar, cement, flooring)

Tricky passages

The ascent towards the castle of Virieu by the path is rather steep and proposes some steps, possibility of borrowing the road for an easier coating.

Animals

Yes

Data author

25 Place de la République 38480 Pont de Beauvoisin France

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Caution!
We have no information on the difficulty of this circuit. You may encounter some surprises along the way. Before you go, please feel free to inquire more and take all necessary precautions. Have a good trip! 🌳🥾