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Marestel Promenade
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Description
This walk gives you a chance to admire the Jongieux winegrowing landscape from the Marestel hillside. The route reveals architectural nuggets large and small: sartos, fortified houses and castles.
The Marestel walk is a discovery of the listed site of Jongieux-Marestel. The emblematic "Altesse" grape variety, from which "Roussette" is made, is grown here.
Along the way, it's possible to see the Château de la Mar, located at the foot of the Marestel hillside; its name derives from the Mareste family to which the castle belonged when it was built around the 14th century. This heritage building is remarkable for its various facades and mullioned windows. Today, the château is home to a winery and bed & breakfast.
Several villages and hamlets are set amidst the vineyards, with small buildings characteristic of the winegrowing landscape: the cellars known locally as "sartos".
The Marestel hillside was consolidated and redeveloped after a violent storm in 1995 caused extensive damage. This initiative is helping to combat erosion.
(We recommend you take this walk outside the harvest period, to help the grape harvest run smoothly).
Technical Information
Altimetric profile
Starting point
Additional information
Contact
Phone : 04 79 36 71 54
Email : info@yenne-tourisme.fr
Website : http://www.dentduchat.fr
Open period
All year round daily.
Environments
Lake 5 km away
Village 2 km away
Close to GR footpath
View over the vineyards
Pond within 5 km
Cycling itinerary less than 1 km away
Type of land
Stone
Ground
Not suitable for strollers
Location complements
Reach the main town of Jongieux via the Départementale 210. Free parking near the Salle polyvalente - church and Jongieux town hall.
Updated by
Office de Tourisme de Yenne - 24/11/2025
www.dentduchat.fr
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Reception complements
Drinking water point shortly after the village of Aimavigne.
Guidebook with maps/step-by-step
Departure point: Jongieux town hall parking lot 275 m
1/ Take the road towards Aimavigne, signposted white and red.
2/ Continue straight on towards the hamlet of Barcontian.
3/ Take the road on the right leading up to "La Torna".
4/ At this point, take the path leading up to the hamlet of Vraisin. In the center of the hamlet, near the fountain, take the path leading up to a small road.
5/ Cross the road and follow the yellow markings into the forest to climb up to the pas des Echelettes
6/ From here, take in the panorama. To complete this loop, follow the yellow markings. The return journey crosses the Marestel wine-growing hillside.
7/ Reach the center of the hamlet of Jongieux-le-Haut and take the path down to the Jongieux church, crossing the D 210.
Animals
Yes. Pets on leash only.
Data author
